CYCLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2504, 18 May 1909, Page 2

CYCLING.

A NEW K ECO HD BY J. AJRNST

Jack Arnst. made up hi.s mind at a minute’s notice, recently, to try to beat hi.s previous best time from Christchurch to Tirnaru, which stood ns the record. As the weather from the Christchurch end looked most favorable, after a hurried consultation with supporters and pacers, arrangements were completed within an hour and a half for tho trial. Artist loft tho Christchurch Post Office at 12.10 pan. He had as pacemakers Messrs. W, Hendry and I’. Braggiii. - A goodly crowd had gathered at the time of starting. The pacemakers were sent away about half a mile ahead, to avoid traffic iuterferanco, and they picked up the rider at the Hospital. No sooner had he trailed his pacemakers than they made the pace a “cracker,” as tho time shows, and. the ride was completed in 1 hours 50 minutes. , The story of tho ride needs telling to make-it sufficiently graphic for One to realise the performance at its true value. -Mile ’aftof mile the recordbreaker raped along, sometimes following his pacers as if glued to them, and whore the, roads, were not suitable for following pace he sped along “on his own” quite clear of pacemakers, as.the risk of falls over the rutty, unformed road was too great. The time to Ansburton is phcnomeifd, a,?, can be realised when it is known that an average pace of over 24$ miles an hour was maintained. Arnst was timed over certain portions of the road, and was riding at the rate of over thirty miles on hour. The roads generally Were in nothing like si) good a condition as* when lie established his ’fine Dunedin ride, as the clay surface between Ttolleston and Dunsandel, was very n.iucli cut up with cart ruts, which hail baked hard, and similar or •worse conditions’ wei*c mot with between the Hinds and Bangitata . . A ‘fair number of Tirnaru residents had gathered to welcome the rider, and he received a hearty cheer as lie crossed .the dine 21 minutes ahead of his previous best ride, and Go minutes ahead of the time established by any other. A nut’s ave rage for the whole course works out at 23i miles an hour, ' which his friends consider highly .satisfactory.