Cycle win to Ward

Press, 2 September 1980, Page 15

Cycle win to Ward

The experience of Eddie Ward, the father of the Mid-Canterbury cycling family, gave him a handsome victory in the Ashburton-to-Christchurch 80 km race on Saturday. An Ashburton double was completed when Neil Wylie’s sprint victory for fastest time gave him the South Island cash championship. West Coast riders had almost as. much cause for cheer as the Tinwald club contingent, however; ' for Colin Wafer was a worthy second, the -stronger of the leading pair but lacking Ward’s guile at the finish, and Graham Peters and Brian Stokes led in the next bunch.

.. Steve Doherty was second fastest in the race held in blustery conditions, but made amends on Sunday in the Town Hall criterlums, beating Clayton Yaxley by a mere three points. Bill Partell had. far fewer problems in winning the B grade event from Kevin Graham.

Abbreviations used in the results are Tinwald (T.), Greymouth (G.) t Hornby (H.), Dunedin (D.)... Ashburton-to-Christchurch 80 km.—E. Ward (T., 19min), 2:12:08, 1; C. Wafer (G., 13min). 2; G. Peters (G., simin), 3; B. Stokes (G., 82min), 4; F. R. Hooper (H.» stmin), 5; S. Roulston (T., Simin), 6; B. M. Stanaway (H., simin), 7; R. Craig (H., SJmin), 2:3:26.5, 8 and fastest veteran; W. Partell (D., 'BJmin), 8:3:27, 9 and second fastest veteran.

Fastest time.—N- Wylie (T., scr), 1:55:00. 1; S. P. Doherty (H., scr). 1:55:00.5. 2; P. Wylie (T., scr), 1:55:01, 3. Junior: A. Ward (T., 2,mln). 1:57:45. 1; B. J. Hulbert (H.; 2Jmin), 1:57:45.5, Town Hall Criteriums, 40 laps. —A grade: Doherty, 29 points, 1; C. D. Yaxley (H.), 26, 2; T. D. Gyde (H.), 12, 3. B grade:. Partell, 36, 1; K. Graham. (H.), 18, 2; S. McDonnel (.T), 8, 3.