Record-Breaking Cycling

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31598, 8 February 1968, Page 12

Record-Breaking Cycling

In a crowded evening of brilliant cycling at English Park last evening, New Zealand and Canterbury records were broken or equalled and several best performances were recorded. The national record came in the cash five miles when F. R. Hooper won the North Canterbury championship in a verv fast 9min 59sec. B. G. Stockwell, with a personal best time of smin 16.8 sec, equalled the Canterbury amateur junior record for the 4000 metres individual pursuit held by S. J. Stephen. W. G. Kendall, in the semi-finals of the Canterbury open championship for the pursuits, also recorded his best time.

Earlier in the evening Hooper had returned the very fast time of 55.75ec for a half-mile but the most amazing performer of all was J. H. Cleary, the brilliant amateur all-rounder.

Cleary was not content with riding his second-best pursuit time when beating Stockwell — Smin H.Ssec, a time excelled in New Zealand only by himself. W. D. H. Dalton, D. A. Comparini and T. J. Tabak—but crushed Kendall in the Anal 60 yards. Again his lime was below Smin lasec, by .Isec.

Then, joining forces with Stockwell, Kendall and R. D. Mann, Cleary was the power behind the Papanui club pursuit team which won the Canterbury championship in 4m in 55.95ec, the third-fastest time lin Canterbury history.

What was more exceptional was that Mann, the freshest in the team, lost his chain soon after the start or the team would not only have broken the Canterbury record (smin 53.25ec) but even have come within reach of the New Zealand record of 4min 49sec set by the 1956 Olympic squad. Another notable effort was by the little Rangiora novice, C. T. L. Stockwell, who won his first race on the track. Quick away in the C grade quarter-mile, he held off K. Radburnd on the bend to win by a length. The cup for the champion amateur club over the Canterbury championships was won by Papanui (28) from Avon (14). Results: CHAMPIONSHIPS Amateur 4000 Metres Individual Pur-suit.—Semi-finals: J. H. Cleary (Papanui), 5:14.5, beat B. G. Stockwell (Papanui), 5:16.8 (Canterbury junior record). W. G. Kendal! (Papanui), 5:17.2. beat A. J. Hood (Timaru), 5:22.3. Final: Cleary, 5:14.9. beat Kendall, 5:19.6. Final for third: Stockwell, 5:22, beat Hood 5:31.9. 4000 Metres Teams* Pursuit. — Papanui (Cleary, Stockwell. Kendall. R. D. Mann). 4:55.9. beat Avon (M. W. Litolff, D. Jones, A. A. Paviell, B. J. Timms). 5:9.5. 1000-Metre Sprint.—Final for third: Cleary beat Mann, 13.8. 14.8. CASH One-mile.—B. W. Yaxley 1, R. J. Weir 2, M. R. Woolford 3. Time, 2:13.8. Five-mile.—F. R. Hooper 1. Weir 2, Yaxley 3. Time, 959 (New Zealand record). OPEN EVENTS Amateur Scratch.—B grade one-inile: B. R. Chisholm 1, D. N. McEvoy 2. D. M. Dixon 3. Time, 2:9. A Grade Three-mile.—C. B. J. Fitzgerald 1, Litolff 2, Chisholm 3. Time, 6:18.8. Handicap.—Open half-mile; Litolff (syd) 1, Mann (30yd) 2. P. D. Brydon (60yd) 3. Time. 58.5. One-and-a-half mile group ings: Timms (130 yd 1. J. W. Beresford (130 yd 2, W. W. Thorpe (120 yd 3. Time. 1:31. Cash Handicap.—Half-mile; Hooper (15yd) 1. C. D. Yaxley (30yd) 2, G. O. Moore (45yd) 3. Time. 55.7 Three-quarter mile: A. Cavill (165 yd 1. E. Reid (200 yd 2. Hooper (25yd) 3. Time, 1:26.3. Novice Scratch.—B grade half-mile: R. Parnell 1, J. Clayton 2, J. Blake 3. Time. 1:10.2. C grade quarter-mile: C. T. L. Stockwell 1, K. Radburnd 2. P. Radburnd 3. A grade one-mile: R. E. Knight 1, P. L. Paviell 2, K. D. Wapp 3. Time, 2:19.4. Handicap. Open quartermile: Clayton (40yd) 1, P. Red dock (45yd) 2, G. A. Smith (25yd) 3. Time, 30.0. Open onemile: B. Love (115 yd 1. W. Skilling (180 yd 2, Parnell (135 yd 3. Time, 2:3.3. Colts Scratch. —500-metre sprints— Heats: L. M. Vette beat G. Perry, R. C. Archer beat P. R Bates, P. S. Sincock beat A. McManus. Reselection: Bates beat Perry and McManus. Semi-finals: Archer beat Sincock, 15.1; Vette beat Bates, 15.6. Handicap.—Half-mile: Archer (15yd) 1, Sincock (20yd) 2, McManus (25yd) 3. Time. 61.5.