National Road Champs

Nelson supplied three of the four members in the Wellington team which won the teams' title at the National Road Championships, held in Nelson for the first time, recently. Olympian Rod Dixon was third, his brother John was sixth and Brian Jacobsen was seventh. The fourth member was Ken Parker, of Wellington, who was 12th. They combined to total 27 points, to beat Auckland by one point. The national title was won for the fifth time by 37-year-old Jeff Julian, of Auckland, who won easily from Canterbury's John Sheddan. The junior national cross-country champion, Gary Palmer (Waikato), added the road championship to his tally in convincing style, and the women's race was won by Aucklander Anne Garrett, who headed her clubmate, and best friend, Barbara Moore, by two seconds. They were stride for stride for the greater part of the race. Val Robinson (Waikato), the 1970 champion, was third. The unofficial veterans' race was won by Dick Chase (Auckland), and the 20-mile walk was won by Morrie Hinton (Auckland), after the two leaders, Les Stevenson (Southland) and defending champion Owen Warner (West Coast North Island), were disqualified.

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The field in the junior championship pounds down the first straight. No.59, John Gibson, of Auckland, was second

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The leading bunch in the senior race heads along the main road to Annesbrook. In front is Nelson's Brian Jacobsen (172), and close behind is Rod Dixon. The Aucklanders are Nathan Healey (122) and eventual winner Jeff Julian