Summary

A cycling award presented to Hubert Opperman by the Dominion Broadcasting Co Pty Ltd, on the occasion of his record-breaking ride from Sydney to Melbourne, 9th November 1929. The manager of radio station 5CL Adelaide, H.W. Sweeting, was travelling in one of the two support vehicles that accompanied Opperman on his journey.

Opperman began his record-breaking ride from the Malvern Star Cycles office in Wentworth street Sydney at 8pm on the Thursday evening (7th Nov) and arrived at the Elizabeth Street Malvern Star Cycles depot in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne on the Saturday afternoon. He completed the journey of 565 miles in 39 hours, 42 minutes. His total actual riding time was 37 hours, 9 minutes and 15 seconds, which excluded his breaks for refreshments, baths and massage. The actual distance he travelled has been reported between 562 to 567 miles, depending on how much was covered when he lost his way in the dark at Goulburn and had to retrace his route.

Opperman was overcome by the ovation he received on arrival in Melbourne, which at that time was the greatest that had ever been seen for a cyclist in Melbourne. He had broken the previous record, set by George McLeod in Nov 1928, by 8 hours, 4 minutes and 20 seconds.

The inaugural record for unpaced riding between Melbourne and Sydney was set by J. Salvana, at 73 hours and 31 minutes in 1907. In 1910, Teddy Pearson, rode from Sydney to Melbourne in 49 hours., but was paced by tandems. Les Cecil, an amateur cyclist from Queensland, rode the distance unpaced in November 1928 in 48 hours, 48 minutes and 30 seconds. George McLeod then broke the record just weeks later, riding 47 hours, 46 minutes and 20 seconds.

Physical Description

Round bronze inscribed medal with image of map of Australia with a broadcasting speaker on the obverse. Image of laurel wreath on reverse.

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