BARRED ALL VICTORS.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 223, 16 December 1897, Page 3

BARRED ALL VICTORS.

The Oveiman Wheel Company, makers of Victor cycles, ought to be satisfied with this advertisement, even if its wheels were barred from a coasting contest at Baltimore. The Baltimore American says : —The athletic feature of the day was the coasting contest over the well-known Washington course. None were allowed to enter who had -ever won a prize in a coasting contest, and so the coasting champions were barred cut. A scimtion was created jiiat before the contest had started by a protest entered by a number of the riders against allowing anyone who rode a wheel tyred with Victor tyres to compete in the contest. The reason given for the protest was that the other wheols would stand no chance in a coasting contest against a wheel with Victor tyres. After inuoh deliberation and arguing, the judges decided that no man tiding a wheel with Victor tyres could compete for the prizes. This decision destroyed the chances of a number of the riders who rode these tyre3, and they were either obliged to drop out or exchange their machines. The tyre objected to is extremely fast, and mo3t of the recent coasting matches have been won by its riders but the reasons for debarring it do not stem adequate as it is a pertectly legitimate tyre. After the decision and eonquent barring of a number of men wdio would have ridden, the contest was startod, and althongh there were only fourteen starters lasted over three hours. Albeit Carroll won the first prize, a wheel whose make will be decided by vote, and W. M. Weimer made the next highest marks, winning a silver loving cup. The third prize was won by Robert Dulaney, and will be an article valued at IQJols iu gold.—American Umpire. Mr Peter Smith, maker of Albert cycles, is the local agent for Victor cycles, which were the first safety bicycles made in America. Mr Smith's address is Lower Albert-street, Auckland.