Last race decides skating shield

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 30

Last race decides skating shield

The last race of the international roller skating Tour of Timaru at the week-end decided the event in favour of the defending champion, Roger Hawkins, of the Rollerdrome club in Christchurch.

The lead changed with every race on the first day, which ended with one of the four visiting Australians, Mark Whitby, taking an eightpoint lead into the second day.

Hawkins, aged 17, was not to be denied his title. He struck back with three wins to Whitby’s three seconds on Sunday mbming to clinch the shield by three points.

It was the first time that a winner has been determined on the last race. There was a similar happening in the men’s B grade. The lead alternated between Jason Mitchell (Hawke’s Bay) and Julian Litt (Rollerdrome) throughout, but Mitchell’s win in the eighth and final stage gave him the over-all title. As there were only three A grade women entered, they were combined with the men’s B grade. Angela Hawkins (Rollerdrome) finished fifth, Kim Hippolite (Nelson), 10th, and Christine Colville (Rollerdrome), 13th. Janine Alehin (New Ply-

mouth) was untroubled to win the C grade, and Joanne Strachan (Rollerdrome) took the under-10 grade from Christopher Gay (Nelson). Hawkins will renew his rivalry with the Australian skaters this week-end in the Tour of DunedinResults Abbreviations used in the results are:—(Aus), Australia; (RC), Rollerdrome, Christchurch; (HB), Hawke's Bay; (NP), New Plymouth; (Wang), Wanganui; (Birk), Birkenhead, Auckland; (SW), Skateworld, Christchurch; (N), Nelson; (B), Blenheim; (A), Ashburton.

Men.—A grade, Stage 1: R. Hawkins (RC), 1; M. Whitby (Aus), 2; B. Smith (Aus), 3. Stage 2: Whitby 1, Hawkins 2, Smith 3. Stage 3: Hawkins 1, Whitby 2, Smith 3. Stage 4: Whitby 1, J. Pelzer (Wang), 2; Hawkins 3. Stage 5: Smith L Whitby 2, Hawkins 3. Stage 6: Hawkins 1, Whitby 2, Smith 3. Stage 7: Hawkins 1, Whitby 2, Smith 3. Stage 8: Hawkins 1, Whitby 2, Smith 3. Over all: Hawkins, 233 points, 1; Whitby, 226, 2; Smith, 189, 3; Pelzer, 130, 4; P. Robinson, 116, 5.

B grade men and A grade women.—Stage 1: J. Mitchell (HB), 1; C. Hollis (A), 2; S.

Mitchell (HB), 3. Stage 2: Hollis 1, J. Mitchell 2, J. Utt (RC), 3. Stage 3: Utt 1, S. Clark (N), 2; J. Mitchell 3. Stage 4: Utt 1, J. Mitchell 2, Clark 3. Stage 5: J. Mitchell 1, Utt 2, Clark 3. Stage 6: Utt 1, J. Mitchell 2, Hollis 3. Stage 7: Utt 1, J.- Mitchell 2, Clark 3. Stage 8: J. Mitchell 1, Utt 2, Clark 3. Over all: J. Mitchell, 227, 1; Utt, 224, 2; Clark, 158, 3; Hollis, 158, 4; Angela Hawkins (RC), 129, 5. C grade.—Stage 1: J. Alehin (NP), 1; H. Kirker (N), 2; M. Smales (Birk), 3. Stage 2: Alehin 1, K. Dunlop (SW), 2; C. Rushton (RC), 3. Stage 3: Alehin 1, Dunlop 2, Kirker 3. Stage 4: Alehin 1, Kirker 2, Dunlop 3. Stage 6: Alehin 1, Dunlop 2, C. Rushton (RC), 3. Stage 8: Alehin 1, Kirker 2, K. Keen (N), 3. Over all: Alehin, 192,1; Kirker, 137, 2; Dunlop, 135, 3; Rushton, 108, 4; Smales, 92, 5. Under-10.—Stage 2: J. Strachan (RC), 1; C. Gay (N), 2; R. Mitchell (HB), 3. Stage 3: Strachan 1, Gay 2, Mitchell 3. Stage 4: Strachan 1, Gay 2, S. Nesbitt (N), 3. Stage 7: Gay 1, Strachan* 2, T. Simmons (B), 3. Stage 8: Gay 1, Strachan 2, T. Burn (N), 2. Over all: Strachan, 96,1; Gay, 81, 2; Mitchell, 60, 3; Simmons, 52, 4; Bum, 48, 5.