[CR]RE: Russell Mockridge, Jul 18, 1928 - Sep 13, 1958

Thanks, Mordecai, for posting the link to Bobke's blog entry about Mockridge:

http://www.bobkestrut.com/2008/01/20/russell-mockridge/ Any enthusiast of bike racing in the '50s is missing something extraordinary if they don't know about him. The names of Patterson and Opperman are better known, but Mockridge holds a special place as one of the most gifted all-around cyclist of all time.

Between 1947 and 1951 Mockridge contested 10 Australian championships and won every one of them - ranging from the Kilo TT and match sprint on the boards to the 125-mile national road race championships. Then he went on to win at the World's and Olympics, where he won two golds on the same day. Mockridge won his first ever race, without so much as having ridden with a racing cyclist on a training ride. His death (just after the start of a road race, in a collision with a bus) was a huge loss to cycling.

I know it's months away, but in the spirit of the Coppi memorial rides I am planning a Mockridge Memorial Ride in NorCal on Saturday, September 13th, the 50th anniversary of his death. I haven't worked out any details yet, but I promise it will be somewhere between 1K and 125 miles. There will be food and proper beer.

If you can come and have Ozzy iron that would be fitting. If not, see if you can get Art Link to loan you something from his collection ;>). Otherwise, anything with two wheels works. Healing Cycles was one of his sponsors, and I'll see about getting mine ready for the ride. Otherwise it will be one of the competition, a Super Elliotts.

Dave Ross
Portola (currently underwater) Valley
California, USA