CYCLING EXCITING FINISHES AT ENGLISH PARK MEETING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29068, 3 December 1959, Page 11

CYCLING EXCITING FINISHES AT ENGLISH PARK MEETING

Conditions were perfect last evening for the Combined Cycling Clubs’ weekly meeting at English Park, and there were some thrilling finishes. In the final of the one-lap handicap event the front markers gave the back men little chance of getting up through their fast riding right from the start. S. McCracken, off 20 yards, did well to get up for third place. The scratch men in the fourlap event were giving away 235 yards to A. Shaw, who was out on the limit. Shaw took a little time to wind up but when he got going he maintained a solid pace. Going down the back straight the last time Shaw was still holding a 30-yard lead when B. Froggatt made a fast forward move and round ths bottom banking he gathered in Shaw. M. Wildermoth also moved fast and just managed to beat Shaw for second place right on the line. The most exciting finish of the night was the eight lap grouped handicap event when five riders crossed the line in a blanket finish. After giving away 80 yards to the bunch in front of them, the back markers evened up with a little more than four laps to go. Entering the straight the last time J. Williams led but others came round him and in a brilliant sprint D. Swanston won from L. Lock by six inches with Williams and K. Brown inches back dead-heating for third. Amateur Events In the final of the 1J mile handicap, the back markers, R. Fowler, G.aHill, and B. Brettell, had a most difficult task trying to get up. Fowler made a desperate bid to get up but could not gain much on the front men, who were moving very fast. In a brilliant finish W. Hensley held on well to win from C. Hibberd, with K. Dwyer third. B. A’Court rode brilliantly in the four up pursuit. His riding was solid and steady and over the four laps he gradually gained on the other three riders to have a clear-cut win over B. Brettell, who finished second.

A’Court’s time of 2min 15.6 sec was exceptionally good. A very fast pace was maintained in the 3 mile A grade points race, which was won by R. Fowler with 17 points from J. Beere with 13. Results were:— Cash Events One-lap Handicap.—First heat: L. Lock (syds) 1, G. McMullan (15yds) 2, S, McCracken (20yds) 3, A. Shaw (70yds) 4. Time, 30.2 sec. Second heat: K. Brown (scr) 1, B. Froggatt (45yds) 2, R. Harrison (25yds) 3, J. Williams (20yds) 4. Time, 29.45ec. Final: Froggatt 1, Shaw 2, McCracken 3. Time, 29.45ec. Four-lap Handicap.—B. Froggatt (145yds) 1, M. Wildermoth (135yds) 2, A. Shaw (235yds) 3. Time, 2mln 6.2 sec. Eight-lap Group Handicap.—D. Swanston (scr) 1, L. Lock (scr) 2. J. Williams, K. Brown (scr) (equal) 3. Time, 4min 40.2 sec. 40-Lap Two-man Teams Points Race—D. Swanston and B. Froggatt, 20 points, I; J. Williams and S. McCracken, 19 points, 2; L. Lock and R. Harrison, 14 points, 3. Amateur Events 11-Mile Handicap.—First heat: K. Dwyer (115yds) 1, C. Hibberd (130yds) 2, B. Berry (150yds) 3, B. Cook (120yds) 4, R. McLachlan (180yds) 5, R. Mann (170yds) 6, R. Fowler (20yds) 7. G. Hill (20yds) 8. Time, 3min lOsec. Second heat: G. Shepherd (70yds) 1, W. Hensley (90yds) 2, D. Lyes (100yds) 3, B. Wallace (135yds) 4, B. Brettell (50yds) 5, C. Fitzgerald (145yds) 6, D. Wood (180yds) 7, J. Clemence (200yds) 8. Time, 3min 20.4 sec. Final: Hensley 1, Hibberd 2, Dwyer 3. Time, 3min 10.2 sec. Four-lap Individual Pursuit.—B. A’Court 1, B. Brettell 2. Time, 2min 15.6 sec. 2-Mile Handicap (repechage heat, 1-mile scratch).—First heat: J. Clemence 1, E. Barndon 2. Time, 34sec. Second heat: M. McLachlan 1, P. Cook 2. Time, 33sec, Third heat: D. Lyes 1. K. Dwyer 2. Time, 33.65ec. Fourth heat: C. Hibberd 1, C. Fitzgerald 2. Time, 33sec. Fifth heat: T. Weir 1, G. Shepherd 2. Time, 34sec. Sixth heat: B. Hazeldine 1, B. A’Court 2. Time, 31sec. Final: Shepherd (35yds) 1, Hibberd (70yds) 2, Lyes (55yds) 3, Time, Imin 34sec. Three-mile A Grade Points Race.— R. Fowler 17 points, J. Beere 13 points, G. Hill 8 points. Time, 6min 49sec. Three-mile B Grade Miss and Out. —K. Jones, B. Berry, D. Wood, Time, 7min 35sec. Amateur Novice Events Half-male Handicap.—H. Moore (30yds) 1. R. Smith (50yds) 2, N. Smith (70yds) 3. Time, 65.65ec. Three-quarter Mile Handicap.—H. Moore (45yds) 1. N. Smith (UOyds) 2, L. Manners (scr) 3. Time, Imin 34sec.