Canty riders blocked

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 60

Canty riders blocked

By

RAY CAIRNS

The first day of the Worrall’s national road cycling 1 championships ended with Canterbury holding two sil-. ver medals but without the junior title it now seems to chase in vain. Trevor Gibbs rattled home from a terrible position to | win second place in the inaugural “old’’ veterans’ 35km title, half a length behind “Happy” Howlett, of Auckland. But the real stir of the championships focused on the junior race when Mike Bosomworth was awarded his second championship. The red-haired Rotorua youth won the sprint from Brian Fowler (Canterbury) but there was a Canterbury protest. Bosomworth had taken Fowler’s line as the Canterbury 17-year-old attempted

ito round him in the final! :100m, and when Fowler backed off and tried again, Bosomworth did the same again. But the protest was rejected. Mark Nicholls, the Canterbury champion, was far from happy; whenever he I tried to move, he was immediately countered mainly by Auckland and Waikato riders but more by Graham Miller (Wellington). It was a time for frustration for Nicholls with the exception of Auckland’s Richards brothers, no-one has enjoyed — or suffered —such heavy pre-race and race-time pressure. “They would let anyone away, or anyone win, except me,” said Nicholls. In the 45 and-over veterans’ race, unkindly termed the "geriatrics” event, a bunch of 11 quietly revolved

>for their four laps, leaving ■ all to the sprint, for which 'Gibbs was warmly favoured, 'but he was blocked. Brian Fleck (Waikato) : rode away from his challengers on the last lap to win the young veterans' section. The Morrinsville rider I showed plenty of stamina to Heave the Auckland veteran, I Chris Whiteley, in second ’spot in the 35-44 age group. | Junior (80km): M. Bosomi worth (Waikato-Bay of Plenty). I i’2hr Imin 38s, 1; B. Fowler (Can i ’terbury). 2; T. Catterick iW-t 8.0. P,). 3; B. Cox (W.C.N.1.). 4; E. O'Brien iAuckland), 5; G. Hill (Auckland), 6. Veterans (35-44 years), 80km: | B. Fleck (ft-8.0.P i. 2hr lOmini :21s, 1; C. Whitley (Auckland), 2; B. Harcourt (Southland), 3; R. Johnstone (Auckland!. 4; WJ Brocklebank i W.C.N.I j, 5; GJ Clarke (W-8.0.P.). 6. Veterans (45 and over). 35km: 1 V. Howie (Auckland). 59min 525. 1; T. Gibbs (Canterbury), 2; H. Fish (Auckland), 3; J. Lewis I.W-, 8.0. P), 4; W. Cobusson (Well-i ington). 5; P. Southart i W-8.0.P.),1 6.