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22-Jul-92

CLEVELAND GRAND PRIX

Curran battles with team-mate for glory

THE Cleveland Grand Prix is claimed to be Britain's premier track meeting. This year riders from all over Britain and a Belgian Olympic squad provided an exciting two days racing, climaxing in a fine win for Paul Curran of Dinnington RC, taking the County of Cleveland Grand Prix 20km event.

The Thornaby riders won three events over the two days at Clairville Stadium, netting £400 in the process.

Team-mate

Saturday's Cleveland Games saw Paul Curran win the points race from team-mate Stephen Clarke with Chris Newton third.

Later, Newton was knocked off his bike at speed, putting him out for the weekend. Curran also won the Devil Take The Hind-most Event from a massive field. Norman Dunn of Middridge CRT won the 15-lap scratch from Stephen Clarke.

The main meet on Sunday saw the emergence of two new names. Craig Percival of Ferryhill Wheelers won two events, the Cleveland Stadium Sprint and the NatWest Bank 5k where he crashed on the finishing line.

Percival was joint winner with Stephen Whitcombe of CC Cardiff in the Travelwise rider of the weekend award and the crowd cheered their approval.

The biggest prize and the biggest cheer, however, went to Wendy Everson of Wolverhampton Wheelers, winning the Vaux Inns 500 metres handicap and £300 first prize.

Before Everson's win, the crowd had been warmed by Stewart Brydon and Anthony Stirrat of the City of Edinburgh RC when they set a new lap record of 26.732 seconds in the Teesside Airport Flyer, a 38mph ride which was awesome to see.

Stephen Clark won the 8km scratch event for £100 from team-mate Curran, but it was Curran who sent the crowd home happy when he won the 43-lap Cleveland Grand Prix 20km scratch event.

Breaking away with five laps to go, chased by Norman Dunn, Curran held off the chasers to win by 20 metres from Dunn with the bunch half a lap behind. Selected results, Sunday only:

RESULTS

County of Cleveland Grand Prix 20km

1. P. Curran (Dinnington RC) 26mins 16.89 secs
2. N. Dunn (Middridge CRT)
3. C. Pyatt (Stoke AC).

8km scratch

1. S. Clark (Dinnington RC) 8-59.28
2. P. Curran (Dinnington RC)
3. S. Whitcombe (CC Cardiff).