S. JENSEN WINS N.Z. HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 63, 14 November 1949, Page 5

S. JENSEN WINS N.Z. HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP

Brilliant riding by one of New Zealand’s crack motor cyclists, S. Jensen, Palmerston North, gave him the New Zealand 500 cc. Road Hillclimb Championship held on the Hillcrest Road, Whakatane, on Saturday 9 . Jensen, who recently returned from competing' on the Isle of Man did the run 1 1/5 seconds faster than F. Cameron, Whakatane, who was second while K. Van Paine, Hamilton, and K. Mudford, Matamata, dead heated for third, their times being 34 4/5 seconds. Watched by a large crowd, which packed every vantage point from the start, up the road to the finishing tape, the championship was held in warm but dull weather and drew ten starters.

While there was some fine riding there was none of the spectacular often associated with this event nor Were there any; accidents. In his first run over the road of 804 yards Jensen whipped round the sharp corners on the steep bitumen road in 33 3/5 seconds and on his second attempt lowered that to 33 seconds. He was sharply challenged by the Whakatape rider, F. Cameron, who rode confidently and easily and timed 35 1/5 seconds and 34 1/5. Most of the riders treated the road with care and a few scraped past the hay packed against the banks on the sharper corners. After the championship Jensen was presented with a ribbon and cheque by Mr H. G. Warren, Whakatane. Following this Jensen said he considered that Hillcrest was the best road hill climb course in New Zealand.

In a previous handicap event Jensen was successful again with Cameron and Van Paine dead heating for second place. \ •Full championship results:— : S. Jhnsen 1, F. Cameron 2, K. Van Paine and K. Mudford dead heat 3. L. Perry (Auckland) 36 and 35 l/ssecs 4; O. Todd (Feilding) 37 3/5 and 36secs 5; D. Dean (Tauranga) 38 and 37 4/ssecs 6. K. McConnell (Ngaruawahia) 39 1/5 and 38 4/5 secs 7; B. Stormont 39 3/5 and 41 1./ssecs 8. |