03/10/2015
By Rob Monk
Warragul Cycling Club Members contested the first of the club championship events for 2015 on Saturday Morning. The hill climb championships are a unique event. All riders start together at the base of the Yarragon hill and the first one to the top of the 7.2 km long climb is the champion.
Even though they could not take the club title some climbing specialists from other clubs turned up to spice up the competition Harrison McLean from Leongatha and Roland Elstrom from Latrobe City love hills and always turn up to ride them.
The bunch of 24 riders started together and stayed together for the first kilometre. Eventually Harry picked up the tempo and a lead trio of Matt Parkinson, Harry McLean and Jason Laird established themselves at the front. Roland and Graeme Parker tried to go with them but could not hold on for long.
It was clear the Laird, Parkinson and McLean would battle it out for the win. After 7km of the climb Matt Parkinson put in a small acceleration on one of the steeper sections approaching the Old Leongatha Rd. He dropped Laird and managed to get a small gap on McLean which he held to the finish. McLean was second with Laird in third.
Roland was forth and Graeme Parker rode well to take out the Masters 456 championship. Then followed Glenn Marriott, Pete Whelan, Brett Kennedy, Paul Yeatman, Peter Finlayson and Jason Tubnor.
Nicole Summerfield was the female club hill climb champion with Macca Parkinson in second place.
Finishing Order
19:35 Matt Parkinson
19:37 Harry McLean
19:46 Jason Laird
20:04 Roland Elstrom
21:28 Graeme Parker
21:44 Glenn Marriott
22:11 Pete Whelan
22:11 Brett Kennedy
22:11 Paul Yeatman
22:11 Peter Finlayson
22:46 Jason Tubnor
22:46 Daniel
23:10 Geoff Thomson
23:15 Nicole Summerfield
23:52 Mark Mason
23:52 Robert Monk
24:49 Colin Brown
25:03 Richard Bridge
25:27 Macca Parkinson
26:07 Graeme Patrick
29:05 Michelle Scur
29:05 Sue
32:35 John Taylor
Next week’s race is a handicap at Darnum starting at 2.00pm. Riders are reminded to pre enter each Voyage Fitness Handicap race here. Novice racers are welcome. Handicaps are a great way to start racing.
