CYCLING OUTSTANDING RIDING IN RACE TO KAIKOURA

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 9

CYCLING OUTSTANDING RIDING IN RACE TO KAIKOURA

Some outstanding riding was seen on Saturday, when the Christchurch Cycling Club held the Christchurch to Kaikoura race. ‘Conditions were qufte good, except that over the flat country the riders had to contend with a head wind, The wind dropped when they reached the hills. There were 34 entries, but. the number of. starters was reduced to 27 through illness. Even with a smaller entry, - the race was a great success. L. Stoddart, of Christchurch. 34min, won the race in shr 59min I. Fastest time of shr 32min 2sec was recorded by the Australian scratch rider, S. McCracken. D. Gundersen (New J. Haines (Christchurch), and R. Whitten (Christchurch) rode excellent races, but each met with hard luck.

Gundersen’s ride was probably the best of the day, From the break mark of 10 minutes, he was riding very strongly when he punctured, and the time lost in changing his tyre, brought him back with the scratch men. He was a great help to this bunch. Gunderson had another puncture, and this , put hiiji well back. At the foot of the Hundalee, he was four minutes behind the only scratch rider with a chance of taking fastest time, S. McCracken (Australia), Over the hills, Gundersen, with brilliant riding, gathered in McCracken, and at Oaro these two were together when Gundersen began to ride away from McCracken, and over the remaining distance of approximately 13 miles he gained five minutes on McCracken but lost fastest time to him by 5 minutes. Gundersen filled fifth place, and had it not been for the two punctures he would almost certainly have taken first place and fastest time. Solo Effprt

J. Haines (Christchurch), riding his first race of the year, rode from the limjt mark, and at Waipara dropped his co-marker. A. Shaw (Christchurch) and set out on a solo effort. -Haines rode exceptionally well, and at the foot of the Hundalee seemed to be in an unbeatable position, but over the last hills the lone riding took its toll. He xyas the first rider over the hills, but there were three, L. Stoddart, J. Cummings, and T. Moyse, all of Christchurch, close behind him, and 10 miles from the finish these three linked up with Haines and over the concluding stages proved too strong for him. Haines’s ride was a great effort, as he rode more than 70 miles on his own. R. Whitten (Christchurch) was unlucky. Over the last hills, when riding with the first three place-getters, he was riding the strongest of the lot. On a downward grade he began to ride away from them, but when nearing the bottom of the hill he skidded in some loose shingle dnd fell heavily, suffering a badly gashed arm and leg, which put him out of the race.

Steady Pace A steady pace was maintained over the flat country by all the bunches except the 20-minute ridets, who, whenever they got on a downward grade, failed to make full use of the advantage. ' The 27-minute bunch was depleted after a few miles. At Kaiapoi it lost C. White (Hokitika) with a puncture, and at Leithfield, D. Swanston and T. Shepherd, both of Christchurch, tangled and fell. Neither was hurt, but Swanston slightly damaged his bicycle and was picked up by the 20-minute riders. After 32 miles, the 34, 40 and 46 minute riders were all together and riding well at a steady 17 miles an hour into a fairly stiff wind nn a slightly uphill grade. , „ . With 55 miles covered, Hames was well out in front, riding very strongly and taking full advantage of every downward grade. On the Greta, he rode the upward grade as easily as riding the flat. With half the distance covered, Haines held a lead of 17 minutes over a big bunch of (riders from the 34, 40 z and 46 minute marks. Twenty-four minutes after Haines came J. Spencer (Christchurch) and G. Arthur (Kaikoura), both from the 27 minute mark, and five minutes later came the 20-minute riders with Swanston. Shephbrd trailed these riders a minute later, but he had had enough. Half an hour after Haines came the break bunch, having picked up 25 minutes of its handicap, and two minutes behind, were the scratch riders and Gundersen. Another mile further on J. Wildermoth (Christchurch) was off his cycle and was walking along the road and appeared to be waiting for the scratch men. After 64 miles, Speijcer had dropped Arthur, but he was losing time to the y 2o-minute riders and D. Charles (Nelson) was dropped at Cheviot. A little after Tormore, break and scratch - were together, and were 26 minutes behind Haines. A little further on,' P. Doyle (Christchurch) was dropped. The back bunch was then starting to break up. With 82 miles covered, A. Bates (Christchurch), Cummings and Whitten began to ride away, but the others soon linked up with them again, and with 94 mile* covered Haines was holding a aix-minute lead on a buneh ot sevam Over the next

few miles Cummings, Stoddart and Moyse began to ride away from the others, and at Oaro these three were a minute behind Haines and a minute in front of the other three riders. Strong Finish The four leaders held together to the finish. Fifty yards from the line Moyse led out, but over the last few yards Stoddart made a very strong bid and crossed the line half a wheel in front of Moyse, with Cummings a length further back. Eleven seconds after Stoddart (fourth) came the unlucky but game Haines. Two minutes later came ' Gundersen after a great ride. Four other riders crossed the line, and then came McCracken to take fastest time from Gundersen by five minutes. A. Bates, who had been dropped by his co-markers, kept plodding on, and took junior fastest time in 6hr 15min 2sec.

This year the race was run four minutes slower than when G. Milner took fastest time last year. Sixteen the 27 riders finished the course, probably one 'Of the most gruelling in New Zealand, and the North Island competitors considered it one of the most interesting. Abbreviations used in the results are: Christchurch (C.), New Plymouth (N.P.), Australia (Aust.). L. Stoddart (C.) (34min), shr 59 min I.2sec, 1; T. Moyes (C.) (34min), shr 59min I.6sec, 2; J. Cummings (C.) (40min), 6hr smin 2sec, 3; J. Haines (C.) (65min), 6hr 30min ilsec, 4; D. Gundersen (N.P.) (lOmin), shr 37min 2sec, 5; J. Wildermoth (C.) (lOmin), shr 37min 17sec, 6. Senior Fastest Time.—S. McCracken (Aust.) (scr), shr 32min 2sec. Junior Fastest Time.—A. Bates (C.) (34min), 6hr 15min 2sec.