Wellington to Auckland (Healing Classic)

Curran wins a stage of NZ classic

NEW ZEALANDERS dominated their recent national tour, filling the first four places after 12 stages and almost 30 hours of racing. Brian Fowler finished the Healing Classic 1-25 clear after holding the leader's yellow jersey since the first stage.

The British team did not figure in the overall classification, but Paul Curran won stage three, and was second on stage nine, one place ahead of Steve Bent. Alan Gornall was second overall in the sprints competition.

This Wellington-to-Auckland race, the successor to the Dulux tour, also attracted riders from Australia Japan, America, Holland and West Germany.

Curran's win came on the 68-kilometre leg from Waipukurau to Napier The British team were prominent on the front, but it was not until the closing stages that Curran broke away with John Tonks. They were joined by race leader Fowler and five other riders. Tonks crashed on a railway crossing, then two other riders fell. Curran saw his chance for victory, put his head down and went for the finish line.

FINAL OVERALL

1. BRIAN FOWLER (New Zealand)
2. G. Miller (NZ) at 1-25
3. S. Swart (NZ) at 1-27
4. J. Swart (NZ) at 1-38
5. S. Cox (NZ) at 2-21
6. N. Stephens (Aust) at 4-40
7. R. Sumich (NZ) at 5-20
8. R. Versteegh (Aust) at 8-5
9. D. Barnett (NZ) at 8-53
10. P. Miller (NZ) at 16-25.