CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 13

CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

After mere than three-quart-er* of an hour of slipping and sliding, cycling and running, a* Clarkvlll* on Saturday, H. W. Lltolff (Avon) emerged as th* champion "mountaingoat" cyclist In Canterbury. His victory in th* first open cyclo-cross championship meant negotiating by th* best means able 10 miles of mud and slush, greasy clay tracks well sprinkled with puddles, steep stop banks and a rubbish dump. But Lltolff, who went into the lead after five of th* 15 laps, rode and ran a steady pace and won clearly from M. J. Hewson (Timaru) and P. R. Wlldermoth.

The race had an appropriate start when M. J. Fortune brought down nearly all th* field when he fell off on th* first climb, out of th* rubbish dump. D. H. J. Klrdy (Papanui) took th* opportunity to jump away to a clear lead end we* at th* head of the race tor th* first three lips, with Wlldermoth leading the rett. Wlldermoth held th* lead briefly before Lltolff took a lead that was never relinquished, and he lapped all but Hewson and Wlldermoth.

At the end of the gruelling ex-perience-some remarked they would "sooner ride a *loo* any day"—there were still 14 survivors of the 20 starters, with T. D. Day (Papanui), whose brainchild the race was, keeping an eye on thing* from fourteenth position. Five of the withdrawals were from natural reasons, basically weariness, and only H. R, Bush (Papanui) suffered from the rugged terrain. He bed a etiek go through his back wheel and anap the spokes. The Papanui elub, which organised the championship, held In the vicinity of the tyre River bed, gave medals tor the first three place-getters. Results;— Open Cyclo-cross.—M. W. Lltolff, 46:17, 1; M. J. Hewson, 47:46. 2; F. R. Wlldermoth.

49:27, 3; D. Jones. 56:6. 4; C. B. J. Flttgerald. 50:25. 5; M. J. Fortune, 56:47, t. Neal* Win* Th* rider* off th* break mark of half-a-minut*. led by P. F. Neale took all the honours in the Malrehau Novice Wheelmen’s nine-mil* handicap race On Saturday. Gathering in th* bunches in front of them all the way, they hit the front after about five miles, and Neale won the big bunch sprint from P. L. Pavleli and K. J. Grogan. And, when the scratch rider* wasted time approaching th* sprint, Neale also won fastest time, by onO second. A. v. Barford beat the other scratch riders, J. Blake and P. J. Roddock. Result:— Nine-mils Handleap.—P. F. Neal* (|mln), 23:25, 1; P. L. Pavleli (|min). 23:25,5. 2; K. J. Grogan (tmln), 23:26. 1; J. Mullan (imln). 4; P. Jetton (imin) 8. A. V. Karford (ser), 23:26, (equal third), fasteat time.