Austral Wheel Race

The Austral Wheel Race is the oldest track bicycle race in the world still existing, stretching back to 1887. It is owned and run by AusCycling Victoria. The Austral race is Australia’s greatest track cycling event. It is held in Melbourne, riders assigned handicaps according to ability over a series of heats. The finals are run over 2000m.[1]

Austral Wheel Race
General
Established1887
HeldDecember
CountryAustralia
RegionVictoria
TypeHandicap race over 2000 m
Data
Editions124
First WinnerH. Lambton, Australia
Most RecentDalton Stretton, Australia and Maeve Plouffe, Australia
Most WinsStephen Pate, Australia, (4)

The races in 2004 and 2005 were at John Cain Arena in February. The first race in 1887 held at Melbourne Cricket Ground over 3 miles (4800m), with first prize of a grand piano valued at 200 pounds. Other venues in Melbourne to host the race include the Exhibition Track, the North Essendon board track, the Olympic Park Velodrome and the Brunswick, Coburg and Northcote velodromes.

Malvern Star, a brand in bicycles in Australia, had its origins in the race. In December 1898 a young bicycle mechanic and professional cyclist, Tom Finnigan, won from a handicap of 220 yards (200 m) holding off backmarkers with a foot to spare. The prize of 240 sovereigns let him establish a suburban bicycle shop, Malvern Star Cycles, which became a household name under Bruce Small.

Corruption tinged the event in 1901 when the American, Bill Martin, won from scratch, to allegations of fixing by John Wren.[2] According to The Age in 1903 referring to 1902 "one of the judges appointed to officiate at the Austral Wheel meeting was called upon to resign, because he had a monetary interest in the result of the Austral Wheel Race."[3]

In December 2019 Kelland O'Brien won from scratch in a time of 1min 58.44 sec, an average of 60.81 km/h at Hisense Arena.

Prize money

Prize money has varied, following the fashion for cycling, from a grand piano to monetary prizes of 240 sovereigns in 1898, 450 sovereigns in 1902,[4] to a low of $1500 during the 1970s, increasing to $5,000 in 1982, and now exceeding $18,000 since 2000.

Past winners
Crisp winner of the Austral 1895 with Pearl (second) and Gargurevich (third)

Past competitors include distinguished Australian and international cyclists, including Gordon Johnson, Steele Bishop, Sid Patterson, Russell Mockridge, Danny Clarke, Brett Aitken, Gary Neiwand and Shane Kelly. The record for the most wins belongs to Victorian Stephen Pate with four victories: in 1988 from scratch, in 1991 from minus 10m, in 1993 from minus 20m and 1999 from scratch.

In 2000, Neiwand was handicapped on 70m for the millennium edition and won comfortably.

Austral Wheel Race Winners
Year Venue Men's Winner Handicap Ref. Women's Winner Handicap
11887 [n 1]MCGHarry H. Lambton210 yd (190 m)[5]
21888 [n 1]MCGDick DavisScr[6]
31889 [n 1]MCGJimmy Mullins140 yd (130 m)[7]
41890 [n 1]MCGTom BusstScr.[8]
51891 [n 1]MCGArthur Turner240 yd (220 m)[9]
61892 [n 1]MCGHarry H. Lambton200 yd (180 m)[10]
71893MCGGordon Woodward270 yd (250 m)[11]
81894MCGAlf Middleton180 yd (160 m)[12]
91895MCGA. Crisp250 yd (230 m)[13]
101896MCGCharles Kellow15 yd (14 m)[14]
111897MCGJim Carpenter85 yd (78 m)[15]
121898MCGTom Finnigan220 yd (200 m)[16]
131899MCGFrank Beauchamp150 yd (140 m)[17]
141900MCGCharles Forbes30 yd (27 m)[18]
151901MCGBill MartinScr[2][19]
161902MCGFred (Murray) Auger240 yd (220 m)[20]
171903MCGFred Scheps160 yd (150 m)[21]
181904EXAJack Clarke150 yd (140 m)[22]
191905EXAJ. Sandberg170 yd (160 m)[23]
201906EXAHarry Thomas20 yd (18 m)[24]
211907MCGA.C. Colvin150 yd (140 m)[25]
221908MCGM. McPherson280 yd (260 m)[26]
231909MCGAlbert H. Pianta210 yd (190 m)[27]
241910MCGFrank Corry140 yd (130 m)
251912EXIW. Priestly60 yd (55 m)
261913EXIP.B. Henry60 yd (55 m)
271920EXAErn. Tamme50 yd (46 m)
281921EXALou Clifford120 yd (110 m)
291922EXAJack FitzgeraldScr[28]
301923EXADick Ford120 yd (110 m)
311923MDPidge Davis200 yd (180 m)
321925MDFrank Corry140 yd (130 m)
331925EXAEric Giboud60 yd (55 m)
341927 [n 2]EXABowie Stevens70 yd (64 m)
351927 [n 2]MDCecil Hannerman160 yd (150 m)
361927 [n 2]MDCecil Manners245 yd (224 m)
371929MDRichard “Fatty” Lamb30 yd (27 m)[29]
381936 [n 3]MDKeith Thurgood100 yd (91 m)
391936 [n 3]EXBHarry Webb70 yd (64 m)
401937EXBJack Gardiner205 yd (187 m)[30]
411938EXBJack Middleton120 yd (110 m)
421939NEClinton Beasley90 yd (82 m)
431940NENorm Stevens20 yd (18 m)
441941NEKen Stewart60 yd (55 m)
451942NEMick Bradley160 yd (150 m)
461944 [n 3]NENorm Munro90 yd (82 m)
471944 [n 3]NETas Johnson [n 4]30 yd (27 m)
481945NETom Shillito160 yd (150 m)
491946NEPat Devine120 yd (110 m)
501947NEGeorge Bull130 yd (120 m)
511948NEBill Kirkham120 yd (110 m)
521950NEByron Bonney120 yd (110 m)
531951NEKevin Marion105 yd (96 m)
541952NEDoug Jennings120 yd (110 m)
551953NETom Fitzgerald140 yd (130 m)
561954NEAlan Geddes130 yd (120 m)
571955NERon Murray100 yd (91 m)
581956NEDon Meharg130 yd (120 m)
591957NEJohn Robertson100 yd (91 m)
601958OPNeil Geraghty100 yd (91 m)
611959OPVin Beasley100 yd (91 m)
621960OPDavid Good100 yd (91 m)
631961OPFred Roche40 yd (37 m)
641962OPSid PattersonScr[31]
651963OPFred Hellyer110 yd (100 m)
661964OPSid PattersonScr.
671965OPKenton Smith135 yd (123 m)
681966OPBill Dove150 yd (140 m)
691967OPVictor Browne65 yd (59 m)
701968OPMerv. Andrea230 yd (210 m)
711969OPCharlie Walsh50 yd (46 m)
721970OPBill Stevens35 yd (32 m)
731971BVFrank Daly135 yd (123 m)
741972BVGeoff Edmonds20 yd (18 m)
751973BVGordon Johnson [n 4]Scr.
761974BVIvan Collings90 yd (82 m)
771975NVCraig Price130 yd (120 m)[1]
781976NVDavid Allan70 yd (64 m)
791977NVDanny ClarkScr.
801978CVDavid Sanders [n 5]50 m
811979CVLaurie VennScr.
821980CVDaryl Benson90 m
831981CVLaurie VennScr.
841982NVSteele BishopScr.
851983NVPhil SawyerScr.
861984NVTerry Schintler80 m
871985NVAllan Rackstraw80 m
881986CVDanny ClarkScr.
891987NVSimon King110 m
901988NVStephen PateScr.
911989NVGrant Reynolds150 m
921990NVDanny ClarkScr.
931991NVStephen PateMinus 10 m
941992NVBert Glennon120 m
951993NVStephen PateMinus 20 m
961994NVAshley Harding140 m
971995NVTony Hughes80 m
981996NVTroy Clarke45 m
991997NVMatthew Atkins100 m
1001998NVShane Hodskiss75 m
1011999NVStephen PateScr.[32]
1022000NVGary Neiwand70 m[33] Helen Ingpen210 m
1032001JCAMark French80 m[34] Leeanne Manderson
1042002JCADarren YoungScr.[35] Kristine BayleyScr.
1052003JCADarren YoungScr.[36]
1062004JCAZak Dempster90 m[37] Jenny Macpherson
1072005JCABen KerstenScr.[38] Rahna Demarte [39]
1082006JCADean Taylor130 m[40] Livia Gluchowska85 m
1092007JCAJoel Stewart110 m[41] Uracca Leow85 m [42]
1102008JCAJackson-Leigh Rathbone40 m[43]
1112009 [n 3]JCAShane Perkins15 m[44]
1122009 [n 3]DISCBen Sanders [n 5]80 m[45]
1132011DISCLuke Ockerby45 m[46] Annette EdmondsonScr.
1142012DISCLuke Parker90 m [47]Annette EdmondsonScr.
1152013DISCJason Niblett90 m [48]Caitlin Ward20 m
1162014 [n 3]DISC Minori Shimmura (JPN)105 m [49]Annina Gallagher230 m
117 2014 [n 3] JCA  Zach Williams (NZ) 105 m [50] Brooke Tucker 110 m
118 2015 JCA Mitch Bullen 50 m [51] Annette EdmondsonScr.
119 2016 JCA Stephen Cuff 95 m [52] Brooklyn Vonderwall125 m
120 2017 JCA Zachary Marshall 80 m [53] Kristina Clonan30 m
121 2018 JCA Sam Gallagher 90 m [54] Stephanie Corset165 m
122 2019 JCA Kelland O'Brien Scr. [55] Georgia BakerScr.
123 2021 DISC Sam Gallagher Scr. [56] Lucinda Stewart Scr.
124 2022 DISC Dalton Stretton 105 m [57] Maeve Plouffe Scr.

Venues
Venues
Venue Surface Years
BVBrunswick VelodromeCement1971–1974
CVCoburg VelodromeCement1978–1981 1986
DISCDarebin International Sports CentreTimber2009–2014
EXAExhibition TrackAsphalt1904–1906, 1920–1923 1925–1927
EXBExhibition Board TrackTimber1936–1938
EXIExhibition Indoor TrackTimber1912–1913
JCAJohn Cain ArenaTimber2001–2009 2014–
MCGMelbourne Cricket GroundGrass1887–1903 1907–1910
MDMotordrome (Olympic Park)Cement1923–1925 1927–1936
NENorth Essendon Board TrackTimber1939–1957
NVNorthcote VelodromeCement1975–1977 1982–1985 1988–2000
OPOlympic Park VelodromeTimber1958–1970

Notes
  1. Ridden on ordinary or Penny-farthing bicycles
  2. Same Year, Different Season, Venues & Promoters
  3. Same Year, Different Season
  4. 1973 winner Gordon Johnson is the son of 1944 winner Tas. Johnson.
  5. 2009 winner Ben Sanders is the son of 1978 winner David Sanders.[45]

References
  1. "The 1975 Austral Wheelrace". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 4 February 2006.
  2. Browne, Geoff. "Martin, William Walker (Bill) (1860–1942)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. "A cycling judge's bets. Why the resignation was requested. The austral wheel case". The Age. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 17 January 1903. p. 8.
  4. "The Austral". The Herald. 10 January 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2020 – via Trove.
  5. "Melbourne Bicycle Club Race Meeting". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 26 November 1887. p. 23.
  6. "Cycling". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 24 November 1888. p. 31.
  7. "Wheel notes". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 30 November 1889. p. 23.
  8. "Melbourne Bicycle Club Spring Meeting". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 29 November 1890. p. 19.
  9. "Melbourne Bicycle Club Sports". The Age. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 23 November 1891. p. 6.
  10. "Melbourne Bicycle Club's Sports". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 16 November 1892. p. 3.
  11. "The Austral Wheel Race". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 13 December 1893. p. 3.
  12. "The cycling championship at Melbourne". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 12 December 1894. p. 3.
  13. "The M.B.C. meeting". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 December 1895. p. 3.
  14. "The Austral Final". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 9 December 1896. p. 6.
  15. "The Austral". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 December 1897. p. 6.
  16. "The Austral Wheel Race". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 14 December 1898. p. 6.
  17. "The Austral Meeting". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 20 December 1899. p. 6.
  18. "Austral Wheel Race won by Forbes". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 17 December 1900. p. 7.
  19. "Austral Wheel Race won by Martin". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 16 December 1901. p. 5.
  20. "Austral Wheel Race won by F Auger". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 12 January 1903. p. 7.
  21. "Austral Wheel Race won by Scheps". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 12 January 1903. p. 7.
  22. "The Austral Wheel Race won by A.J Clarke". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 19 December 1904. p. 7.
  23. "Austral Wheel Race J H Sandberg winner, S S Levey disqualified". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 18 December 1905. p. 6.
  24. "Austral meeting third day. Thomas's brilliant win". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 December 1906. p. 23.
  25. "Austral Wheel Race won by Colvin". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 18 December 1907. p. 10.
  26. "Austral Wheel Race a wWarnambool winner". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 December 1908. p. 7.
  27. "Austral Meeting, Pianta wins the Wheel Race". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 December 1909. p. 9.
  28. "15,000 People Applaud Fitzgerald's Austral Victory". The Sporting Globe. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 November 1922. p. 13.
  29. "Lamb's Double — Wins "Austral" Wheel Race and Paced Event Brilliantly". Sporting Globe. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 6 March 1929. p. 10.
  30. "Stole Austral". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 9 December 1937. p. 28.
  31. "Back and beyond". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 24 February 2007.
  32. "Northcote Velodrome, 101st Austral Wheel Race, 2000m, February 13e". Cyclingnews.
  33. "Austral Wheelrace Melbourne, Australia, February 12, 2000". Cyclingnews.
  34. "103rd Austral Wheelrace". Cyclingnews.
  35. "Austral goes to Tasmanian Young-gun". Cyclingnews.
  36. "Darren Young takes historic double". Cyclingnews.
  37. "Bendigo teenager claims 106th Austral". Cyclingnews.
  38. "Kersten wins Austral wheelrace". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 26 February 2005.
  39. "You're simply the best: Kersten better than all the rest". Cyclingnews.
  40. "Sixth time the charm for Taylor". Cyclingnews.
  41. "Joel Stewart wins Austral cycle race". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 24 February 2007.
  42. "Canberra Raider dominates Australia's oldest track race". Cyclingnews.
  43. "Rathbone scrapes home in Austral Wheelrace". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 16 March 2008.
  44. "Perkins powers to Austral crown". Cyclingnews.
  45. "Sanders family tradition". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. 17 December 2009.
  46. "Ockerby wins maiden Austral crown". Cyclingnews.
  47. "Edmondson and Parker the stars of the 2012 Austral". Cycling Victoria. 17 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  48. "The 115th Austral Wheelrace Taken By Jason Niblett". cyclingtips.com.au.
  49. "Minori Shimmura & Annina Gallagher secure the 116th Austral spoils". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015.
  50. "A packed house welcomes the Austral back to Hisense". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 3 August 2015.
  51. "Edmondson & Bullen added to Austral honour roll". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015.
  52. "Mens 119th Austral Wheelrace Final". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.;
    "Womens: Austral Wheelrace Final". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  53. "Austral and Australian Madison Results" (PDF). Cycling Victoria. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2017.
  54. "Logie-Smith Lanyon Austral Wheelrace 121st Edition Results". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018.
  55. "2019 Austral Wheelrace inc Aus Madison Championships". Cycling Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020.
  56. "123rd Austral Wheelrace Carnival". AusCycling. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  57. "Austral Wheelrace". AusCycling. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
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