The Swansea racket Club held their first annual athletic sports on Whit Monday 1874, but it was not until 1876 that a two miles open scratch bicycle race was included in the sports.
Swansea FC started to promote Easter Monday sports and from 1878, a two miles open scratch bicycle race was included in the sports. These meetings attracted 3,000 spectators, which was one of the largest crowds that had ever been seen at the ground. The organiser cleared over £60 which was given to the cricket club.
The cricket club annual sports continued to be held on Whit Mondays and bicycle races increased, a two miles local handicap race and six miles open scratch race for the Challenge Cup were added in 1878. Events were open only to "Gentlemen Amateurs" and competitors were required to wear "loose trousers, reaching below the knee". The cricket club added a late summer sports meeting on 22nd August 1878 and the football club Easter Monday sports continued with a two miles local bicycle race and a seven miles open scratch race.
In 1889, Swansea Cricket Club re-laid the track with 200 tons of new material, but the club would not allow their track to be used for any Saturday afternoon events, which restricted bicycle racing there. In 1892, the cinder track was improved, the corners were ‘well banked' and a new dressing room under the stands was erected.
The Vetch Field opened their cinder track in 1891 and the Linton brothers rode there regularly. After this, attendances at St Helens started to reduce and by 1895, the Whit Monday and August sports meetings had stopped.
It was not until 1906 that another bicycle race was held at St Helens and after that, meetings were very infrequent, inter-club race meetings in 1933 and 1947 and cycle racing at the Swansea Labour Party annual fetes from 1948 to 1950 for the Claud Butler Challenge Cup. The meeting on 19th August 1950 was the last bicycle racing to take place at St Helens.
St Helens has been the home ground of the Wales national rugby team from 1882 until 1954. Glamorgan County Cricket Club used St Helen's from 1921 to 2019. Ospreys Rugby Club were in discussions with Swansea Council, the owners of the ground, as of 2025, to move into the St Helens ground and create an updated stadium there.