THE "AUTO" EVENTS

On Paris-Pontoise and back is being contested today
THE 3rd CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE TRI-PORTERS 64 COMPETITORS WILL BATTLE OVER 50 KILOMETERS

For the first time an accessory event of motorized tri-cycles will bring together mechanically propelled machines in the race

THE POPULAR EVENT
L'Auto is contesting its 3rd Championship of the tri-porters this morning. In truth, it is the 4th event of this kind that is organized today by our newspaper, but the first race attempt was made in 1900 and did not have a follow-up before 1922. It is therefore fair to consider as normal only the series of Championships starting in 1922.

In 1900 the tri-porters had barely made their appearance; it seemed that the three-wheeled machine had many points of resemblance with the little queen, and the idea of ​​the race came to us very naturally. The result of this event seemed to establish a correlation between sport and transport; Lorgeou, a great cycling crack of the time, won. The following years there were several matches between the famous German stayer Robl and Lorgeou, then between Ducom and the champion, but for these events the matchers used very specially manufactured tricycles, real racing machines.

In deciding to repeat the Championship in 1922, we took the first precaution of excluding professional riders and replacing the fight of the cracks with a popular competition bringing together only the real professional tricycle drivers, the Parisian workers. Our event is a sporting celebration of those who, every day, toil hard; it is, we believe, the only opportunity that the courageous "gagne petit" have to demonstrate that one can be sporty even in daily work.

Although we have taken all necessary precautions to ensure that the event is a race for men and not for machines, the two previous Championships have brought about major improvements in the construction of the tricycles. Pushing further our concern to obtain a better machine for the drivers, we have added this year to our event a category reserved for tricycles with auxiliary engines, in order to help spread such a machine. A few moments before the Championship, a few motorized machines will therefore make a demonstration race from which we can expect the best results.

Who will win the 1924 Championship? The winner of 1922 and 1923, Godefroy, is a soldier, and consequently will not be fit enough to take the start; in his absence, Cognasson and Crausaz, who both finished among the first in previous years, are favorites, and one of them must provide the winner.

The race obtains every year a very great popular success; the sportsmen understand that the effort of these serious people is meritorious; few professionals would attempt the feat of pushing at such a pace on such a course, the 65 kilos of the heavy loaded machine.
So don't smile, it's definitely sport, and the best. -

L. A.