Stockwell Has Great Cycling Future

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31330, 29 March 1967, Page 10

Stockwell Has Great Cycling Future

success story of B. G. A Stockwell reads something like the tale of King Midas. From his first serious cycling race, Stockwell has accomplished so much that one wonders what he will do next.

In his first outing with the Mairehau Novice Wheelmen, Stockwell took fastest time off the break mark. The same season (1965), in his first tilt at the Canterbury boys’ 10-mile title, Stockwell was first. Last year Stockwell won the provincial junior 50 miles title—again at first time of trying—and rounded off the season with a sprint-finish win against strong open company in a 25-mile criterium. And this track season, Stockwell has surpassed all previous efforts with, first, three gold and two silver medals in the Canterbury championships, and, more recently, a gold and a silver medal in the national championships.

This flood of success has not affected Stockwell, or his sense of porportion. He is very reticient about talking of his abrupt ride to national importance as a track rider. Rather, he insists on giving as much credit as possible to his dub captain and coach, W. W. Thorpe. His most amusing comment is that referring to the strong final two laps he always appears to unleash in individual pursuits: “I go faster because Wayne (Thorpe) says ‘Go’.” This finishing burst has been most in evidence in the finals of the Canterbury

and New Zealand pursuit titles and each time S. J. Stephen has been the unfortunate recipient. Stephen, himself a very powerful rider, and another youthful prodigy but inclined to be erratic, both times built up

handsome early leads only for Stockwell to peg him back and go away in the last lap. The first interest in cycling for Stockwell was fostered when he borrowed a school-friend's semi-racer. It followed that in November, 1964, he went along to the young but fast-growing Rangiora novice dub and had a few rides. In 1965, after a brief appearance on the track, he raced at both Mairehau and Rangiora events and after that initial ride from break, was on scratch for the rest of the season. Only twice, once at each club, did he miss fastest time.

Stockwell made little impression on the track fields in his last season as a novice (1965-66), a third in the Canterbury quarter-mile title and minor progress in the New Zealand championships being his only performances of note.

But when he joined Papanui a year ago, Stockwell made his mark early. A close second placing in the 25-mile junior time trial —in 62min llsec —was followed soon afterwards with a seventh and fastest time in the Frank Grose Cup race of 40 miles against the Timaru club. Ironically, Stockwell had Thorpe to beat in the sprint for fastest time.

Stockwell was next first in his club 50-mile championship and, moving back on the marks, won the Harry Saundercock Memorial 100 kilos. Then, on the way over to Akaroa in the twostage classic, Stockwell was third, and second fastest. The provincial title and criterium followed. Stockwell won all of his club track titles and the only events in the Canterbury championships he did not win were the sprint series and five miles; he was second in both of these. That Stockwell won his national medals in the pursuit (first) and kilometre time trial (second) was remarkable because before the months had rolled into 1967, he had never competed in either event. His time of Imin 15.5 sec in the junior time trial was second only to the very exceptional New Plymouth boy, J. A. Dean—two years older than Stockwell—and the Rangiora rider was fifth in the complete field, senior and junior. As befits one who has not long passed his seventeenth birthday, Stockwell has no immediate thoughts of what he would like to achieve in cycling or whether he will concentrate on track or road —but, it is hoped, he will pay most attention to the former.

It could be quite within his powers to win both the Canterbury and New Zealand junior pursuit titles in three successive years, both feats never having been performed yet But Stockwell, with his characteristic phlegmaticism and attitude of “Que sera, sera”, leaves the future to look after itself.