Marriott finishes Cycling Season in Style
Kristine Marriott has ridden herself into a rich vein of form in the recent weeks and reaped the rewards, securing victory and lifting the Ashburton Trust, Mid Canterbury Cycling Championship title on Saturday.
The Tinwald Cycling Clubs final event of the season saw a good field contest the 80km handicap event around the Wakanui Beach block in hot, challenging conditions with the temperature tipping 30 degrees.
Having secured fourth place in her maiden appearance in the Calder Stewart Elite racing series against some of the country’s best women road cyclist earlier in the month, Marriott rounded out the season strongly, winning a bunch sprint to claim the coveted championship title, and also lifted the open women’s fastest time ribbon.
Doug Lowry’s powerful late charge to the line was agonising close to victory but he deservedly secured the second place spoils.
Paul Macfie produced his strongest race of the season, driving his bunch to the front of the race in the concluding stages and kicked on in the charge to the line to take the final podium position.
The evergreen Neil Wylie claimed fourth place spoils with Dave Knight in the thick of the finish taking fifth place.
Emma Smith secured sixth place and claimed the under 19 women’s fastest time ribbon.
Back in the field a competitive race was developing too see you would claim overall fastest time honours.
Local rider, Steve Hands had the final say jumping early in the sprint to the line and holding out visiting riders Darrell Kircher, Stu Lowe and Craig Domigan to secure overall fastest time honours.
Hands rode the course in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 48 seconds.
Kircher and Domigan didn’t go home empty handed securing veteran 2 and veteran 1 time honours respectively.
Robert Campfens secured veteran 3 time ribbon with long time club stalwart Dave Shurrock taking the veteran 4 time honours.
Nathan Tew and Ben Sutton dug deep to find the finish line and lift the under 23 and under 19 men’s ribbons.
Mary Jones put her recent star performances in Australia to good use claiming the women’s veteran 3 time ribbon.
The juniors also battled hard over 16km in search of Mid Canterbury titles.
Luke Skinner backed up his recent good form with a top ride, making a solo breaking late in the race and holding out the chasing riders to secure victory.
Oliver Davidson is another to hit form at the right time, charging though the field to take the second place spoils in a spirited sprint finish, edging his sister Connie Davidson into third place on the line.
Maddi Lowry was in the thick of the finish in fourth place with Caitlin Titheridge and Dylan Leech rounding out the top six.
Scratch marker Bailey O’Donnell secured the overall fastest time honours riding the distance in 24.47.
Jessie Banks produced a good ride to take the girls fastest time honours.
Abe O’Donnell and Caitlin Titheridge were rewarded for their hard work over the season lifting the under 15 boys and girls time ribbons.
Division 2 spoils went to Brian Ellis who claimed the win and fastest time from the ever consistent Janette Hooper. Andy Skinner was right on their tail in third.
Leary leads from start to finish
Front markers Nigel Leary and Liz Wylie dug deep in Tinwald Cycling Club’s penultimate event of the season, Templeton Motors, Kelly’s Bar and Café, 66km handicap event around the Wakanui- Hakatere block on Sunday.
Well aware the entire field was hunting them down, both riders set about the task of ensuring this would not happen, finding the line with a 2 minute buffer on the chasing group.
Leary had a bit extra in the legs in the charge to the line to claim victory with Wylie deserving picking up the second place spoils.
Coleman Burke continued his good form leading the chasing group in to secure third place.
Glen Marshall produced his best race of the season taking fourth place with Paul Macfie and Dave Knight signalling they will be ones to watch in next week’s Mid-Canterbury Championships rounding out the top six.
Brad Hudson rode the course in 96.14 to record fastest time honours and is another riding himself into good form at the business end of the season. Co-markers Michael Templeton and Sam Letham took second and third time.
The juniors and division 2 contested a 25km handicap event.
Matt Clough continued his good run of results claiming the victory and fastest time honours in the juniors ranks, riding the distance in 44.18.
Oliver Davidson continues to impress with a solid ride to take second place with Luke Skinner producing a storming effort to secure the final podium position.
Connie Davidson, Suzie Leech and Daniel Marshall filled the top six places.
Kerry Clough made it a good day for team Clough taking line and fastest time honours in division 2. Janette Hooper was in the thick of the finish to secure second place with Andy Skinner right on her tail in third.
Next week Mid-Canterbury Championship titles will be up for grabs in an 80km handicap event around the Wakanui block.
OPELE HAS FINAL SAY
Kevin Opele left his best performance until late in the season but made it count taking victory in Tinwald Cycling Club’s, The Frontrunner, 60km event around the Blackbridge block on Sunday.
With the added Farmers Cash bonuses up for grabs on this event, racing was spirited and keenly contested.
The first 20 riders finished within 10 seconds of each other setting up a grandstand finish.
It was Opele who had the final say seeing off the challenge of Doug Lowry in the shadow of the line.
Michelle Davidson continued her good run of improving results to secure the third place spoils.
Marty Hyde charged into fourth place with Shane Gerken and Bruce Blackburn in the thick of the finish rounding out the top six.
Don Morrison covered the challenge of John Harcourt to take the over 55 years bonus award.
A strong bunch of scratch riders went to the line. Steve Hands showed he will be one to watch in the upcoming Mid Canterbury Championships claiming fastest time honours riding the course in a quick 77.24. Co-markers Darryl Kircher and Craig Domigan took second and third time.
The juniors and division 2 competed over 20km.
Abe O’Donnell charged through the field from the scratch mark to take the win and lift fastest time honours covering the distance in 33.56.
Connie Davidson produced another strong showing to take second place with Ethan Titheridge showing plenty of fight in third place.
Jenna Borthwick was in the thick of the finish to secure fourth place with Oliver Davidson and Suzie Leech filling the first six positions.
Janette Hooper took the line and fastest time spoils in division two seeing off the challenges of Brian Ellis and Hilary Singlewood.
Next week the Club will contest a 70km handicap event around the Wakanui- Hakatere course.