Important Night For Canterbury Cyclists

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31579, 17 January 1968, Page 17

Important Night For Canterbury Cyclists

It is “cup night” at English Park raceway this evening. The cash riders will contest their biggest cup event, the Harrison wheel-race over two miles; and the amateurs will ride for the Percy Cole Cup in a one-mile handicap.

Some of the bestknown names in Canterbury and national cash cycling have won the Harrison Cup over the last 20 years. They include O. F. Duffy (three times), D. A. Swanston, K. A. Brown, H. J. Smithers, B. Woodgate and K. R. Jeffery. The last cash handicap cup event, the Hope Gibbons wheel-race just before Christmas, was one of the finest races seen on English Park and the high prize money again tonight should make the Harrison wheel-race equally attractive. A. J. O’Hagan, who won the latter race in New Zealand record time, has a tough task this time, giving away 25yd to

his usual co-marker, B. W. Yaxley, who in turn has a long chase to F. R. Hooper. The riders with a big chance are a group of middle-mark-ers, J. R. Williams (240 yd L. M. Vette (260 yd R. J. Weir (340 yd and P. S. Sincock (380 yd J. H. Cleary will attempt to improve a record of two seconds and a third in the Percy Cole Cup but he and his fellow back-marker, M. W. Litolff, may have a tough job catching the middle-markers, W. W. Thorpe, A. A. Paviell, P. R. Wildemoth, B. Berry, R. J. Hogan, D. Jones and B. R. Chisholm are within 20 yards of each other and could take catching if they join forces. The night will also feature the first in a series of teams’ pursuits, leading up to the national championships. For the first in the series, a Papanui club team which

could be the representative side—Cleary, R. D. Mann, W. G. Kendall and B. G. Stock-

well—will compete against a composite side. It is A. J. Hood, R. A. MacDonald (Timaru), R. J. Hogan (Papanui) and Litolff (Avon). Hood and Litolff have both ridden

New Zealand championships in pursuit teams. There will be a sprint series featuring Swanston (runner-up in last year’s Canterbury championships), T. R. Weir (1966 Canterbury champion), C. B. J. Fitzgerald and G. A. Duff.