CYCLISTS DID WELL IN TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 11

CYCLISTS DID WELL IN TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES

'THE abandoning of the meeting was the crowning blow for the Canterbury team at the national hard track cycling championships in Auckland. Plagued by illnesses and withdrawals, the

team fought back doggedly to achieve results that were, at least, respectable. The seniors, expected to be Canterbury’s strong suit, had more heart-breaks than any team deserves. J. H. Cleary, afflicted badly by illness, was not fit to contest the 4000 metres individual pursuit—for which he was the favourite—and could not defend his 1000 metres time trial title. It is not likely he would have beaten H. J. Kent’s time of Imin 13.3 sec in this event, but a second or third placing was within Cleary’s capabilities. Then C. B. J. Fitzgerald, the captain of a very happy and, in the circumstances, contented team, bowed to influenza and could not contest the time trial, the event in which he won the bronze medal last year. With Cleary’s withdrawal, and the unavailability of T. J. Tabak and P. A. Skilling, Canterbury was reduced to a senior pursuit team that, on paper, was fairly weak. But with determination bred from annoyance with the fates, the team qualified comfortably—and the rider felt to be one of the weak links, D. A. Swanston, was the strength of the side. Swanston’s form was pleasing and, at 26, he could look back on a satisfactory debut in the New Zealand amateur championships. He would have made matters interesting in the sprint and the 10 miles.

A. J. Hood, the Timaru rider, has never performed with great distinction at national championships but at

Auckland he rode with greater assurance and narrowly missed qualifying for the semi-finals of the individual pursuit. His kilometre time gave him a very satisfactory fifth. Canterbury owed much to its younger riders, particularly those from Rangiora. B. G. Stockwell, a 17-year-old boy with a splendid temperament, capped nine months of Improvement with

a resounding victory in the junior individual pursuit and a creditable second in the time trial. For the second time in their two meetings, Stockwell was the master of S. J. Stephen, another Canterbury rider, who improved on his third placing of last year.

P. D. Brydon is another North Canterbury youngster who has a good temperament; and at Auckland he showed courage of the first order. To fight back to L. R. Mildenhall, after the West

Coast-North Island champion appeared to have a winning lead in the quarter-mile, and to drag himself out of the slush off the edge of the track in the one-mile to gather in the field—with a soft front tyre—promises as much as Brydon’s basic speed. However, the most development was probably made by the junior sprinter, G. W. Wood, who had the bad fortune to strike M. F. Vertongen in the first round. Wood won his re-selection and eliminated G. J. Lovell in the eighth-finals. This was a notable performance by a rider who has often lacked confidence in himself.

The delays and interruptions caused by the bad weather made the championships a most frustrating experience for the riders and the humidity at the time did not help. Sadly, in many ways, it seems that Western Springs has seen .its last cycling event of any note. The track is breaking up, especially between the racing and pole lines where the speed-cars encroach. The cycling authorities, too, it appears, receive little encouragement or assistance with the stadium and their job was an unenviable one when the rain posed so many problems.

The only major criticism that could be made was that they showed a lack of firm definiteness in deciding when racing should resume. The continual waiting did nothing for the nerves of the riders, officials or supporters.