Cycling Championships A Triumph For Canterbury

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 11

Cycling Championships A Triumph For Canterbury

CANTERBURY can look back with pride at the 1966 national amateur hard track cycling championships. Not only did the series produce the province's first senior champion for five years—and three other titles as well —but the organisation was a triumph for local officials. Much of the credit for the successful running of the championships must go to the manager, Mr W. S. Williams, and his officials. A past winner of the Malayan Cup. for service to the sport in New Zealand. Mr Williams performs a multitude of deeds for cycling in Canterbury and the large crowd at English Park on Saturday evening was some reward for his efforts. The Canterbury officials

were backed to the hilt by their competitors. It was Canterbury’s most successful track championships for many years and, before the final two events, Canterbury had a chance of winning the impressive shield for the teams’ championship, an honour that has eluded the centre. By far the most pleasing results of the championships were those returned by the seniors. The magnificent pursuit team, which is possibly the best provincial combination ever assembled, never looked like being beaten and, if it was ever extended, must surely go close to the New Zealand record set by a composite Olympic squad in 1956. Surviving a hard preliminary. when he was still

feeling the effects of his one hour ride a week before, T. J. Tabak ruthlessly mowed down his opposition in the individual pursuit, being even moved to comment that “Gosh, that was easy” after his annihilation of A. J. Ineson (Southland) in the final. But equally as pleasing as Tabak’s win was the third placing of the Papanul rider, W. G. Kendall, in the same event Kendall was slow moving into his training programme this year, late qualifying for the pursuit, and missed the pursuit team, to his disappointment. J. H. Cleary’s time trial win, to add to the title he won in the junior grade last year, was nothing more than the bespectacled Papanui rider—like Kendall, coached by his club captain, W.

Thorpe—deserved. It has been argued, and no doubt will be argued in the future, that the title-holder, V. L. Newlove (Auckland) punctured when making a determined assault on Cleary’s time but the fact remains that Newlove was half a second down on Cleary shortly before his mishap and, although given the opportunity, refused a re-run. Another Canterbury entrant, C. B. Fitzgerald, who had similar misfortune, did not and he was rewarded with a third placing. Another bronze medal was won by T. R. Weir in the 500 metres sprint. Weir an

experienced cyclist was beaten only once, by the eventual winner, N. F. Joyce (West Coast-North Island). Canterbury’s other title went to the 15-yearold A. A. Paviell in the boys’ quar-ter-mile. Although Canterbury won no junior titles, four medals came the province's way. M. W. Litolff was a narrow runner-up in both the 500 metres sprint end five miles but, after his nerve-racking sprints, withdrew during the teams’ pursuit. Thereafter, the flag was carried only by the big-hearted S. J. Stephen, who had earlier won third placing in the individual pursuit after narrowly missing qualifying for the final.

Canterbury cycling and cyclists have not received much attention from national selectors since the great days of L. P. Lock, who won silver and bronze medals at the 1950 Empire Games. This year, the squad of 20 for the final trials at Auckland include six local men, the most supplied by •ny province. That alone is an indication of the rekindling of interest—and ability —in the sport in Canterbury.