Late sport Another cycling title to Stockwell

Press, 29 November 1979, Page 6

Late sport Another cycling title to Stockwell

Even on the brink of 30. Blair Stockwell finds new challenges, and he added one of them to his scalp at English Park last even, ing. In the first track cycling meeting of the season at the now rough, but still fast legend of New Zealand track racing surfaces, Stockwell won the Four Square Cup for the first time. There was no shortage of a willing pace for the 8000 m scratch event. This reflected in the time—half a minute faster than the norm for Denton Park —but Stockwell still had the spark to dash away from the bunch in the final 1000 m. | Kelvin Steele did his best to I go with Stockwell, Peter James .tried, too. But none had sufficient stamina as well, and Stockwell was still 10m clear of Peter 'Lewis. Kim Reid, and Mark | Nichols, the three disputing seeI ond in the blanket finish for the minor money. I At the other end of the experience scale, Peter Hopping won the other trophy at stake, ithe Percy Cole Memorial 1000 m, and modestly insisted he was rather lucky because he barely hit the front—except when it mattered. John Wild clung to second from the rapidlv closing middle markers, Nichols again and Terry Gydd, Nichole showing surprising speed for a lack of racing Stockwell, who cut hfs teeth on the track, had a good night for he took the A grade 2400 m from Jacob Schriek. who seemed to be struggling after some impressive performances at Denton Park. But the meat startling of the fast times was that jointly returned by Mick Litolff. the winner, arid Ray Knight, a smart 29.35ec from the scratch mark over 400 m. Clearly English Park is still the home for fast—or record—times. The most disappointing feaI ture of the evening was the severe absence of novice riders. Onlv io started in the various , events. ' Result*:— 1

rl AMATEUR | Scratch.—B grade 400 m: M. J. sDegarnham 1, N. J. Purcell 2. •|L. A. Sword 3. Time: 316. B tigrade 2000 m: K Steele 1. Degam f ; ham 2, Sword 3. Time: 2:47.1. C 1 grade 2000 m: S. Batchelor 1. J- - Wild 2, D. Patterson 3. Time: r 2:46.9. Open 8000 m Four Square Cup: B. G. Stockwell 1 P. M. a Lewis 2, K. W. Reid 3. M. P. r Nichols 4. Time: 10:35.2. i Handicap,— A grade 400 m: M. r W. Litolff (scr) 1, R E. Knight c (scr) 2, Stockwell (Bmi 3. Time: e 29.3. Open 1600 m Percy Cole e Cup: P. Hopping 1145m> 1, Wild (145 m 2, Nichols (45m i 3. T. D. Gyde (45m) 4. Time: 1:55.7. A grade 2400 m: Stockwell iscrl 1, J. i Schriek .scr) 2, Reid (scr, 3. 1 Time: 3:04.5. ' NOVICE . Italian pursuits—No. 2 team *P. J Turnbull. M. E. RObeit- ’ son, T. J. Walton, A. Wright:, 2:13.4, beat No. 1 team <G. F. Fuller, D. Lovett. N. Dent, I. C. ■ Cooper). 2:15.0. ! Scratch.—A grade 1000 m: ~ Fuller 1, Turnbull 2. Robertson , 3. Time: 1:24.3 8 „, H »n«Ucap.--B ‘ grade 400 m: V Wright (scr) 1, Lovett (10m 2, t A. Boobyer (15m) 3. Time: 33.7. 3 £ grade 400 m: Cooper (smi 1, t Turnbull (scr) 2 Robertson (lOmi 13. lime: 31.9. Open 800 m ” ? o< l? er 1> Turnbull tscr) ‘ w »l‘on <3sm) 3. Time: 60 1. Open 2000 m: Lovett (160m> 1. 1 £! lrnbu! l '’ cr > 2. Fuller (Ser 3 ’ w!5 e L. 2:48 *. B grade 4OOrn: i Wright (sen 1, Lovett ilOm 2, 1 Boobyer <2om) 3. Time 33.2 r ■ —