Record Survives By 2.9 Sec.

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31005, 10 March 1966, Page 18

Record Survives By 2.9 Sec.

Track cycling, pursuing a quiet course in an anti-climax to the national championships, finished its season on a high note at English Park last evening.

i In conditions totally I against record-breaking, a small field of five-milers—it I became even smaller during the race—came within 2.9 sec of the New Zealand record. The first two across the line were C. B. Fitzgerald (lOmin 29.8 sec) and J. H. Cleary. Canterbury's two strongest candidates for the Commonwealth Games track cycling team.

But equally meritorious was the third placing of the junior, D. Jones, who has made amazing strides in the sport in his first year of competition. Jones stayed the gruelling pace extremely well in his first long track race, and even took a hand in pushing the field along. P. A. Skilling and T. J. Tabak also did a lot of heavy work and but for the strong south-easterly, J. B.

Bigwood's unratified national mark of lOmin 26.95ec probably would have been lowered. The conditions were also against sprinting and there were no attempts made on national marks, Cleary winning the trophy, contested over the season, for the fastest flying quarter-mile with a time of 25.65ec. Results:— AMATEUR Scratch —HMM) metres tandem G. Sword and G. Wood 1. D. Kirdy and H. Bedford 2. Time, 13.1. 500 metres sprint*. P. SkriMlng boat M. Ulolff Time. 17.0. Skilling beat D. Gregory. Time, 14.9. Flying quarter mile C. Fitigerald. Time, 27.1. J Danielson. Time, 27.4. B grade two miles points: S. O'Brien. 14, 1: D. Jones. 13. 2: H. Bedford, 10, 3. Time, 4:31.2. Five miles. C. Fltigerald 1. J. Cleary 2. D Jones 3. Time, 10:29.8. Handicap—Open quarter mile: S. O'Brien (25). 1: J. Danolson (20). 2: H. Bedford (30' 3. Time. 29 4 B grade mile groupings: D. Kirdy (150). 1. S. Smith (150). 2: B. Whitfield (150), 3. Time. 2:5.0. A grade half-mile: J, Danielson (90). 1; J. Cleary (5). 2: D. Kendall (75). 3. Time. 57.6 Open mile and a half groupings: J. Danielson i9O), 1. J. Oleary (25). 2: R Mann (25), 3. Time. 3:7.8. CASH Scratch.—Open five miles; B. Yaxley 1, K. Jeffery 2. A. O'Hagan 3. Time, 11:29 8. A grade secret distance race, one mile: A. O Hagan 1, F. Hooper 2, K. Jeffery 3. Time, 1:51.8. Handicap. Open three quarter-mile: J. Blackmun (701. 1: B. Yaxley (20). 2; B Bryant (135), 3. Time, 1:31.1. B grade half-mile: R. Bryant (35), 1; J. Williams (15). 2: J. Blackmun (scr), 3. Time, 65.2. Open half-mile: K. Campion (240). 1; J. Blaekmun (160). 2; J. Williams (190), 3. Time. 3:5.5 NOVICE Scratch.—SOO metres sprint. A. Pavieli beat S. Hudson Time, 14.4. Handicap. Three quarter mile: P Sincock (100), 1: p. Creighton (100), 2: C. Evan* (120), 3. Time, 1:34.3. Quar ter-mlle: P. Creighton (35). 1; P. Sincock (45). 2; S. Stokes (25). 3. Time, 31.1. SCHOOLBOYS Handicap Quarter m«e.—M. Tucker 1, R. Monk 2. G. Ireland 3. Time. 37.0.