Adair’s cycling edge widens

Press, 29 January 1982, Page 17

Adair’s cycling edge widens

The sharply-rising form of Craig Adair was further heavily emphasised in the track cycling meeting at' Denton Park this week. Adair increased his advantage in the DB 1000 m series, with a big finish to the second race, and the 8000 m was virtually a repeat of that race with Brian Fowler again second. But there was a major spirited effort from Murray Steele and John Hughes in the final 1200 m. Although they never got more than 100 m clear from the bunch any procrastination by the rest would have given them the scent of victory. It all evaporated in the final 300 m, and Adair had far too much strength. But Steele, for one, certainly appeared to be using the racing as serious training for next week’s team pursuit trials in Wanganui. As well as his 8000 m effort, he also had a long breakaway in the unusual new event — a jpoints race followed by a “Devil take the hindmost.” Only those five left at the end of the “Devil” section had their points counted so that Steele, well clear, was only fifth, with Fowler a comfortable winner. The professional fields, heavily depleted by the Dunedin carnival meeting, was surprisingly well shared around, ana so were the novice races. Results:— AMATEUR DB 1000 m series— Heat one: W. J. E. Rastrick 1, M. A. Steele 2, G. F. Fuller 3. Time, 1:18.58. Heat two: A. J. Duder 1, C. R. Adair 2, T. R. Home 3.. Time, 1:14.40. Heat three: B. A. Fowler 1, M. A. Childs 3, A. P. Fuller and G. J. Fraine equal 3. Time, 1:22.50. Final: Adair 1, Fowler 2, Steele 3, Duder 4,Rastrick 5. Time, 1:14.90. Scratch.— Aces 400 m: Rastrick 1, Duder 2, A. J. Strang 3, Fowler 4. Time. 30.93. Aces promotion:

M. Steele 1, B. Wills 2, S. C. Woods 3. Time, 29.82. A grade points: Devil: Fowler, 11, 1; Duder, 6,2; J. T. Hughes, 4, 3. B grade Devil: P. Coates 1, M. E. Robertson 2, G. T. Smallridge 3. 8000 m: Adair 1, Fowler 2, G. Sycamore 3, Fuller 4. Time, 10:16.60. Handicap.— A grade 3200 m: Adair (scr) 1, Fowler (scr) 2, M. Steele (scr) 3. Time, 4:06.75. B grade 2400 m: P. Coates (60m) 1, M. B. Hazeldine (scr) 2, M. E. Robertson (60m) 3/Time, 3:21.03. C grade 800 m: J. Thurlow (70m) 1, A. Powell (40m) 2, C. Newsome (80m) 3. Time, 60.1. PROFESSIONAL Scratch — Devil take the hindmost: N. Dent 1, C. D. Yaxley 2, A. J. O’Hagan 3. 3200 m: G. Cox 1, Yaxley 2, S. Challenger 3. Time, 4:41.9. Handicap.— 800 m: Cox (scr) 1, Yaxley (10m) 2, Challenger (40m) 3. Time, 61.2. 1200 m: Challenger (65m) 1, Dent (95m) 2, Cox (scr) 3. Time, 1:29.00. 1600 m wheelrace: Dent (110 m 1, Challenger (45m) 2, Cox (scr) 3. Time, 2:00. , NOVICE Scratch.— A grade 450 m: J. Smith 1, S. R. Hendren 2, G. M. Searle 3. Time, 34.95. Aces 400 m: G. McAloon 1, T. Clyne 2, C. Fenton 3. Time, 32.10. Aces promotion: Smith 1, R. Bruce 2, Searle 3. Time, 32.90. A grade 2000 m: Hendren 1, McAloon 2, Clyne 3. Time, 2:42.1. DB 1000 m series.— Heat one: Bruce 1, D. Kirzett 2, D. Lovett 3, Searle 3. Time, 1:29.10. Heat, two: Hendren 1, D. P. Harvey 2, Fenton 3, Clyne 4. Time, 1:23.10. Final: Clyne 1, Fenton 2, Hendren 3, Searle 4, Lovett 5. Time, 1:21.15. Handicap — B grade 400 m: D. Sutton (25m) 1, R. Higgins (15m) 2, J. Stokes (25m) 3. Time, 32.30. C grade 1200 m: J. O’Brien (25m) 1, P. Searle (10m) 2, Sutton (30m) 3. Time, 1:39.70. B grade 2000 m: Stokes (200 m 1, Sutton (60m) 2, O’Brien (60m) 3. Time, 2:52.1.