Testing Sponsored Cycle Race This Month

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30203, 7 August 1963, Page 13

Testing Sponsored Cycle Race This Month

’T'HE biggest cycling race in the South Island will start on August 22 in Christchurch, and finish on August 24 at New Brighton after a 320-mile tour of Canterbury. Sponsored by Dulux, in conjunction with business firms of Canterbury, and organised by the Christchurch Amateur Cycling Club, this multi-stage race is expected to become one of the most famous in New Zealand. Trophies will exceed £BOO in value.

As well as top New Zealand riders, the race may attract entries from Australia, to compete for one of the biggest prizes in New Zealand amateur cycling. From Christchurch on the morning of August 22, the riders will set off on the toughest stage of the tour. They will ride to Sumner for the first sprint, then up Evans Pass. From the top of the pass, there will be a tough, uphill sprint, along the Summit road, past the Sign of the Kiwi and the

Sign of the Bellbird, to Gebbies Pass.

A long, downhill run will take the field to the flat at Motukarara. The next sprint is at Tai Tapu, after which the riders will turn to Lincoln, and to the finish of stage one, at Leeston—a distance of 56 miles. After lunch, stage two will take the riders around the Southbridge block and back to Leeston where they will ride across to Dunsandel, then down the Main South road through Rakaia to Ashburton for the end of the first day’s racing. This ride adds 52 miles to the tour.

On Friday, August 23, stage three of the race will start in Ricc&rton. The riders will race up the Main South road again, through Hornby to Templeton, where they will cross to the Main West road and make for Darfleld. After Waddington, the field will go through the Waimakariri gorge, and finish stage three at Oxford. This distance is 48 miles.

The straight Cust road will take the riders to Rangiora, in a sprint. The field will travel to Woodof racing. After leaving New Brighton, the field will sprint up the Main North road, through Kaiapoi and Leithfieid, to Waipara. From there, the course becomes tougher, where the riders must go over the Omihi Saddle to Motunau. The riders will turn there and go through Scargill to the end of stage five at Waikari.

The final stage will be through the Weka Pass, and on to a fast, down-hill sprint to Waipara, Amberley, and Kaiapoi, finishing on the esplanade at New Brighton.

end, then up the Main North road to Amberley, back to Sefton, and over the Ashley river, to finish the 56-mile, fourth stage in Rangiora. New Brighton will be the host club for the final day