Cycling washed out by rain

Press, 30 July 1986, Page 47

Cycling washed out by rain

By

PETER O’HARA

NZPA staff correspondent Edinburgh Steady rain at the Edinburgh velodrome upset the progress of the New Zealand cycling star, Gary Anderson, towards a second medal at the Commonwealth Games. Yesterday’s programme was cancelled because the hardwood track was wet and the 18-year-old Wanganui wheelman now

faces a gruelling schedule today. Anderson, already a silver medallist in the 1000 m individual time trial, would rather have ridden in the 4000 m individual pursuit semi-final yesterday instead of waiting overnight.

He will ride the heats of the 4000 m team pursuit today as well as finish the individual event. The New Zealand con-

tingent hopes Anderson will take a second silver medal today. The outright favourite for the title is the Australian, Dean Woods, who set a new Commonwealth record of 4.43.92 in the qualifying round. New Zealand had hoped to get Anderson on the track before the lightningfast England 17-year-old, Colin Sturgess, had too much .time to recover

from the heats. Sturgess buried Tokoroa’s Andrew Whitford in recording the fastest quar-ter-final time of 4 min 49.805. Anderson scored a close win over an Australian, Rik Patterson, finishing 1.82 seconds ahead on 4.52.11. Anderson will ride, in the teams’ event with Andrew Whitford, Russell Clune and Steve Swart.