Don Kirkham (cyclist)

Last updated

Don Kirkham
Don Kirkham photo small.gif
Personal information
Full nameDuncan Kirkham
Born(1887-07-23)23 July 1887
Lyndhurst, VIC [1]
Died(1930-04-30)30 April 1930 (aged 42)
St Arnaud, Vic [2] [3]
Team information
RoleRider

Duncan "Don" Kirkham (23 July 1887 - 30 April 1930) was an Australian racing cyclist. Kirkham was a regular competitor in Australian long distance cycling races. He won the Goulburn to Sydney Classic in 1910, riding off scratch and setting the fastest time. [4] [5] In 1911 he was 2nd and set the fastest time, riding the 131 miles (211 km) in a record time of 6h 19' 31". [6] Kirkham's time was not beaten until 1925 by Richard "Fatty" Lamb. [7] He had previously finished 5th in 1909. [8] and finished outside the top 20 in 1912. [9]

Contents

In 6 attempts, Kirkham was never able to set the fastest time nor win the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic, his best result being 2nd fastest time in 1922. [10] He finished 28th in 1907, [11] 128th in 1908, [12] 18th in 1909, [13] 19th in 1910 [14] and 21st in 1923. [15] Kirkham intended to retire after the 1924 Warrnambool, however he was knocked down by a motor car two weeks prior to the race. [16]

He competed in the 1914 Tour de France with Iddo Munro and finished 17th in the general classification. His best result was 9th in Stage 13, a 325 km (202 mi) mountain stage from Belfort to Longwy. After the Tour, whilst in Paris he won a bet in riding 25 miles (40 km) in 60 minutes. [3] Kirkham took up farming during World War I and resumed racing in 1920. [17] Kirkham was a successful six-day racer in Australia. [3] Kirkham's last race was the Cycle Traders 100 mile in 1924. [18] He was returning home from that race when he was hit by a motorist and was so badly injured that he was forced to retire. [19] He coached Hubert Opperman in his first race. [3]

He died on 30 April 1930 in St Arnaud, Victoria. [3] [20] He was buried in Dandenong Cemetery. [21]

Major results

1910
1st Scone to Newcastle
1st and fastest Goulburn to Sydney Classic [4]
1911
2nd and fastest Goulburn to Sydney Classic [6]
1913
1st in Melbourne, Six Days
1914
17th general classification Tour de France
9th Milan - Sanremo
1922
2nd fastest Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert Opperman</span> 20th-century Australian racing cyclist

Sir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE, referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic</span> One-day cycling race

The Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic cycling race is a one-day road bicycle race. The race started in 1895 and is Australia's oldest one day race and the world's second oldest one day race, after the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Classic. Historically until 1938 the race started in Warrnambool and finished 165 miles (266 km) later in Melbourne. In 1895 the race was run in the opposite direction, from Melbourne to Warrnambool and then again from 1939. The route started in the Melbourne central business district and followed the Princes Highway to Warrnambool on Victoria's western coast. This traditional route was the longest race on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar, the exact distance varying slightly over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Arnst</span>

Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst, born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower and cyclist. He won the Single Sculls World Championship six times during the early part of the 20th century.

Henry George Watson was the first New Zealander to ride in the Tour de France. In 1928, he teamed up with Australian cyclists, Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborn and Ernie Bainbridge. They were the first English-speaking team to ride the Tour de France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian National Road Race Championships</span> National road cycling championship in Australia

The Australian National Road Race Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of bicycle rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event also includes the Australian National Time Trial Championships since 2002. The Australian Championships were officially known as the Scody Australian Open Road Cycling Championships from 1999 to 2010, taking the name of their main sponsor. This changed to the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships from 2011 but they are more commonly referred to as The Nationals. The under 23 championships were introduced in 2001. Note that these results do not currently include the senior and junior amateur road race championships that were held prior to the open era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Lamb</span> Australian cyclist

Richard William "Fatty" Lamb was an Australian racing cyclist who competed on both road and track, as was typical of Australian cyclists of the era such as Hubert Opperman. Throughout his career, Lamb was associated with Malvern Star Bicycles and Bruce Small.

Iddo "Snowy" Munro was an Australian racing cyclist. The highlights of his career were winning the Australasian long distance road championship in 1909 and competing in the 1914 Tour de France. Munro won the championship by winning the Blue Riband for the fastest time in the Warrnambool to Melbourne race. Munro set a record time of 7h 12' 51" which was not broken until 1931. Munro had a long association with the Warrnambool and his other efforts were 30th in 1907, 45th and fastest rider receiving over 10 minute start in 1908 and 60th in 1910.

Alby Barlow was an Australian racing cyclist from 1935 who road for Oakleigh. In 1947 he was the Australian 100 miles road champion and holder of the 25, 50 and 100 miles Australian unpaced road records

Eddie Smith was an Australian racing cyclist. He won the Australian national road race title in 1954 and 1955. Smith finished second in 1956 behind Russell Mockridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulburn to Sydney Classic</span>

The Goulburn to Sydney cycling race was a one-day road bicycle race. The first race was held in 1902 with the last in 2012.

Walter "Hefty" Stuart (1912–1938) was an Australian cyclist who competed on both road and track, as was typical of Australian cyclists of the era such as Hubert Opperman and Richard Lamb.

Max Rowley was an Australian racing cyclist.

Tom Larcombe (1881-1967) was an Australian racing cyclist with notable success in long distance road races.

Ernest "Ernie" Bainbridge (1890–1984), also known as Ern Bainbridge, was an Australian racing cyclist, who is best known for competing in the 1928 Tour de France with fellow Australian Percy Osborn and Hubert Opperman and New Zealander Harry Watson.

John Beasley was an Australian racing cyclist and rode in the 1952 and 1955 Tour de France.

Alan "Pete" Angus (1912–1988) was an Australian racing cyclist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Arnst</span> New Zealand cyclist

John Arnst was a New Zealand racing cyclist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centenary 1000</span> 1934 Australian road bicycle race

The Centenary 1000 cycling race was a one-week road bicycle race over seven stages covering 1,102 miles (1,773 km). The race was run in 1934 as part of the celebrations of the Centenary of Victoria. The race was originally conceived along the lines of the Dunlop Grand Prix, won by Hubert Opperman then aged 23, by 1h 20' and the concept for the race was covering 1,000 miles (1,600 km) with prizes exceeding £1,000, including a climb over Mount Hotham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunlop Grand Prix</span>

The Dunlop Grand Prix was, in 1927, the biggest cycling race in the British Empire and the richest race in the world. It was organised by the Dunlop Rubber Company which had a long history of organising bicycle races, including the Warrnambool to Melbourne, Colac to Melbourne and Goulburn to Sydney. As a result of the Dunlop Grand Prix, the Warrnambool was not held in 1927 however the Colac and Goulburn races were.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Ross (cyclist)</span>

Ken Gordon Ferndale Ross (1900–1974) was an Australian road and track cyclist. His best results were achieved in the Goulburn to Sydney, where he set the fastest time on three occasions and in the Sydney Six-day race which he won three times.

References

  1. ↑ Event registration number 18874 (1887) Births Deaths & Marriages Victoria
  2. ↑ Event registration number 7434 (1930) Births Deaths & Marriages Victoria
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Death of "Don" Kirkham". The Argus (Melbourne) . National Library of Australia. 2 May 1930. p. 8.
  4. 1 2 "Goulburn to Sydney—Victorian riders score". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 21 September 1910. p. 9.
  5. ↑ Fry, Craig. "The end of the Goulburn to Sydney Cycling Classic?". Cycling Tips, September 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Goulburn to Sydney road race". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1911. p. 10.
  7. ↑ "Sensational Finish in Road Race". Sydney Sportsman . Surry Hills, NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 September 1925. p. 8.
  8. ↑ "Goulburn to Sydney". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 September 1909. p. 9.
  9. ↑ "Dunlop Road Race". The Sydney Morning Herald . NSW: National Library of Australia. 16 September 1912. p. 5.
  10. 1 2 "New Zealand riders triumph in Warrnambool race". The Sporting Globe . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 October 1922. p. 2.
  11. ↑ "Dunlop Road Race M. B. Dobie wins". The Argus (Melbourne) . National Library of Australia. 30 September 1907. p. 6.
  12. ↑ "Dunlop Road Race won by J.T. Donohue, NSW". The Argus (Melbourne) . National Library of Australia. 5 October 1908. p. 8.
  13. ↑ "Dunlop Road Race W.E. Knaggs the winner". The Argus (Melbourne) . National Library of Australia. 4 October 1909. p. 8.
  14. ↑ "Dunlop Road Race won by C.A. Piercey". The Argus (Melbourne) . National Library of Australia. 3 October 1910. p. 5.
  15. ↑ "P. Wells wins Warrnambool road race today". The Sporting Globe . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1923. p. 3.
  16. ↑ "W.F. King wins world's famous Warrnambool from C. Snell and A.J. Brumby". The Sporting Globe . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 11 October 1924. p. 3.
  17. ↑ "Cycling and war". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  18. ↑ "Opperman Wins". The Sporting Globe . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1924. p. 2.
  19. ↑ "Don Kirkham retires". Daily Telegraph (Launceston) . National Library of Australia. 13 December 1924. p. 5.
  20. ↑ "Cycling". The Sydney Morning Herald . National Library of Australia. 9 May 1930. p. 16.
  21. ↑ "Dandenong Cemetery G - N". Australian Cemeteries. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.