TABAK BREAKS OWN RECORD

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 18

TABAK BREAKS OWN RECORD

The hills of the harbour road, from Gebbies Pass to the port itself, took its toll in the annual 42-mile Round-the-Harbour cycling race on Saturday.

Few bunches stayed together for very long stretches after the pass was reached and riders came home in dribs and drabs, the winner, R. Carroll (Avon), finishing Ijmin ahead of L. Freeman (Papanui). The Empire Games rider, T. J. Tabak (Avon), overcame a car accident and the resultant loss of time to take fastest time and dip 4min 35.55ec from his own record, set last year, of Ibr 53min 45.55ec.

Tabak’s was an espedally fine effort He started from scratch by himself—possibly the first local rider to start alone at the back since the dominant days of P. Wylie—gave away IJmin to the break bunch and 3min to the next bunch, which was probably the strongest and most even in the race. Made up Ground

This bunch—consisting of R. J. Hogan, P. A. Skilling (Papanui), D. Jones and G. R. Sword (Avon) —caught the riders in front, off smin, at the Black Tulip Road House, 11 miles from the start, and was then 38sec up on the break bunch for fastest time. Tabak, starting to gain after the break riders had taken a slight time advantage on him, was only ssec down on the break bunch of S. J. Stephen (Avon), J. H. Cleary, and J. S. Danielson (Papanul). The tremendous pace they were keeping up in the early parts of the race tired Skilling and Jones for the hills, and the best placing from the riders near the back came from Hogan. Riding strongly and consistently, he weeded Ms way through the field, after the Smln bunch was caught, to take third place.

Tabak’s mishap came when he had joined Cleary and Danielson—Stephen having dropped off—and they were hindered by a slow car. The latter two passed it on the outside, but Tabak, under the impression it was speeding up, came through on the inside. When it turned suddenly Tabak was knocked off but not injured. Results:

Round the Harbour Handicap (42 miles).—R. Carroll (Avon, 28mln) 1, L. Freeman (Papanul, 23mln) 2, R. J. Hogan (Papanul, 3min) 3, G. McLeod (Avon, 17min) 4. Winner’s time, 2:10:55. Fastest time: T. J. Tabak (Avon, scr), 1:49.10, 1; Hogan, 1:50:14, 2; J. H. Cleary (Papanui, limin), 1:50:40 , 3. Borgfeldt Cup Race

Although the break riders, off 3jmin, caught the Simin bunch at Belfast only one was in the placlngs in the 30-mile cash race between Hornby and Amberley for the Borgfeldt Cup, This was C. Yaxley (Hornby), who headed in F. J. Chapman, J. H. Willcox, and J. B. Williams in the cash code’s second cup race of the season. Yaxley’s was a fine ride as he was little outside the fastest time, disputed between the scratch riders, B. Yaxley, his brother, and K. R. Jeffery, with Yaxley taking a narrow decision.

The strong bunch which formed at Belfast rode steadily into a light north-easterly wind, picking up the groups at intervals and the leaders at Leithfie’.d. Results:—

Hornby to Amberley 30-Mile Borgfeldt Cup. —C. Yaxley (3imin) 1, F. J. Chapman (Simin) 2, J. H. Willcox (Simin)

3, J. R. Williams (Simin) 4, A. Howlson admin) 5. Winner s time, 1:22:57. Fastest time: B. Yaxley (scr), 1:22:10.2, 1: X. R. Jeffery (scr), 1:22:10.3, 2. Novice Points Race Starting from scratch (no points), A. A. Pavleli won three sprints and was second in the fourth to win the Malrehau Novice Wheelmen’s nine-mile handicap points race on Saturday. In a special attempt on the 4i-mEe circuit record of lOmin 24sec held by T. J. Tabak, P. Brydon recorded llmin 2.2 sec, the fastest time this year. Brydon also took fastest time in the Ranglora club's lOi-mile race in a block from Ranglora-to-Woodend and back yesterday. He beat Pavleli by Inches. Results:— Malrehau.— Nine-mile handicap points race: A. Pavleli (O.), H, 1: P. Creighton (3) and R. Burrage (4), 10 (equal), 2. Time, 24:45. Nine-mile B grade handicap: B. Gibbs (3Jmin) 1. J. Blake (3im‘.n) 2, P. Archer (2imin) 3. Winner’s time, 24:45. Fastest time: R. Knight (scr), 23:58, 1; C. Stockwell (scr). 23:39, 2. Ranglora.— loi-mlle handicap: K. Radburn (smln) 1, A. Barford (Omin) 2, J. B'.ack (7imin) 3, L. Pavleli (6min) 4. Winner’s time, 30:5. Fastest time: P. Brydon (scr), 24:25, 1; A. Pavleli (scr). 24:25.1, 2.