STAR TROPHY SERIES

DEMOLITION BY...

Seven wins, one defeat and one non-appearance. That was Paul Curran's knockout tally in the 1987 Star Trophy road race series, his record-breaking third title in a row. By the second half of the season, the 26-year-old Teessider had such a tight grip on the competition that whatever the race pattern, you could stand on the finish line and confidently predict that the lone figure in blue would be first over the line.

The compact Manchester Wheeler demolished the opposition with win after win from May onwards. The others did not give in exactly, but the racing began to assume an inevitable pattern after he completed his third or fourth victory with a late lone break. In a sport where intrigue, controversy and shaky alliances are commonplace however, news of Curran's latest success came as a comforting reminder that the untainted spirit of cycle racing was alive and well in Great Britain. Win number seven came in the final event in the series, the Tour of the Peak in September. With climbs up Snake Pass, Chunal Head (both twice) and Winnats Pass, it is one of the toughest races on the circuit and not surprisingly, well liked by Curran. On a bright, sunny day in September he showed all the qualities of athletic adventure which have made him untouchable in British amateur racing.

Despite his obvious pleasure at being Britain's best amateur for the third year in a row, Curran has been frustrated by his lack of international success this year. "Nationally, I suppose I have done better than I have ever done. But finishing well down in the Milk Race and not finishing the World's, it would have been nice to have done better in those two races, he reflected. As to turning professional, there appear to be few alternative options apart from the next year's Olympics. "I've given the road three years now, I gave the track three years and didn't do anything internationally. I might have to move on or just give it another year," he surmised.

FINAL OVERALL

Paul Curran (Manchester Wh-Trumanns) 114
D. Webster (Manchester Wh) 57
P. Longbottom (Manchester Wh) 42
D. Spencer (Paragon RT) 29
S. Farrell (GS Strada) 29
N. Dunn (Ferryhill Wh) 24
P. Rogers (VC St Raphael) 16
S. Coles (Coldra PC) 16
G. Platts (Charnwood CRC) 14
C. Young (Paragon PT) 14
0. Davie (Manchester Wh) 13
G. Baker (Anglia Sport) 13
C. Roshier (Hounslow & Dist) 12
N. Bishop (Manchester Wh) 9
K. Smith (Paragon Wh) 9
T. Halt (Wembley PC) 9
R. Holden (Manchester Wh) 9
S. Cook (VC Etoile) 7
S. Ball (Birkenhead NE) 7

Dave Elmwood