07/10/2007
Sunday, October 7th 2007, The 29th annual Morwell to Glenmaggie Hcp was taken out by Wellington CC veteran Mike Renahan in the time of 1hr 34.33. Wayne Alexander was 2nd from Norm Gray 3rd, Bill Caddy 4th and 5th went to Neil Luxford. Latrobe City CC scratch-man Dave Gafa took fastest time 1hr 29.44.
Top ten finishers
- 1st Mike Renahan (+12mins)
- 2nd Wayne Alexander (+12mins)
- 3rd Norm Gray (+12mins)
- 4th Bill Caddy (+21mins)
- 5th Neil Luxford (+12mins)
- 6th Shane Pettingill (+18 mins)
- =7th Bill Taylor (+18mins)and John Bodey (+18mins)
- 8th Vic Spunner (+18mins)
- 9th Kim Spunner (+18mins)
- 10th James Haylock (+18mins)
- Dave Gafa (fastest time) finished in 12th (Scr)
The race attracted 40 riders from clubs across Gippsland with five bunches. The front markers group of five, Grant Smith, Wendy McAinch, Sue Elsdon, Lee Thomson and Bill Caddy were given 21mins start. the next to go three minutes later were strong C grade bunch containing last years winner Wayne Tunks along with newcomers Shane Pettingill and Bill Taylor, veteran Vic Spunner, Kim Spunner, John Bodey and James Haylock. Then six minutes later a bunch containing the very experienced Mike Renahan with Neil Luxford, Wayne Alexander, Norm Gray, Simon Burns and Andrew Crosier. At + 6mins from scratch the big bunch of predominately B grade riders containing Craig Greenwood, Paul Yeatman, Glen Schoer, Duncan Orr, Guy Jayco, Danny Gafa, Andrew Harrigan, James Ibrahim and Sam Frankland. The scratch bunch of Darren Spiteri, Chris Beales, Ashley Lucas, David Arnup Aaron Wain, Shane Dove, Dean McIntosh, David Shanahan, Mick O’Connor, Roland Elsdon, Matt Cameron, David Gafa and Shaun Cattanach.
The front markers set a good pace and stayed together for some distance before Sue Elsdon and Grant Smith dropped off the bunch. Meanwhile the 18mins bunch were rolling along with nobody prepared to continue with rolling turns, preferring to do longer turns at the front, thus slowing the pace of the bunch. Up front the three riders left at the head of the race McAinch, Caddy and Thomson continued to hold the chasers at bay. The 12minute bunch were traveling along at a fast pace but lost Crosier who punctured in the first 5kms of the race. The 6 minute bunch lost a few early in the race but continued to chase keeping the scratch markers at bay for quite a while. At the front of the race the 18 minute bunch finally caught the remaining out markers but were soon in the clutches of the 12minute bunch who were fairly motoring, several of the 18 minute bunch managed to stay with them until just before Heyfield. Back in the race the scratch-men were slowly starting to eat into the leaders gap catching riders left right and centre. Meanwhile up front the now larger group were still working and keeping the gap between them and big scratch bunch. Finally after turning into Weir Rd the front runners had the race in there keeping and as the line drew near a few of the less experienced riders went for home but the likes of Renahan, Caddy, Luxford, Gray and Alexander bided their time and with 250mts to go made there move with Renahan crossing the line 1st from Alexander followed by Gray inturn by Caddy. The scratch bunch came into sight and as the finish came closer David Gafa made a determined effort to cross the line in front of last year winner Tunks and in front of the rest of the bunch to take fastest time honours in the time of 1hr 29.44. The winners time was 1hr 34.33.
Report courtesy of the LCCC website.
