Far-Travelled Students Set Two Records

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 17

Far-Travelled Students Set Two Records

Two long-distance records were broken by university students on the second day of Capping Week yesterday. Two Lincoln College students arrived back in Christchurch a.t the end of a 1000-mile hitch-hike which took them 32 hours, and the team of bath pushers from Dunedin arrived in Cathedral square after 78 hours on the road. A traffic police motor-cycle escort, the Otago University Capping Band, and a white goat led the triumphal procession of bath pushers into the square. The tired, unshaven team cheered and salaamed as the red-and-gold-striped bath glided to a halt outside the Cathedral. Members of the team denied reports ' that the vehicle had caused traffic hold-ups and hampered police at the scene of an accident on the route. One of the cars accompanying them had warned police of the bath’s approach, and after pulling off the road to allow other traffic to pass, they had continued straight on, they said. Complete co-operation and approval had been given to the stunt by Christchurch traffic authorities. The Lincoln College students who hitch-hiked 1000 miles, David Murray and Kingsley Smith, will claim a world record for the 752 miles travelled in 24 hours. The British record of 873 miles, from Land's End to John O’Groats, had been set in 39 hours, but this distance had been covered by them in only 28 hours, the students said.

Their travels took them to Weitati and back twice, and to Winchester and back once. Twenty-six cars carried the pair. The annual Avon bike race terrified ducks and amused spectators between the Bridge of Remembrance and Armagh street early yesterday afternoon. Motorised or other high-powered machines were discouraged by this year's organisers, and most of the bicycles were conventional, if ancient.

The “Thrasher,” an oildrum float, complete with a sail and sofa, won the honour of best float for Rolleston House. The £5 River Stakes was won by Brian Walford, with John Blakely in second place. Today’s annual procession will assemble in Hereford street at 9 a.m. for judging and censorship, and move off at 10 a.m. along Hereford street, Oxford terrace, Cashel Manchester, Armagh, and Colombo streets, through the square, and down Worcester street to the. university. “If the weiather stays fine

this should be a record ■procesh’,” said the organiser of the procession (Mr P. Richardson). There would be 63 floats. 21 more than last year. “They are generally of a pretty high standard,” said Mr Richardson. “Forty will be major floats mounted on trucks, and two will be particularly spectacular. About 250 persons have been working on the floats for the last three weeks.” The two trotting sulkies, which have been pulled from Nelson and the Hermitage, are expected to arrive in time for the procession, and the Otago Capping Band will march in the parade. Speeches from the United Service balcony will be made at 11.15 a.m. by a variety of “personalities.”