01/05/1993
By Geoff Cuckson
Saturday’s Club racing took the form of a double header with 19 km scratch races following ten km individual time trials.
Geoff Thomson took fastest in the 10 km ITT; his 15.50 being the only time under 16 minutes. Aaron Nobelius and Fenwick were split by .02 of a second with Grub Melnyk, Hanks and Yeatman all breaking 17 minutes. Williams, Rohan Watts, Travis and Ian, Henry, Stuart Cuckson, Bailey and Dale Grant, with a big ride, came in close together inside 18 minutes. Russell Walker finished in just over the 18 minute mark whilst youngster Ben Homsby came in just under 19:00. Anthony Vogrig and Brian Miller were close behind with Ted Dunn, Jason Boxall, Marion Ophof and Melissa Aarts pushing doggedly to finish in times just above 20 minutes.
The second event of the double header – the 19km scratch races – were conducted over the Christies Rd circuit with the long hills testing out many of the riders. Thomson took out the double with a strong A grade victory in a time of 30:58, again from Nobelius and Fenwick.
A most improved effort from Melnyk saw him come in 17 seconds off the winner with Yeatman and Hanks a further minute away after they lost the bunch up the long Bloomfield Rd hill.
The B graders also had a close finish with Watts kicking clear over the rise, 400 metres out and going on to score by four seconds in a time of 33:38. Henry came in second after losing, and then regaining, the bunch in Christies Rd, with Travis nudging out Cuckson for third. A tight battle behind them saw Ian Fromholtz grab Williams right on the line with Bailey just off their back wheels.
The C grade finish was the closest of all as five of the seven starters rode up the Church hill together searching for a good position for the final sprint. Youngster Boxall, showing continued improvement as he rides with the seniors, was first to lead out over the rise. However Miller grabbed him, went to the front inside the final 200, and headed for home. In a desperate lunge, Walker, who had stormed home from the back of the five man bunch, grabbed him right on the line to take victory in a time of 35:54.
Miller took second with Homsby a close up third, Boxall a courageous fourth and Vogrig just off the back for fifth. After losing the bunch, Dunn battled the tough circuit well on his own to come in under four minutes from the winner.
With his double, Thomson has gone to the lead on the points table. His total of 19 heads Ian Fromholtz (15), Fenwick and Henry (13), Boxall, Miller and Walker (11) with Vogrig and Watts 10 points each. In the junior time trial,
Stephen Fenwick continued his time reduction with an excellent 21.44.12 which was not far off the back of the C graders. Daniel Dilger also improved his first effort with 23:27:05 and Shane Boxall went around in just over 30 minutes.
Next week will see graded scratch races over the third of the Nilma North circuits for the Junior riders whilst the juniors will take on a different type of event than the previous 10km trip.
