N.Z. Cycling Championships Start Tomorrow

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 15

N.Z. Cycling Championships Start Tomorrow

TT can fairly safely be said that only one competitor appears likely to win more than one gold medal in the New Zealand track cycling championships which start at English Park tomorrow. He is the brilliant West Coast, North Island junior, J. Dean, who is the titleholder in three events. There are several seniors, outstanding in their specialties but unlikely to dominate the whole meeting, as W. D. Dalton did in 1959 when he won four events. On of the most obvious favourites is V. L. Newlove (Auckland) in the senior 1000 metres time trial. The holder of a host of New Zealand records, Newlove has in the last three years won three national time

trial titles, two as a junior and one as a senior last year. His most significant opposition could come from the Wellington pair, B. Goldsworthy and G. F. Wright. Goldsworthy has a fine record of consistency in this event, being second twice and first once in the last three years but Wright, the 1963 champion, beat him for the Wellington title. The chief Canterbury hopes are pinned on J. H. Cleary, who is in his first year out of junior ranks. Cleary' last year succeeded Newlove as the national junior title winner. Dean is specialising in the time trial and is the likely junior winner but there will be particular interest in M. W. Litolff, who rode the

second fastest junior time ever in New Zealand when he won the Canterbury title. The brilliant Wellington rider, D. A. Comparini, won on a slowish Blenheim track in the creditable time of Imin 15.9 sec and he, and the grass track champion, B. Pascoe (Waikato), are the other major threats to Dean. It would be a big upset if the reigning sprint champion, P. H. Robinson (Southland), was beaten. Like Newlove, he has won three titles —two junior and one senior —in the last three years. J. Bigwood (Auckland) has been a silver medallist at each of the last three national championships but he was beaten by Newlove in the Auckland titles and the latter, who holds the New Zealand resident record, must enter the reckoning. Dean is not defending his junior title and this is one of the most open events. G. Crawford (Auckland), who was third last year, N. Hodges (the top Southland rider), and B. Preston (West Coast, North Island), who has some good performances against Dean, appear most dominant. Added to them, there is Litolff, with some solid wins this year, and Pascoe, who also holds the New Zealand grass track title in this event. The senior individual pursuit championship is probably the most open. D. Stowell (West Coast, North Island) will be defending his title but he will have strenuous opposition from both ends of New Zealand, ranging from Auckland’s R. D. Thomson and L. O'Reilly, to A. Ineson of Southland. Then there is T. J. Tabak (Canterbury), a powerful, consistent pursuit rider, and Wright, the 1963 champion.

Conversely, the junior event will probably settle down into a struggle between Dean, again the title-holder, and Comparini, who won in 1964. The two youthful New Zealand road representatives.

J. Ludlam (Waikato) and S. Stephen (Canterbury), are likely semi-finalists. The 10 miles is as open as usual. Wright, first in 1962 and 1963, has the best record, while on times alone, Bigwood is the favourite. He recently set a New Zealand record for the event. The Canterbury rider, C. Fitzgerald, has taken second and third placings in recent years, but there are about 10 cyclists whose names could be put in a hat—and then the eventual winner might not be among themFamiliar names should feature in the junior five miles. Dean, Litolff and Comparini are all possibilities, with additional interest being taken in M. Vertongen (West Coast, North Island), who is moving up from the boys, and L. Booth (Southland), who comes from a family of long distance riders. The teams pursuits will be virtually Canterbury v. Southland affairs. The Canterbury team last week set a New Zealand record. On the withdrawal of Auckland, and the non-entry of Wellington, the senior event has been shorn of some of its glamour and the only other entry is from the West Coast, North Island. Since Vertongen has moved out of the ranks, there are no dominant boys.

However, the West Coast, North Island pair, G. Lovell and M. Holswich, must have a good chance and the Canterbury champion, A. Paviell, has considerable success behind him this season. The only other events are the tandems. The former Otago pair, G. Bannister and N. Joyce, are riding as individuals and should retain their title but the junior event is a little more openEither of the West Coast, North Island pairs, or the second Southland team of Booth and Hodges, could win.

The centres with the largest teams, West Coast, North Island, Canterbury, and Southland—but particularly the first two —have the best chances of team success and this year probably represents Canterbury’s best chance of winning the shield, since it was first awarded in 1948. But. West Coast has Dean and all those junior titles in the offing and for this reason, is favoured to retain the symbol of inter-centre supremacy.