Avon short of record

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 14

Avon short of record

Although Avon's time of ; 57min 32sec was certainly ; a remarkable performance for five juniors in a 25mile road cycling team time trial, it was far from a record in the Grant Cup race. In 1964, on the same ' course from Yaidhurst to Aylesbury and return, the then Avon team recorded 56min 21sec. That 1964 was a high peak for junior ; cycling in the province ; was reflected in Papanui’s 1 time: 57min 19sec. The Avon team seven ! years ago was led, inevi- : tably, by T. J. Tabak, and : two other members, G. R. Sword and D. J. Savage, have In the intervening i yean been prominent in : teams’ races. The other : members were M. W. Litolff and K R. Wlldermoth. The Papanui team was also an exceptionally tai- : ented one: J. H. A. Cleary, I P. A. Skilling and S. J.

Stephen were three of the best teams’ riders on road and track—produced by Canterbury. The combination was completed by H. C. Bedford and G. Stanley. The previous year, another time faster than that by this year’s Avon juniors was also recorded. Tabak, then riding for Papanui, joined forces with Cleary, Stanley, Skilling and W. G. Kendall to do 57mln 13.4 sec. And to demonstrate just what a powerful team this was, the juniors rode the same afternoon in the Hope Gibbons Shield event—against seniors and came fourth in 58min 16sec. They must have been made of sterner stuff in those days, to ride two team trials In the same day. Some of the juniors this year were not prepared to ride one on Saturday and again on Sunday, had the Hope Gibbons Shield and Grant Cup events been held on separate days.