Open hill climb to junior

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 21

Open hill climb to junior

The demands of the national Hope Gibbons Shield national final and Countrywide national squad training combined to leave a meagre look to the Hoon Hay Cycles open hill climbs on Hackthorne Road, Cashmere, yesterday. In the absence of such cyclists as Blair Stockwell, Brian Fowler, Greg Fraine, John Hughes, and Toni Horne, the ride from the foot of the hill to the Sign of the Kiwi on the Summit Road was won by a junior, Craig Fenton. Fenton has always been a most proficient young hillclimber, and he rode a creditable 14min 16s in beating

Michael McLister by 18s. McLister, in turn, was only two seconds clear of last year’s runner-up, Brent Cowie. James Hunter, another junior and a first-year rider, was never challenged for the handicap section. Andrew Macbeth, perhaps a shade surprisingly, won the novice section, which was raced from the Sign of the Takahe, by 9s from Ross Brimer, who had dropped him the previous day in taking fastest time in his club’s C and C Rose Bowl race. Wayne Eyre was a further four seconds behind. Abbreviations used in the results are Healing-Papanui

(H.P.) and Hornby (H.). Open hill climb.—C. Fenton (H.P.), 14:16, 1; M. McLister (H.P.), 2; B. Cowie (H.P.), 14:36, 3; D. B. Lovett (H.P.), 15:18, 4; P. J. Gibbs (H.P.), 15:24, 5; G. Hume (H.P.), 15:36, 6; S. Bennett (H.), 16:4, 7; R. Higgins (H.P.), 16:20, 8; D. Lauder (H ), 16:21, 9; E. Heppell (H.P.), 16:41, 10. Novice hill climb (all Mairehau).—A. Macbeth, 6:53, 1; R. Brimer, 7:2, 2; W. Eyre (Woolston-General Lee), 7:6, 3; J. Smith, 7:19, 4; J. O’Brien, 7:20, 5; J. Stokes, 7:35, 6; B. Peters, 7:48, 7; I. Curd, 7:52, 8. Handicap: M. Lucas (2:40) 1, A. Terris (2:20) 2, A. Fairweather (2min) 3.