Adair qualifies

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 6

Adair qualifies

By

RAY CAIRNS

Craig Adair, the burly Canterbury 19-year-old. virtually cemented his claims for a place at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games, at Denton Park' last evening.

In the opening session of the Healing national hard-track cycling championships, Adair fulfilled all his promise when he took his national junior record down to Imin 8.745, a record for Denton Park, but most importantly, well under the Games qualifying standard of Imin 9s and the best last evening by .6s. This,was undoubtedly Adair’s night, one which left the old champion — of three years ago — Anthony Cuff (West CoastNorth Island) struggling into fifth place. It was Canterbury’s night, too. for it took all the medals. A cracking pace was set by Brian Fowler, another junior, with his 1:10.58, and that was unchallenged until Murray Steele came out with a cracking 1:9.33. Adair started markedly slower than Steele, and was still half a second in arrears after 600 m. Bui with 200 m to ride, the deficit was a mere .Is, and Adair powered home magnificently.

The hot favourite, Alan Miller (Wellington), second last year, won the boys’ 500 m by the comfortable margin of ,68s from the then third place-getter, Barry Prior (WCNI). with Wellington’s lan Ellis third.

Abbreviations used in the results are: Auckland (A),

Waikato-Bay of Plenty (Wko), West Coast-North Island (WC), Wellington (Wn), Canterbury (C), Otago (O) and Southland (S). 1600 metres open time trial

I. Richards (A), 1:14.47;. W. Sharrock (WC) 1:13.20; B. A. Fowler (C), 1:10.58; D. King (Wn), 1:15.08; A. J. Strang (C), 1:13.75; R. Clune (A), 1:15.25; K. Crook (Wko), 1:13.95; M. Newport (Wn), 1:17.54; G. Johnson (Wn), 1:13.50; D. R. Woodford (O), 1:14.81; W. Rastrick (C), 1:13.96; M. Griffiths (A), 1:16.27; B. Vandergriend (A), 1:14.91; N. Ludlam (WC), 1:16.70; P. Lynch (WC), 1:16.77; B. Wills (C), 1:13.38; C. J. Frame (C). 1:16.06; M. Benson (Wko), 1:19.52; A. Martin (Wko), 1:17.36; A. Cuff (WC), 1:10.91; R. Rosselli (Wn), 1:12.92; J. Nisbet (C), 1:15.23; D. Mcintosh (WC), 1:16.47; M. A. Steele (C), 1:9.33; A. Taylor (A), 1:12.94; C. Gritfin (Wko), 1:12.50; L. Buckton (Wn), 1:13.83; K. Steele (C), 1:15.29; M. Mcßedmond (WC), 1:12.44; C. Captein -(Wko), 1:10.77; G. Miller (A), 1:10.97; C. R. Adair (C), 1:8.74. Placings.—Adair 1, M. Steele 2, Fowler 3, Captein 4, Cuff 5, Miller 6. Boys’ 500 m time trial S. R.’ Hendren (C), 38.89; A'. Larkin (A), 38.78; B. Dryden (O), 40.22; B. Smith (Wko), 38.81; D. Kircher (C). 38.10; D. Hume (Wko). 38.55; I. Ellis (Wn). 37.02; T. Stone (WC), 38.56; S. McMillan (A). 39.71; S. Harcourt (S), 38.31; B. Prior (WC). 36.72; A. Miller (W). 36.04.

Placings.—Miller 1, Prior 2, Ellis 3.