CYCLIST, 58, WINS BET

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30107, 16 April 1963, Page 10

CYCLIST, 58, WINS BET

Return Trip To Ashburton

Sunday’s south-westerly change was welcomed by Mr S Jordan, of Nairn street. Spreydon. It swept him along on the homeward run of a bicycle ride from Christchurch to Ashburton and back, winning him a £5O wager.

Mr Jordan, who was well known in road-racing circles 30 years ago. was challenged by some younger riders to make the Ashburton return trip in eight hours or less and made the trip with 15 minutes to spare.

Mr Jordan, now 58 years o’d. carried six flasks of snerry and egg in a shoulder bag, and reached the Ashburton Railway Station in three hours 50 minutes. His challengers were confident he could not make the return journey in the stipulated time but determination and a brisk back wind brought him to a sprinting finish in Lincoln road 15 minutes inside the eight hours. “It was not so much a sprinting finish as a dying flutter.” he told supporters at the finishing line Mr Phil O'Shea, a former champion cyclist, last night applauded Mr Jordan's feat. “I am 75. but I would still have a try at that time limit myself—modern racing bikes do a lot of the work for you." he said. Mr Jordan's machine, however. is by no means a “racer.” Friends said last night that hi® maintenance of the stolid, upright bicycle was a tribute to his care and a major contributing factor to his win.