Bill Pratney
Encyclopedia
Bill Pratney was arguably the world's greatest Māori cyclist. He won New Zealand championship titles on track and on road.
Originally named Wiremu Paratane, his mother died in 1909 and his grandmother a few years later. He was then raised in an orphanage and named William Pratney. As a teenager he won local running and cycling races and decided to concentrate on cycling. However, in 1930 he was involved in a head on bicycle crash with other racing cyclists and, after being in a coma for three days, doctors predicted he would never cycle again.
Three months after the accident he was back on his bike and in 1934 he won fastest time in the 120 mile Taranaki Round-the-Mountain Race. His road racing career peaked in 1937 when he beat the great Harry Watson
in the New Zealand 100-mile Road Championships.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Pratney's cycling career was its length. In 1950, he won the Waimate to Christchurch (217 km) and in 1955 he won the Timaru to Christchurch (160 km). He took up racing again in his 70s and his last big ride was a 330 km ride in Australia
at the age of 86.
Originally named Wiremu Paratane, his mother died in 1909 and his grandmother a few years later. He was then raised in an orphanage and named William Pratney. As a teenager he won local running and cycling races and decided to concentrate on cycling. However, in 1930 he was involved in a head on bicycle crash with other racing cyclists and, after being in a coma for three days, doctors predicted he would never cycle again.
Three months after the accident he was back on his bike and in 1934 he won fastest time in the 120 mile Taranaki Round-the-Mountain Race. His road racing career peaked in 1937 when he beat the great Harry Watson
Harry Watson (cyclist)
Harry Watson was the first New Zealander to ride in the Tour de France. In 1928, he teamed up with Australian cyclists, Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborne and Ernie Bainbridge. They were the first English-speaking team to ride the Tour de France....
in the New Zealand 100-mile Road Championships.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Pratney's cycling career was its length. In 1950, he won the Waimate to Christchurch (217 km) and in 1955 he won the Timaru to Christchurch (160 km). He took up racing again in his 70s and his last big ride was a 330 km ride in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the age of 86.