First Five Last Year Again Compete In Cycling Tour

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30561, 2 October 1964, Page 15

First Five Last Year Again Compete In Cycling Tour

The first five riders in last year’s event are among the competitors in the two-day cycling tour from Christchurch to Kaikoura and return, which starts tomorrow.

The five are K. Brown, J. Swanston and F. Hooper, all from the Hornby club, which will organise the race, C. McNaught (Dunedin) and L. Wood (Taranaki).

The course for the tour has’ been altered a little from the last two tours and a time trial has been incorporated. The riders will be sent on their journey at 8.45 a.m. by the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) over the first stage to Culverden, which they are expected to reach about noon. After an hour’s break they will compete in a time trial to Waiau, and afterwards complete the stage to Kaikoura. In order to be well off the North road before the Sunday traffic builds up the third stage from Kaikoura to Cheviot will begin at 7.45 a.m. and it is expected the riders will reach Cheviot about 10.30 a.m. The last stage to Christchurch will start at 11.30 and the leaders should reach the

finish, at Riccarton Racecourse, at about 2 p.m. Improving Times The winners’ times in the last two tours show just how much tour racing has improved in New Zealand. In 1962 W. Dalton’s time was lOhr 41min 39sec and McNaught was second in lOhr 56min 38sec. Last year Brown won in 9hr 43min 48sec and McNaught was fourth in 9hr 45min 23sec —an improvement of 71min. Four Taranaki riders, R. Chapman, L. Wood, D. Herbert and D. Wilson, are certain to keep the pace alive. Wilson recently won the Bernina tour (Taranaki) and will be sent to compete in the Warnambool to Melbourne event by the Taranaki Centre. Another rider is to accompany Wilson and the other four will be striving for that honour. Two From Auckland There will be two Auckland riders, D. Wilson and M. Ellis. Wilson last year competed in the Warnambool race and finished third. Ellis was placed in the New Zealand 75-mile championship two weeks ago and was also last year’s winner of the “Round the Mountain” event. Local riders with the most appeal are Brown, with two current national titles to his credit, Swanston, a current North Island and South Island champion, and K. Jeffrey (Christchurch), who performed outstandingly last week but was robbed of any chance of time honours by the slow rid-

ing of his co-markers early in the race. A. O’Hagan (Christchurch), an Australian, has been showing great improvement in form recently and he must be given every chance. B. Spicer (Ashburton) and Hooper do not appear to be in top form but could be right for this event.