Bring A Friend day – 30 April 2017
Graded Scratch racing
Weatherboard circuit – various distances
EUREKA Cycling staged a Bring A Friend Day at Learmonth today. The event was a resounding success with over FIFTY riders competing.
23 riders were first time competitors at the club. Free “Trial Licences” were issued to each of these riders so that they able to safely and legally compete under the rules of cycling.
Riders were split into FIVE grades to accommodate the varying degree of experience, fitness and skill.
The races were conducted on the Weatherboard circuit over various distances. EUREKA Cycling members acted as chaperones for the newcomers.
C, D and E grades saw some riders competing in a cycling race for the very first time. A and B grades had exciting race activity with many attacks and large bunch sprints to decide the placings.
New riders were able to make it onto the podium in most grades – in fact over half of the placings went to newcomers.
The all important raffle draw was also claimed by a newcomer. Participants and families enjoyed a large spread after the race.
Many thanks to our wonderful kitchen staff, corner marshals, referees and officials for making the day superb.
We commend each rider on their participation today and hope they all enjoyed their visit to EUREKA Cycling.
A special mention goes out to those riders participating in their first bicycle race and also everyone who drove up from as far as Bacchus Marsh.
Newcomers denoted by * (Please accept our humble apologies if we have accidentally excluded you…or included you…or incorrectly labelled you! Many new faces today!)
Results –
A Grade, 60 km
1st – Tim Canny
2nd – Nathan Youngbauer*
3rd – Jason Birch*
B Grade, 60 km
1st – Peter Canny
2nd – Don Stewart*
3rd – Jeremy Humber
C Grade, 50 km
1st – Troy Van Trienen*
2nd – Mark O’Callaghan
3rd – Kyle Hester*
D Grade, 50 km
1st – Brian Ure
2nd – Jude Jonasson
3rd – Barry Robinson
E Grade, 40 km
1st – James Allan*
2nd – Luke Ives*
3rd – Monica Canny*
Raffle, $50 meat tray winner – Shane Hayes*
Participants –
A Grade:
Tony Mirabella
Tim Canny
Brendan Schiemer
Dean Wells
Matt Bowman
Rick Calvert
Rob Ellis
Matt Ayres
Stu Brien
*Jason Birch
*Ben Clark
*Shane Hayes
*Shannon Meadows
*Nathan Youngbauer
B Grade:
Bob Morley
Pete Livitsanis
Dan Whelan
Grant Dawson
James Knipe
Pete Canny
Steve Kennedy
Paul Crack
Peter Gunston
Jeremy Humber
Steve Biram
*Ben Ryan
*Don Stewart
C Grade:
Mark O’Callaghan
Rob Parker
James Gretton
Roger McMillan
James Burzacott
*Tim Cartwright
*Rob Dolan
*Kyle Hester
*Matt Horsman
*Pete Kyatt
*Geoff Martin
*Richard Smallwood
*Troy Van Trienen
D Grade:
Barry Robinson
Jude Jonasson
Michael Veal
Louis Nuspan
Brian Ure
*Kyle Nestor
E Grade:
Neil Braszell
*James Allan
*Monica Canny
*Steve Gretton
*Nicole Humber
*Luke Ives
*Colin Matthews
*Peter Roche
A Grade
EUREKA Cycling’s member drive initiative was tagged Bring A “Date” Day by one of the A Grade members. A competitive bunch of riders with an age spread of just 20 years assembled for what was meant to be an introductory race for potential new members. Of much concern was the bloke from Bacchus Marsh in the skinsuit…more on that later.
All thoughts of a neutral lap and a bit of fun until the last 25 kilometres was thrown out the window inside the first ten kilometres. Just 8 kilometres into the race and Matt Bowman launched the first of his attacks – not so hard that he opened a big gap, just hard enough to hurt.
Second time down towards Hendersons Road and Tim Canny was keen to flex some muscle as he took off with Shannon Meadows (trial rider) in tow. Swapping turns, the pair quickly opened a 15 second advantage. Some good turns by Tony Mirabella, Stu Brien, Rob Ellis and Brendan Schiemer gradually brought the duo back into the fold halfway along the Avenue section.
A few short attacks by Ben Clark (trial rider), then Ellis, then Mirabella and then Meadows had the bunch surging and surging, which proved the catalyst for the next Bowman attack. This put Rick Calvert, Matt Ayres and Dean Wells under pressure as the race turned out of the Avenue and went straight into the gutter with the riders stretched out in single file. Calvert soon signed off for the day.
Shane Hayes (trial rider) made a move from the rear of the bunch as A Grade raced down towards the chicane, but then Canny and Jason Birch (trial rider) put the pressure on through the bends and had everyone ducking and diving for wheels as they went straight into the gutter again. Brien, Ellis and Schiemer doing the shutting down.
With everything settled down at the base of the Hendersons Road hill, Wells quipped to Mirabella ‘Geez I wish Bowman would get a mechanical’. That comment coincided with Bowman’s next attack, which also saw Ayres finally cast off.
Bowman held a 10 second advantage for almost five kilometres before the bunch led by Canny, Brien and Meadows reluctantly closed the gap – which then saw Canny charging off the front again. Ellis prominent in closing that surge down.
Each approach to the chicane seemed to get faster and faster as the riders battled for position. Clark was wondering if this risky stuff was “normal” – the answer is a definitive no! Today there seemed to be a bit of showing off by some of the regulars in front of their “dates”.
Birch spent a bit of time off the front going up the Avenue the next time, before Nathan Youngbauer (aka “skin suit guy” and trial rider) found himself on the front for the first time in the race as they approached Weatherboard. Bowman went off the back as they crested the hill, but he stuck to his guns and gradually rode back to the bunch, were he yo-yoed off and on until late on the last lap.
The bunch seemed to accept that this race was coming down to one last battle up the Hendersons Road hill. Canny again sitting on the front with Meadows and driving a pace to discourage attacks. A more sensible approach to the chicane on the last lap as the remaining riders sized each other up.
After winding up from the rear, Bowman launched his final attack, overtaking Ellis who was starting to accelerate for his own assault. Bowman had a gap, but Ellis had the momentum to drag the bunch forward. Wells took over the chase but Bowman seemed to hold his advantage around the sharp corner into Hendersons Road – where up ahead was the B Grade race.
B Grade moved aside as Bowman reached the tail riders. The other A Graders surged past a shot Wells and Youngbauer led the charge up the hill, claiming Bowman and then the finish line was just there, but Canny came through to take the win with Birch hot on their wheels.
Epilogue: Hayes did a lot of following today, but he knew his best opportunity was back at the club rooms, where he duly saluted with an impressive raffle win for the $50 meat tray.
Result:
1st – Tim Canny
2nd – Nathan Youngbauer
3rd – Jason Birch
Photo: Before the race. Riders assemble at the start…
Photo: Happy faces everywhere post race…
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