31/08/2013
By Rob Monk
It took handicapper Pete Finlayson only two races to get it right. There was a rider from all 6 bunches in the finishing straight at the same time for Saturday’s handicap race at Darnum. You can’t do much better than that given the race is 40 km long and the finishing straight is 700 meters.
Young Leongatha rider Will Lumby who started in the 12 minute group won the day. He started with Mark Oakely Brown, Paul Kennedy, Andrew Jackson and Duane McDonald. Paul Kennedy was the first to lose contact with the group. Kennedy still seems to be feeling the effects of an over indulgent off season. Duane stuck with them till lap 4.
Mark and Will went for home on the hills near the finish on lap 5. They were chasing Frank Bensted who had started on limit with Adele Whelan. Will went past Frank in the shadows of the post with Mark holding on for third place.
Graeme Parker had started in the 3 minute bunch and rode like a man affronted that he was not off scratch. He towed Pete Finlayson and George Tambassis around lap one so quickly that he caught the 4 minute group of Rob Monk, Paul Yeatman, Pete Whelan and Paul Rowse early in lap 2. This group of seven lost Whelan and Rowse near the end of lap 4 when Whelan punctured. Parker surged on, dropping Yeatman and Monk for awhile, such was his strength.
In the finish, with the limit riders in sight, Parker rode away from his bunch to take out fourth position and book himself a place in the scratch bunch next week. Andrew Jackson hung on for fifth. Then followed Pete Finlayson and George Tambaissis. Geoff Thompson was the first finisher from the 6.5 minute group. Paul Yeatman was next with Bruce Staben (6.5 mins) rounding out the top 10.
Cy Monk led the scratch group of Jack Walk, Jarryd Jones, Justin Gravett and Colin Aitken home to take out fastest time of the day. They were less than 30 seconds behind the winner.
Next week’s race is at 2.00pm at Darnum.
The over all series winner will receive a Canon Pixma MG5460, an advanced and stylish All-in-One printer.
