Crowd of 23,000 at fireworks

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 1

Crowd of 23,000 at fireworks

A variety evening at Addington Raceway on Saturday, aimed at boosting the Commonwealth Games Fund, attracted a crowd of about 23,000. Although the exact amount raised was not known last evening, the organisers hope that more than $3OOO will be given to the fund. Mr N. R. Searell, a spokesman for the organisers, said that although it was advertised that the gates would open at 6.30 p.m., about 500 persons were waiting outside the raceway at 5.45 p.m., and so the gates were opened then to allow them in. The highlight of the evening was a display of $2500 worth of fireworks. About 8.45 p.m. all the floodlights were switched off, and the fireworks—which included a duel between two battleships and a representation of the Commonwealth Games symbol were ignited. Before the fireworks, the crowd was entertained with a wide variety of events including acrobats, trick-cyclists, brass bands, and a fancy-dress parade.

A 100 metres race between a racehorse, a cyclist and a sprinter, was won by the cyclist, P. Brydon, a former New Zealand junior sprint champion, who beat the athlete, G. Anderson, by about a cycle length. The racehorse, Sam Tryax, driven by D. G. Jones, was about five lengths away, third. One trotting event was held, won by Dwayne, driven by V. Percuvich. Six ’ horses took part in the race, most of the drivers having returned from Saturday’s races at Geraldine specially for the evening charity race. The organisers hope to repeat , the fireworks display, in aid of the Games fund, next year and the year after.

Addington Raceway was made available free of charge for the evening. The fireworks, which lasted about half an hour, finished at 9.25 p.m.