Manning Valley Cycle Club held its first round of Graded Club championships with the Premier grade & F Grade being decided last Wednesday evening at the Kolodong circuit. Conditions were dry despite some threatening clouds, with a fairly stiff North Easterly blowing, making it tough going down the straight. Thirteen riders lined up in A Grade including our hotshot under 17 State Pursuit champions.  Josh Blick & Stephen Lewis attempted an early breakaway, & with Peter Lewis not too keen to chase & slowing the chasers, it looked dangerous. Glen Mathiske was a man on a mission & showed enormous tenacity to chase down the break. Rhett Pattison later in the race also attempted an escape, but was quickly shut down. Michael Cross at this stage had trouble with the pace & retired. As the sprint approached, it appeared to be in the keeping for Dan Aldridge, but once again the tenacity of Mathiske came to the fore & he won a tight sprint from Aldridge in second & Daniel Clinch continuing his rapid improvement over the last couple of weeks coming across the line in third place. Josh Blick was fourth & Peter Lewis fifth. Troy Croker & Rhett Pattison worked tirelessly throughout the 30 minute race but unfortunately finished outside the top five. It was interesting to hear Justin Woolard tell Dan Clinch that he was actually second loser instead of third. Some guys just don't give an inch.

 

                     In a close wheel to wheel sprint, Ben Cross has won the F Grade championship from Baxter Pattison. Both riders are of equal ability & it was a shame that there could only be one winner. Daniel Sewell finished in third place & finished just five seconds behind the winner. Fourth went to Jordan Blick & fifth was Marcus Worth. The race was conducted as a scratch race instead of the usual handicap as it was a championship event.

 

                      B Grade raced a 25 minute + 2 lap scratch event. This race was a fast paced event averaging 40+ kph. This is in the region of an A Grade event. Gavin Jackson, Wayne Callaghan & Nathan Loreton ensured plenty of speed & even riders who regularly attack like Silas Sutherland were tamed by the high pace. Tanya Cross was feeling brave & rode off the front but could not hold the high pace to succeed. Paul Nixon has become the last lap specialist in recent weeks but Nathan Loreton stole his thunder to win the sprint. Nixon managed second & Gavin Jackson third. Noel Mathiske is never far from the action & finished fourth with Roger "the dodger" Dixon fifth. By the way, Roger is homeless at the moment. Any takers?

 

                     C Grade raced for 25 minutes + 2 laps. David Cowley & Kurt Sadler broke the shackles early & worked together for a couple of laps before tiring. Bill Harris stirred the pace several times but it was amove by Graeme McGechan & Stephen McInerney two laps from the end that saw an escape by these two riders. McGechan tired on the last lap but McInerney pressed on to the finish, clear of the chasers. Alex Cudlin won the sprint for second place from Bill Harris in third. Kurt Sadler was fourth & Ben Hayward fifth. Mention should be made of Vanessa Croker who is riding strongly in this grade.

 

                     D Grade was about the duck that flew the coop. Darren "Duck" Harvey arrived with a plan to win.Darren has ridden well the last few weeks but has not been on the podium. With riders like the Dodgy Brothers aka the Alley brothers & Richard Parvin in good form, this would need to be a great plan. At the bottom of the hill, he made his move & went for home. At the line the others were all over him but he hung on to win, narrowly from the fast finishing Robert Alley.Oscar Watson-Sutherland was third, Tyler Nicholson fourth & Alicia Norris relishing the long sprint, came home fifth. Amber Piper & Brian Louden struggled with the speed & failed to finish.

 

                     E grade was again dominated by Aden Callaghan. He accounted for Graeme Budden in the sprint as he did last week. Max Eden made the podium in third place & continues his good progress in health & fitness. Harold Greenhalgh finished fourth & Stephen "Doc" Nicholson fifth. Jack Rennerg was the unfortunate rider not to finish.

© All rights reserved 2006 Manning Valley Cycle Club