Spills aplenty

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33066, 6 November 1972, Page 3

Spills aplenty

R. M. Austin (Christchurch) improved on his second placing in the Canterbury scrambles championship by narrowly leading the general classification in the zone round of the Suzuki New Zealand moto-cross championship at Tai Tapu yesterday. Austin was a little fortunate that his main rival, P. T. Doecke, failed to finish in the second race, thus scoring no points in the event. Doecke, the Canterbury champion, won the first and third A-grade races by wide margins, and showed considerable skill in circuiting the hilly course without mishap. In the first race, Austin crashed when holding a slender lead over Doecke. Austin fought back to second behind Doecke, with the young Ashburton rider, R. J. Horsburgh, third. THRILLING DUEL Doecke was involved in a thrilling duel with Austin in the second heat until the coil snapped from his machine’s frame. Austin coasted to an effortless victory from R. Mapper (Halswell). who rode soundly. G. D. Holland (Christchurch) was third. The third and final race became a tame contest. Mapper fell on the first lap, Holland pulled out on the second, and Austin was forced to a temporary halt by a buckled muffler. L. Ross (Christchurch) won the three B grade races on his Kawasaki, and G. L. Goodfellow (Dunedin) emulated that performance in the C grade. Spills occurred frequently and the most serious casualties were two B grade riders, G. B. Burgess and T. North, who were taken to hospital for observation. The most spectacular fall came in the final race—a special three-lap race for

the top eight riders of the day. Horsburgh, Holland and R. K. Kilgour (Blenheim) were almost abreast approaching a sharp bend. Horsburgh—on the inside —lost balance, and his machine veered outwards taking the other two with him. Horsburgh hurtled into some tussocks among the machines, but he was not badly hurt. Results, riders from Christchurch unless shown, were:— A GRADE Race 1: P. T. Doecke (C.Z.), 1; R. M. Austin (Suzuki), 2; R. i•- . Horsburgh (Ashburton. C. 3. Race 2: Austin, 1; R. Happer (Haiswell, C.Z ), 2; G. D. Holland (C.Z.), 3. ‘Race 3: Doecke, 1; Horsburgh, 2; R. K. Kilgour (Blenheim Greaves), 3. Over all classification: Austin, 55 points, 1; Horsburgh, 54, 2; Happer, SI, 3; Holland and Kilgour, 50, (equal) 4. B GRADE Race 1: L. Ross (Kawasaki), 1; K. Keenan (Nelson, Suzuki), ®- G- Copsey (Opawa, Wasp), 3. Race 2: Ross, 1; P. H. Terrace (Kawasaki), 2; C. E. Stone (Ashburton, Suzuki), 3. Race 3: Ross, 1; Copsey, 2; J. Penny (Woolston, Malco), 3 Over-all classification: Ross, »6 points, 1; Keenan, 50, 2; Terrace, 48, 3; A. T. McLaughlin (Ounsandel. Suzuki), 45, 4. C GRADE Race 1: G. L. Goodfellow (Dunedin, Bultaco), 1; R. Howell (Suzuki), 2; D. W. Roberts (Nelson, Yamaha), 3. Race 2: Goodfellow, 1; T Cheyne (Suzuki), 2; Roberts, 3t Race 3: Goodfellow, 1; Cheyne, 2; Howeli 3. Over-all classification: Goodfellow, 60 points. 1; Cheyne, 50, 2; B. L. Donaldson (Ashburton, Honda), 4», 3.