McNaught Features In Cash Races

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31168, 19 September 1966, Page 11

McNaught Features In Cash Races

The Dunedin cash cyclist, C. McNaught, confirmed his superiority over the other leading South Island riders with two outstanding performances at the week-end.

On Saturday he was first and fastest in the Alby Ralston Memorial 50-miles, the first time this has been done from the scratch mark; and yesterday, although out of any major placings, he gave a fine demonstration of solo riding in a vain effort to catch a breakaway in the South Island 75-mile championship. McNaught is the second rider to win the Ralston Memorial and take fastest time. R. Lucas performed a similar feat in 1958 from break.

McNaught put up a splendid performance to ride away from his fellow scratchmarkers with only K. R. Jeffery hanging on for a few miles before being levered off at a little over 30 miles. L. H. Arnst led at the turn but then the smtn and 7 imin bunches linked forces and appeared most likely to go through the field, although R. J. Weir and T. C. Gibbs were riding strongly in front. McNaught caught the big bunch between Burnham and Rolleston, then set about catching the two leaders. A dozen contested the sprint with McNaught winning narrowly from G. Grant (Timaru), with G. Moore (Tinwald) and J. R. Williams (Christchurch) handy. .

There was a different sequence to the 75-mile race, which was won by J. H. Willcox, with F. R. Hooper taking the fastest lime and the championship. Again it appeared that scratch riders would go through the field when A. J. McMeeken (Dunedin) and Hooper broke away at the start and none of the remaining three showed any inclination to chase.

At 22 miles, Hooper and McMeeken were 4min clear of the remaining scratch riders and soon after caught the breakbunch. At half way the two scratch riders were only Simin behind the 20mln bunch, but they could not sustain the pressure and there was a bunch of four in the sprint with Willcox holding off E. Gluestein narrowly. Meanwhile, McNaught had left Jaffery and B. W. Yaxley and was ploughing into the easterly alone, often at 30 rn.p.h. He caught a tremendous amount of time but left his run too late—--70 miles too late.

Abbreviations used in the results are: Dunedin (D), Christchurch (C), Timaru (T), Tinwald (Tin), Hornby (H). Alsby Ralston Memorial 50 miles: C. McNaught (D, scr.) 1, G. Grant (T, 7Jmin) 2, G. Moore (Tin. smin) 3. J. R. Williams (C, 7}min), 4, D. Sorenson (T, smln) 5. F. J, Chapman (C, smin) 6. T. C. Gibbs (C, lOmin) 7. M. Woolford (T, smin) 8. Fastest time: McNaught, 2:2:2.9. Junior: A. J. McMeeken (D, scr.) 2:6:92.

south island 75 miles: J. H. Willcox (C, ISmin) 1, E. Gluestein (Tin, 12min) 2, G. Foster (T, 16min) 3, Gibbs (12min) 4, W. F. Fergusson (T, 20min) 5. W. R. J. Weir (H, 20min) 8. F. R Hooper (H, scr.) 7. McMeeken (scr.) 8. Fastest time: Hooper. 3:12:30. Junior: McMeeken. 3:12:30.1.