Don Kirkham
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]

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]

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.
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