Second national record of the week-end to Kent

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32525, 8 February 1971, Page 24

Second national record of the week-end to Kent

(By our cycling reporter) For technical reasons—the mandatory use of electric timing, and its not being available —H. D. Kent did not attempt the world flying kilometre time-trial record at English Park yesterday.

But the strapping champion Wellington cyclist did not disappoint the crowd there to watch him. He attacked the national standing half-mile record instead, and broke it by o.Bsec for a new time of 56.8 sec. The old time of 57.65ec was set four years ago at the Kew Bowl, Invercargill, by the Australian Olympic and Commonwealth Games rider, H. J. Clarke. Kent’s half-mile record was his second of the week-end. On Saturday he won the flying quarter-mile time trial in 24.65ec at Denton Park. His half-mile record took the number of New Zealand records set at English Park to 17. Eighteen of the 30 na-

tional records have been set in Christchurch.

B. G. Stockwell attempted to gain his tenth national record in the flying mile. There is a very tough standard of Imin 56sec to break for this record to be established, and Stockwell did well to record Imin 57.75ec. CANTERBURY WINS Stockwell also provided one of the day’s highlights when he led Canterbury to a 1-2-3 success in the feature five-mile scratch race.

This was'undoubtedly one of the best scratch races seen in Canterbury for many years, and it was made for the crowd when Kent broke away at half-way with D. A. Swanston chasing, catching, and holding his wheel. But Kent, just when he was prepared to pursuit his way for the rest of the race, and tow Swanston along, punctured and had to withdraw. FINE WIN

There was a real threat to local success with six of the quarter-mile laps to ride when four Wellington riders took off, riding like a pursuit team with the balance of the team blocking well at the back. But P. D. Brydon chased and caught, so too did Stockwell, and soon after getting up, Stockwell went again, with a mile to ride. P. R. Mathews (Wellington) chased, to little avail, and with Brydon and J. P. Mullan in tow, Canterbury success looked—and was—-

assured. Stockwell held on for a very fine win, and Mullan and Brydon, in that order, came round Mathews for the next two placings. The Wellington Olympic representative, N. R. Lyster, finished powerfully for fourth, but the crafty M. D. Payne had his wheel, and embellished the Canterbury domination of the race with his fifth. The other event of most interest was a 4000-metre team pursuit between the two representative teams, and Wellington revenged its defeat on the previous day with a convincing—if by only one second and a half—win. IN COMMAND But for the power of Stockwell, Canterbury would have been hard pressed to finish so close. Twice he took his team for full laps, and in the second of these brought Canterbury back from a 30-yard deficit to a five-yard lead. But with M. W. Litolff struggling, and only Stockwell and A. J. Hood in really impressive form, Wellington always had its task well in hand.

And to justify the expenditure of those who had paid to go and see him, Kent towered above his fellows in all his races in the Garden City Derby, over a quartermile. His strength and speed were just too much for anyone else, from Canterbury or Wellington. Results: — Amateur Garden City Derby (quartermile).—First semi-final: J. P. Mullan 1, T. R. Weir 2, C. Davis 3. Time: 30.2. Second semi-final: H. D. Kent 1, M. W. Litolff 2, P. L. Paviell 3. Time: 30.4. Final: Kent 1, Davis 2, Weir 3. Time: 29.4. Scratch—B grade devil-take-the-hindmost: R. K. Anderson 1, Paviell 2, C. J. Tabak 3. Time: 5:2.2. 4000-metre team pursuit: Wellington (Kent, B. Wyatt, N. R. Lyster, D. F. Palatchie), 5:0.1, beat Canterbury (B. G. Stockwell, A. J. Hood, Mullan, Litolff), 5:1.6. Mile: Palatchie 1, D. A. Swanston 2, P. R. Mathews 3. Time: 2:2.5. B grade IJ-mile: Anderson 1, R. M. Heyde 2, K. F. Radburnd 3. Time: 3:15. A grade 5 miles: Stockwell 1, Mullan 2, Brydon 3. Time: 10:43.7. 4000-metre individual pursuit: Oliver, 5:27, beat J. I. Ryder. 5:39; Oliver, 5:38, beat Wyatt, 5:39.3. Standing half-mile time trial: Kent, 56.8 (New Zealand open record). Flying mile: Stockwell, 1:57.7. 500-metre sprints.—M. D. Payne beat P. R. Mathews, 13.9; J. F. Matthews beat T. R. Weir, 13.8; G. A. Smith beat R. G. Oliver, 13.5; Litolff beat Wyatt, 13.7;

Mullan beat Lyster, 14.1; Knight beat C. Davis, 14.7. Handicap.—Open half mile: W. Palatchie (80yd) 1, J. F. Delore (70yd) 2 D. F. Palatchie (30yd) 3. Time: 58.2. Novice Handicap.—B grade quarter mile: R. G. Radburnd (10yd) 1, S. White (10yd) 2, P. Wereta (scr) 3. Time: 32.9. A grade quarter mile: 1. Steele (120 yd 1, L Stace (120 yd 2, L. McMillan (70yd) 3. Time: 1:35.4. Open half mile: McMillan (60yd) 1, Stace (80yd) 2, Radburnd (90yd) 3. Time: 59.5. B grade one mile: R. J. Amtman (15yd) 1, Radburnd (35yd) 2, L. Sword (75yd) 3. Time: 2:22.2. Scratch.—A grade mile: J. H. Sullivan 1, P. C. Court 2, G/ Palatchie 3. Time: 2:33.8.