Monday Night Racing 26th October 2015
The Monday night format is proving to be a great concept for Cycling Otago with the numbers in both B, C and Junior grades continuing to grow. These grades are providing some really good competitive and consistent racing week in and week out, tonight was no different. Both senior races were fought tactically and ended in the majority of the riders contesting the bunch kick. Thriza Smith was tested in the Juniors and this grade also had a tight finish.
In A Grade, stalwart Brendan Hastie backed up a hard weekend riding away from the small bunch to win uncontested. Paul Gough and Stu Crooks played their cards very close, almost coming to a standstill before Gough overcame Crooks in the sprint to the line. Ewan Syme rode a good race coming in behind these finishers.
The B Grade the race went down to the wire with new comer Demetri Rafflills getting line honours ahead of Ella Harris and Tom Kaminszky.
C Grade was won by another long time Cyclist Fenton Lambert, after finishing a credible 5th in Saturday’s Hastie Memorial he still had the legs for the bunch gallop. Graeme Hancock and Steve Green rounded off the podium.
Thirza Smith continues her run in the Juniors notching another win ahead of Hannah Rodgers and Lucy Sanson. Each week we are growing the new and returning riders in this grade, and the racing is good and competitive, unfortunately this week saw our first accident. A touch of wheels in the junior bunch sent Grace Hurring down and Mila Rollo got caught up in the falling rider. Please send your thoughts on to these two juniors riders in the coming weeks for their recovery, always an upsetting feeling when there is a crash.
The Development Grade again had new riders giving cycling and road racing a try. This group, focused on learning the ropes and etiquette of bunch riding circulated well for the first three of four laps and then they all had a go at the finish. Brendan Ward, who was the main ‘go-to’ in the bunch as the senior-most rider went from long distance and finished 1st ahead of Chris Ford, Julia Horsfield and David Smith.
A huge thanks to the Marshals, Madeline Cooper-Forster, Chris Harvey, Vanessa Smart and Justin Gardner. Plus an ever present thanks to Jill Smith she helps each week. Also thanks to Abbey for assistance on the finish line this week.
Top 10 results in each grade.
A Grade.
1. Brendan Hastie
2. Paul Gough
3. Stu Crooks
4. Ewan Syme
5. DNF Gary Gardner
Most Combative: Brendan Hastie.
B Grade.
1. Demetri Raffills
2. Ella Harris
3. Tom Kaminzsky
4. Todd Redpath
5. Rob Creasy
6. Stevie Grant
7. Jeremy A
8. Paula Hasler
9. Tristan Claridge
10. Curtis McCorquindale
Most Combative: Jamie Green
C Grade.
1. Fenton Lambert
2. Graeme Hancock
3. Steve Green
4. Bradley White
5. Grieg O’Kane
6. Wayne Green
7. Matt Bovin
8. Pascal Sutherland
9. Anna Lindsay
10. Wayne Boss
Most Combative: Anna Lindsay
Developmental Grade.
1. Brendan Ward
2. Chris Ford
3. Julia Horsfield
4. David Smith
5. Tania Baron
6. John Holmes
Juniors.
1. Thirza Smith
2. Hannah Rodgers
3. Lucy Sanson
4. Jack Rivers
5. Jody Syme
6. Sarah Ford
7. Lily Smart
8. DNF Mila Rollo
9. DNF Grace Hurring
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