CYCLING 100-MILE SENIOR AND 50-MILE JUNIOR TITLES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 7

CYCLING 100-MILE SENIOR AND 50-MILE JUNIOR TITLES

The major cycling attractions on Saturday were the Canterbury senior 100 and the junior 50-mile championships. which were decided at Timaru. G. Weddell (Avon) won the senior title and the junior event was won by W. Hensley (Christchurch). For the riders of the cash code the Christchurch club held a Simile handicap event on a block course at Halswell. The conditions were perfect for the Canterbury amateur senior and junior championships. The course was just south of Timaru over an interesting and exacting block of about 25 miles. There was only eight miles of flat country, the rest being rolling country with some long, steady rises, which called for stamina. Of the 22 competitors, who entered in .the senior event, only 10 completed > the course. Senior Event The bunched field set off on the first lap of the four-lap block at a fairly steady pace, but early in the first lap seven riders, G. Weddell, P. Wood, B. Lang (Avon), K. Taylor, N. Cowles, H. Bush and B. Shepherd (Papanul) went away to a good lead of 200 yards and held this lead throughout the first lap and well into the second lap. Then five others, G. Hill, G. Shepherd (Christchurch), R. Harrison, D. Craig (Timaru), and W. Smith (Papanul) began to close the gap, and within three miles of the finish of the second lap these were up with the leading bunch. Bush was out at the end of the first lap, and R. Fowler (Avon), who punctured in the first lap chased the others for two laps, but as he was not making very much impression on the main bunch he withdrew. The leading bunch now comprised 11 riders, and of these, Weddell, Taylor and Wood were doing great work in keeping up the fast pace. They had little hope of breaking up the field. The two Timaru riders, Harrison and Craig, worked very hard to bring up the second bunch to the leaders, and it was expected that when these two got to the front they would really turn on the pace as they were very conversant with the course. Instead they were quite satisfied to remain with the bunch and await the final sprint. Coming down the hill towards the finish Weddell moved from the front

for a long sprint of about 300 yards. Nearing the line it appeared as if Hill and G. Shepherd were going to overhaul Weddell, but as they closed in on him Weddell drew away to win. B Shepherd made a great bid to get up to beat Hill for third place and only just failed to get past G. Shepherd for second. The time of 4hr llmin 35sec was very good for this course. Results were:— Championship. G. Weddell (Avon), 4hr llmin 35sec, 1: G. Shepherd (Christchurch), 4hr llmin 35.2 sec. 2; B. Shepherd (Papanul), 4hr llmin 35.45ec, 3; G. Hill (Christchurch), 4hr llmin 35.8 sec, 4. Sealed Handicap—W. Smith (Papanui) (3min), 4hr Bmin 43sec, 1; N. Cowles (Papanui) (2min), 4hr 9min 36.45ec, 2; G. Shepherd (Christchurch) (Himin), 4hr lOmin s.2sec, 3. Junior Event The junior event was run over two circuits of the course, and early in the first lap the field split into two bunches with 50 yards separating them. The leaders maintained this lead for about five miles when steady riding by the second bunch brought them up to the leaders. M. Taylor (Papanui) punctured during the first lap, and L. Bishop (Avon) was out with a puncture after 10 miles. When the riders reached the first hill J. Swanston (Christchurch) cleared out and rode the hill with comparative ease. W. Hensley was on his wheel and when these two breasted the hill Hensley eased up and waited for the others. Swanston carried on and built up a lead of 100 yards. During this time he seemed to be riding much easier than any of the others. R. Green (Papanui) then set off after Swanston, but after he had opened up a gap on the others bl 20 yards they began to close in on him. G. Lang, D. Wood (Avon), W. Tank. B Risman (Timaru), and B. Berry (Christchurch) were doing good work in the main bunch. After 20 miles Lang went after Swanston. who was still out in front, and caught him on the top of a hill. Then the whole field linked up again. T. Turner (Timaru) lost about 300 yards with chain trouble, but got going again and made a fine bid to get up with the field. He got to within 20 yards of them when he again suffered chain trouble, which put him out of the contest. The field stayed together for the second lap, and six miles from the finish the pace slowed considerably. Nearing the line there were thirteen riders left for the final sprint. Green led out with about 250 yards to go and seemed to be holding on well when Hensley came with a late run to go past Green for a length win. K. Jones came through the middle of the field for third place. Championship. W. Hensley (Christchurch), 2hr smin 21sec, 1; R. Green (Papanui), 2hr smin 21.2 sec, 2; K. Jones (Papanui), 2hr smin 21.4 sec, 3: W. Thorpe (Papanul), 2hr smin 21.6 sec, 4. Sealed Handicap.—B. Risman (Timaru) (2min) 2hr 3min 22.8 sec, 1; R. Green (Papanui) (Imin) Mir 4min 21.2 sec, 2; M. McLachlan (Papanui) (Imin) 2hr 4min 22.25ec, 3. Christchurch Club A good field started in the club's 51-mile handicap event, which was ridden at a very solid pace. The shorter mark riders in the first of the three laps rode solidly and conceded little to the back markers Over the second lap they did not do so well and were only 12 minutes ahead of the scratch men. The break riders, off 3 minutes, frittered away their chances in the first lap. These riders had every chance of keeping up on their handicap and taking time honours. They were equally as strong as the scratch men, who had lost one of their number, R. Lucas, in the first lap. Just after the start of the second lap these break riders were back with the scratch men and at the end of this lap all had withdrawn. At the end of the second lap the field was in two bunches with the leaders being only a little more than seven minutes ahead of the scratch men. At this stage the 7y a min riders had linked up with all the bunches in front of them and they were in the lead. The leading bunch was very big and with two miles to go F. Chapman and M. Burns broke away and they were let go by all except R. Harrison, who from the back of the bunch saw this break and took off after them. Half a mile from the finish, Chapman, who had been riding well within himself, rode away from Burns for a clear-cut win of 15sec with Harrison coming through to take third place 9sec behind Burns. The rest of the bunch came through one at a time.

Soon the scratch men came into view and in a long sprint R. Craig led- out, but K. Brown ranged up on the outside of him and then went into the lead to take fastest time by one length. Results were:—F. Chapman (B‘i min), 2hr 7min 30sec, 1; M. Burns 2hr 7min 45sec, 2; R. Harrison (B%min), 2hr 7min 54sec, 3; J. Willcox (lOmin), 2hr 9min 53sec. 4. Fastest Time.—K. Brown (scr), 2hr 2min 49sec.