90-MILE RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 781, 30 September 1929, Page 6

90-MILE RACE

HARCOURT SCORES IN CYCLING CLASSIC HAMILTON—AUCKLAND RACE The professional cycling event of the season in the Auckland Prov-' ince, the big 90-mile HamiltonAuckland road race on Saturday afternoon, was as big a success as ever. And, appropriately enough, the fastest time for the event went to a Hamilton rider. J. H. Harcourt. off the Smin mark. Harcourt thus holds for one year the blue championship sash, emblem of the North Island cash cycling championship. But if Hamilton produced the winner of fastest time, it was an Auckland lad, G. Plall, who rode in first after the gruelling 90 miles on a fine, cool, but windy afternoon. Hall started with the men from 34 mins, and was thus in the second band to leave Hamilton. He clung to his lead in an unexpected manner. It was, of course, to be expected that the limit men would be all in the picture over the early stages, but Hall confounded the critics who thought that the back-markers would have a chance of overhauling him over the last 30 or 40 miles. Passing through Drury he still held on to a big lead, being followed by Jacob, Slack, and F. Taylor, and showed no signs of letting up on the concrete strip. He finished on the Onehunga recreation ground to the cheers of several hundred spectators, and it was fully five minutes before the next man arrived. F. Taylor, off 20 minutes, did better than any of the medium back-markers, and by coming second to Hall showed what a good rider he is. One of the brightest tussles of the several close finishes during the afternoon was provided by Francis and Harcourt. Harcourt was leading 300 yards from home, but in a keen sprint to over the finishing mark Francis managed to overhaul the winner of fastest time, and win third place by half a wheel or so. Results as follow: G. Hall (Auckland), 34min. .. 1 F. Taylor (Auckland), 20min. . . 2 W. Francis (Papakura), 15min. 3 J. Harcourt (Hamilton), Smin. 4 R. Clarke (Papakura), 32min. .. 5 J. Jacob (Auckland), 34min. .. 6 L. G. Pinfold (Auckland), 25min. 7 Fastest time:—J. H. Harcourt (Hamilton), 3hr. 49min. 37 l-ssec. Time of race: 4hr. 9min. 3sec. Harcourt’s time for the race is a record. Mr. E. Morton, Mayor of Onehunga, presented the prizes to the winners. G. Hall was the recipient of the Dunlop Challenge Cup, and J. Harcourt, winner of the fastest time, received the blue championship sash and the John Bull silver challenge cup preented by the Leicester Rubber Co., Ltd., of England.

CANTERBURY EVENT

BERRY WINS 100 MILES Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The biggest amateur cycling road race in the South Island, known as round the Gorges race, over a distance of 100 miles, was won on Saturday by N. Berry, 24m., who completed the journey in sh. 12m., 355. Buckley (40m.), sh. 17m. 33 l-55., was second, and D. J. Richardson (35m.), sh. 12m. 525., was third. Fastest time was registered by F. J. Grose, who finshed thirteenth, in 4h. 46m. 15s. Second fastest time was gained by F. J. Wilcockson in 4h. 48m. 12s.

AMATEUR EVENTS

MANUKAU CLUB’S TWO RACES at* 11 cycling events conducted by the Manukau Amateur Club on Saturday after-noon, c. G. Galbraith won the Se Detalis C — and W ' C ' Paul the junior. 5J MILES JUNIOR W. C. Paul, 4m 20s .. i 3-w. 3j. Francis, 45s * *> L. Oxon, Ira 10s ...... ** 3 Fastest time: R. L. Francis. There were seven starters. e 22 MILES SENIOR C. G. Galbraith, 2m 50s .. .. 1 Casey, 5m v A. W. Mackreh, sm* *3os’ .*.* 1 ! a S. Baird, 2m 50s * 4 „f ast a t time: H - R Dwifrht, scr.'in 61m ods. liiere were 30 starters.

TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH

HANDICAPS FOR NEXT WEEK Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. The handicaps for next Saturday’s cycle race from Timaru to Christchurch include: Scratch: S. McCann (New Plymouth), H. G. Watson (Christchurch), L Hill (New Brighton). Twelve minutes: N. Beirringer (New Plymouth). Sixteen minutes: E. Taylor (Temuka) Twenty-five minutes: R. Brookland (Timaru). Twenty-seven minutes: F. Dawson (Australia), G. Horton (Ashburton). Thirty-one minu.es: A Ralston (Otago), A. Betteridge (Ashburton), D. Edgar (Timaru) Thirtyfive minutes: W. Oakley (Tinwald). Forty minutes: J. Chadderton (Ashburton), W. Gooch and H. Wilson (West Coast), C. Groves (Peel Forest), C. Arnst (Temuka). Fourty-two minutes: R. McLean (Timaru), J. Havill (West Coast).

WOMEN’S HOCKEY FINAL

SOMERVILLE BADLY BEATEN Somerville suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Y.W.C.A. in the final game of the senior grade championship knock-out tournament played at Remuera on Saturday. There was a poor display in the second half, lack of interest and the staleness of certain of the Whites contributing materially to their downfall. The game could easily have been pul ed out of the fire by more energy in the forward line and sounder tactics by the goalie. The match was marked by the brilliant play of Miss M. McLaughlin, of the Y.W.C.A. team, who scored seven of the eight goals registered for the victors. At least three of these were gained without material assistance from her fellow-players. Another noticeable figure was Miss Q. Ward, in goal, who again proved a tower of strength for Y.W.C.A.