CYCLING

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27435, 23 August 1954, Page 9

CYCLING

RACE FROM ASHBURTON TO CHRISTCHURCH

FASTEST TIME BY JUNIOR The Christchurch Amateur Cycling Club held Its annual open road race from Ashburton to Christchurch on Saturday. Conditions were perfect When Mr E. C. Bathurst (Mayor of Ashburton) sent the.five limit men of the 65 starters on their 50mile journey.

The scratch riders included L. Lock, who had just returned from the Empire Games. They left 27 minutes after the front bunch, but were not riding fast enough in the early stages, and at the end of 25 miles had lost one minute to the break riders, who started off 3Jmin. The break men started at nearly 30 miles an hour, and at the end of 13. miles had picked up the 6min bunch. There were then 13 riding strongly together, but after another 20 miles the seven riders off 6min had all drifted back through the field. The break men then found the pace too solid, and all except M. Boers and H. Bush fell back. Boers and Bush carried on strongly to take senior and junior fastest times, with Bush, a junior, recording fastest time for the race.

At the end of 38 miles, the scratch men were still Jmin down on the break riders. Lock tried to bustle the field, but could get no-one to go with him. R. Fowler, who had ridden a brilliant race the previous Saturday round the bays, could have been a ■ great help to Lock, but after 26 miles he lost his chain and had to drop back. Over the last 12 miles, many of the front-markers had eased up and were completely out of the contest, the major places going to those on 20Jmin and 18min. These riders rode well together, and with a mile to go there was a large bunch jockeying for position for the sprint for the line. All finished very strongly. T. Latham just shaded G. Comerford and B. Strong, who were so close that their times could not be separated. Abbreviations used in the results are: Christchurch (C.), Avon (A.), Papanui (P.), and South Malvern (S.M.). Results were:— T. Latham. (A..L 18min. 2hr 12min 59sec, 1; G. Comerford (C.), 20jmin. 2hr 15min 59.45ec, 2; B. Strong' (A.) (20Jmin), 2hr 15min 59.4 sec, 3; K. Catiermole (P.) (20Jmin), 2hr 15min 59.8 sec, 4; N. Marsh (S.M.) (18min), 2hr 13min, 5; B. Dineen (P.) (24min), 2hr 19min o.6sec, 6; R. Porter (C.) (24min), 2hr 19min Isec, 7; R. Mugford (A.) (18min). 2hr 13min I.2sec. 8. Junior fastest time: H. Bush (P.), 2hr 3min 37sec. Senior fastest time: M. Boers (C.), 2hr 3min 44sec.