A CYCLING RECORD BROKEN. - The San Francisco Examiner - 03 Jun 1895

From Wooljersey


A CYCLING RECORD BROKEN.

J. E Edwards Rides From San Mateo to San Carlos in Fast Time After a Slow Start.

THE RECORD MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Run of the Bay City Wheelmen and Acmes to Camp Taylor - Schleuter Climbs White's Hill - Ziegler's Victory.

The club wheel men were most active yesterday and a number of large gatherings resulted.

Chief interest centered in the attempt of J. E. Edwards, of the Olympic Club wheelmen, to lower the existing record for five miles on the road. He was successful by the small margin of one-fifth of one second, riding the distance in 12:13, as against F. M. Byrne's coast record of 12:13 1-5.

The day was favorable for fast time, as the wind was at the back of the riders and the road was in excellent condition. Edwards did not get a good start. He was held after the first tandem was sent on its journey, and then when the tandem was recalled he was started before it could get in motion again.

After the first mile the pacing was more even, and in the last half of the distance the record-breaker was carried along in excellent style, beating out the second tandem at the finish. The tandems were manned by Fuller and Lemmon, Haley and Hobson of the Olympic Club. The officials of the trial were J. H. Sheehan, Referee; J. W. Coffroth and M. E. Unger, Judges; G. L. Badger of Denver, F. G. Montealegre, G. H. Stratton, Timers.

It is a question whether this record will pass the strict scrutiny of the Road Racing Committee of the Associated Clubs. That body co-operated with the Century Road Club of Chicago, which practically govern all road-racing in America.

A GOOD RULE.

In passing upon records there is one admirable rule of this committee, that no distinction is made between paced and unpaced or competitive and non-competitive records, the desire being simply to record the fastest time between two given points, or for specified distances. This does away with the complication of track records where there are some twenty-five distinct records for one mile, and about the same number for every distance from fifty yards upward.

The Road Records Committee insists on accuracy of timing, saying it must be done by competent persons, and with at least three watches, at both start and finish, all the watches to be carefully compared to standard time, and a certificate that will be satisfactory to the Road Record Committee as to the length of the course and accuracy of the timing must accompany a claim for record.

As the requisite number of timers did not act for Edwards, it would seem that 12:13 cannot be made the official record, but riders generally, if convinced that it was a legitimate performance, will accept it as such. The American record is 11:19, held by E. H. Van Nest of Chicago.

The joint run of the Bay City Wheelmen of this city and the Acme Club Wheelmen of Oakland, to Camp Taylor, was attended by nearly one hundred riders under Captains Dodge and Kitchen, The long climb up White's Hill, which it is believed has never been ridden before, was accomplished by Theo. Schleuter of the Acmes. The road was in good order and there were no serious mishaps.

WHEELMEN AT A BARBECUE.

From San Jose, a large party of wheelmen rode to Sargent's, where a barbecue was enjoyed. The run was a joint affair between the Garden City Cyclers, San Jose Road Club, Tribune Byclers [sic] and the Pilot Wheelmen of Santa Cruz.

Entries for the race during the Water Carnival at Santa Cruz on Saturday, June 15th, will close on June 8th. The programme consists of a mile novice, mile scratch and two-mile handicap Class A, and half-mile scratch and two-mile handicap. Class B. The prizes are valuable, and it is expected that many good riders will be attracted. The local clubs will be well represented, some of them leaving here Friday evening, riding to San Jose and going over to Santa Cruz Saturday morning with the Garden City Cyclers. Captain A. C. Thornton of the Olympic Club Wheelmen will take his club down, leaving here at 5 o'clock and riding from Fruitvale.

The victory of Otto Ziegler, Jr., at Toronto, Canada, Saturday, was reassuring to his friends, as the time, 2:04 1-5, shows that he has rounded into condition. The opposition he met with was not strong, as none of the cracks journeyed to the meet, the distance being too great to warrant the trip. Ziegler rode because the meet was promoted by the club of which his teammate, C. C. Harbottle, is a member.