Bill Pratney

Background

His mother died giving birth to him and he was initially raised by his grandmother who also died a few years later.

Career

Born in 1909, Pratney was originally named Wiremu Paratene. He was then raised in an orphanage and named William Pratney. 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.

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. 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.

He died in Auckland in 2001 and was buried at Purewa Cemetery.

Achievements

• He won New Zealand championship titles on track and on road. As a teenager he won local running and cycling races and decided to concentrate on cycling. 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. In 1950, he won the Waimate to Christchurch (217 km) and in 1955 he won the Timaru to Christchurch (160 km).

Membership

Pratney also served on the Manurewa Borough Council and was an inaugural member of the Manukau City Council.