First Test For Three Years

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31560, 23 December 1967, Page 15

First Test For Three Years

The first track cycling test in New Zealand for three years will be contested between West Germany (K. Kobusch and K. H. Henrichs) and New Zealand (M. W. Litolff and J. H. Cleary) at Denton Park raceway tomorrow afternoon.

This evening, at English Park raceway under light, there will be an international meeting, featuring the four test riders, another three New Zealand champions or record-holders, and Otago’s top rider, B. J. Thompson.

The events chosen for the test should prove particularly interesting. There will be 1000-metre sprint series with Cleary meeting Henrichs, and Litolff riding against Kobusch in the first round. Kobusch Favoured

Litolff beat Henrichs on Wednesday evening and Cleary should have a good chance of emulating him. It is difficult to see anyone, at the moment, beating Kobusch, however.

There will also be a 2000 metres two-man teams’ pursuit, an event which should prove more to the liking of Henrichs, and a half-mile scratch race with only the four riders competing. Points allocated will be three and one, for the pursuit, and 4,3, 2, 1 for the other two events.

There will also be flying quarter-mile record attempts in the supporting programme, and a five-mile scratch race. Litolff will no doubt be keen for another attempt on the national resident record (25.5 sec) and Kobusch could threaten the open record of 24.1 sec held by the Australian, G. L. Johnson. There are some crowdpleasing races in this evening’s programme. As well as another five-mile, and an open handicap one-mile, there are two two-mile races, a “devil take the hindmost” and a points race, both of which make for good sprinting every lap.

Alos, the cash riders will have their second cup-race of the season, the Hope Gibbons Wheelrace.