Werrimull Inter-Club & Mildura Masters 2009

Werrimull Inter-Club, Werrimull, Saturday 22 August 2009

Werrimull Inter-Club and Mildura Masters 2009

Mildura-Coomealla Cycling Club staged the 2009 Werrimull Inter-Club event on Saturday 22 August. The event, which incorporated the Mildura Masters Games cycling race, was held in wet and windy conditions. Whilst the rain held off during the race, the field of 74 riders started on a wet road on the journey to beyond Meringur and back. The field of 58 seniors, including 26 Masters competitors, raced over 55 km under handicap conditions, whilst the 16 juniors contested a 24 km handicap race. The field included three riders from Riverland Cycling Club and also a returning local, Nigel Sullivan, representing the Footscray Cycling Club. The Club was privileged to have the reigning New Zealand elite road champion, Gordon McCauley, present in the field contesting the Masters Men Category 35-39 years.

Whilst the event was conducted under handicap conditions, the Masters riders were grouped such that those in the same age group started in the same handicap bunch. The handicapper split the field into seven starting groups, with the combined Masters Women 50-59 years and 60+ years starting together off limit. Eight ladies started in this group, including Club rider Alison Curry. Next away, at 5 minutes, were the Masters Men 60+ years. Eight riders also started in this group, including Club Life Member Bill Wass. Starting at 10 minutes were the Masters Women 40-49 years, along with Club members Ken Dean, Mick Allford and Gary Simpson. The Club was also represented in this group by Anne Jones and Karen Wilson, but they were facing some stiff competition in the form of Pamela McCauley, wife of Gordon, and a pretty handy rider herself!

The fourth group started at 17:30 minutes and included Lisa Willis (Masters Women 35-39) and Chris Durst and Andrew Freadman, representing the Masters Men in the 50-59 years category. Freadman was an early departure from this group and ended up riding most of the race solo. The rest of this group consisted of Club members, namely Dave Digby, Shane Martin, Rachel Hanlin, Peter Winton, Kevin Gregory, Andrew Ryan and Peter Doody. Starting at 26:30 minutes was the fifth group of Ben Nicholson, Tom Athorn, Adrian Lloyd, Arthur Anderson, Harry Robbins, Greg Scott and Taryn Heather.

Chopping block started at 29:30 minutes and included Nathan Langley, Jeff Mitchell, Garry Pitt, Les Jordan, Rob McNally, Angus Boase (RCC President) and three Masters Men 40-49 years, namely Scott Kenelley, George Kermanidis and Ian Beruldsen, the latter a Club member. Kermanidis and Kenelley found the pace of this group too high and were off the back by the 10 km mark. Scratch started at 34 minutes and included the aforementioned McCauley, newly crowned Club Champion Gary Henderson, Kevin Tankard, Simon Wilkinson, Dean Taylor, Richard Hale, Mark Phillips, Lee Stevens (RCC) and Nigel Sullivan (FCC). McCauley set a blistering pace off the line, putting Phillips and Hale into the red zone by the 3 km mark. The pair found themselves off the back and were resigned to riding a two man team trial for the rest of the race.

As the scratch bunch hit the 18 km mark it was shocked to see the leading group on the road passing in the other direction, heading towards the finish line. The group included David Hosking, Des Middleton and Trevor Skewes, all Masters Men 60+ years. They were being chased by riders in singles and pairs including Geoff Whiting, Terry Miller, Michael Jobe (all Masters Men 60+ years), Pamela McCauley, Anne Jones and Gary Simpson. Whilst scratch went on to catch the chopping block remnants by the turnaround, the leading riders on the road were never going to be headed.

Despite the efforts of McCauley to close the gap down, five riders crossed the line ahead of the bunch. Middleton, Hosking and Skewes took the first three places, with Pamela McCauley coming home to claim fourth, ahead of the first Club rider, Gary Simpson in fifth. With Masters competitors taking the first four places, the only real prize left was that of fastest time. McCauley made sure that this honour was his by putting in numerous attacks on the bunch in the closing kilometres, before finally making an escape 2 km from the finish. McCauley came in 3 minutes behind the winner to claim sixth place and fastest time in 1:16:01 hours (average speed 43.4 km/h). Wilkinson led the bunch home 13 seconds later to claim seventh place.

The 16 juniors were divided into four starting groups, with limit consisting of Bridget Hale, Lachlan Ryan and Tate Simpson. This trio enjoyed a 4 minute break on the next bunch of Megan Hale, Bevan Henderson, Martin Ryan and Toby Simpson. The chopping block bunch of Alana Hale, Brodie Athorn, Nathan Jordan, Tyler Beruldsen and Tom Allford started a further 10 minutes back, two minutes ahead of the scratch riders. Four riders made up the scratch bunch, namely Ben Athorn, Thomas Henderson, James Burge and Ian Worsfold (RCC). In a surprising outcome, Bridget broke away from her fellow limit riders and just managed to hold off the fast chasing pair of Bevan and Megan, to claim the win! Ian claimed seventh place and fastest time in 40:54 minutes (average speed 35.2 km/h).

Thanks to Penny Hale, Julieanne Ryan, Jess Butler, Ryan Clifford, Phil Ryan, Murray Langley, Ben Nicholson, Tom Athorn, Greg Scott, Mark Phillips, Garry Pitt and Adrian Lloyd for helping out today. Thanks also to the race sponsors, Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club and Pizza Cafe. Summary results for juniors and seniors are shown below, along with the Masters age group results. Detailed results can be found at http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=461960 and by clicking on the Senior or Junior links.

Handicap Results:

Juniors (24 km):
1. Bridget Hale (JW17) 52:37 minutes
2. Bevan Henderson (JM13) 48:50
3. Megan Hale (JW15) 48:52
4. Toby Simpson (JM15) 50:58
5. Lachlan Ryan (JM13) 56:35
6. Martin Ryan (JM15) 52:40
7. Ian Worsfold (JM17) (RCC) 40:54 (fastest time, average speed 35.2 km/h)
8. Thomas Henderson (JM15) 40:59
9. Ben Athorn (JM17) 41:01
10. Tate Simpson (JM13) 57:04
11. Nathan Jordan (JM15) 45:47
12. Alana Hale (JW15) 45:55
13. Tom Allford (JM13) 46:26
14. James Burge (JM15) 50:00
15. Tyler Beruldsen (JM13) 52:07
16. Brodie Athorn (U/19) 53:00

Seniors (55 km):
1. Des Middleton (M60+) 1:42:09 hours
2. David Hosking (M60+) 1:42:11
3. Trevor Skewes (M60+) 1:42:22
4. Pamela McCauley (W40-49) 1:39:07
5. Gary Simpson 1:39:26
6. Gordon McCauley (M35-39) 1:16:01 (fastest time, average speed 43.4 km/h)
7. Simon Wilkinson 1:16:14
8. Dean Taylor 1:16:15
9. Kevin Tankard 1:16:16
10. Les Jordan 1:20:46
11. Gary Henderson 1:16:16
12. Ian Beruldsen (M40-49) 1:20:16
13. Nathan Langley 1:20:46
14. Harry Robbins 1:23:52
15. Ben Nicholson 1:24:05
16. Michael Allford 1:40:59
17. Tom Athorn 1:24:35
18. Anne Jones (W40-49) 1:41:10
19. Nigel Sullivan (FCC) 1:17:11
20. Taryn Heather 1:24:45
21. Lee Stevens (RCC) 1:17:17
22. Geoff Whiting (M60+) 1:46:24
23. Adrian Lloyd 1:25:07
24. Arthur Anderson st
25. Terry Miller (M60+) 1:47:04
26. Andrew Ryan (JM17) 1:35:51
27. Dave Digby 1:35:50
28. Shane Martin (U/19) 1:36:43
29. Rachel Hanlin st
30. Chris Durst (M50-59) st
31. Kevin Gregory 1:38:07
32. Ken Dean 1:45:37
33. Peter Doody 1:38:07
34. Garry Pitt 1:26:09
35. Gayle Van Loy (W50-59) 1:55:43
36. Alison Curry 1:55:51
37. Jeff Mitchell 1:27:58
38. Greg Scott 1:31:01
39. Sandra Middleton (W60+) 1:57:55
40. Angus Boase (RCC) 1:29:09
41. Richard Hale 1:24:51
42. Mark Phillips st
43. Clare Burrel (W40-49) 1:51:00
44. Michael Jobe (M60+) 1:56:47
45. Karen Wilson (W40-49) 1:55:34
46. Rob McNally 1:36:29
47. Peter Winton 1:48:31
48. Janine Raymond (W50-59) 2:06:04
49. Sue Hopkins (W60+) 2:07:15
50. Scott Kenelley (M40-49) 1:43:32
51. Lynne McGregor (W60+) 2:13:22
52. Claire Rudnicki (W50-59) 2:15:44
53. Doug Parkyn (M60+) 2:10:54
54. George Kermanidis (M40-49) 1:47:06
55. Margaret Bartel (W50-59) 2:19:01
56. Lisa Willis (W35-39) 2:07:54
57. Bill Wass (M60+) 2:20:24
58. Andrew Freadman (M50-59) 2:19:57

Masters Results by Age Group:

Women 35-39 years:
1. Lisa Willis (W35-39) 2:07:54 hours

Women 40-49 years:
1. Pamela McCauley (W40-49) 1:39:07 hours
2. Anne Jones (W40-49) 1:41:10
3. Clare Burrel (W40-49) 1:51:00
4. Karen Wilson (W40-49) 1:55:34

Women 50-59 years:
1. Gayle Van Loy (W50-59) 1:55:43 hours
2. Janine Raymond (W50-59) 2:06:04
3. Claire Rudnicki (W50-59) 2:15:44
4. Margaret Bartel (W50-59) 2:19:01

Women 60+ years:
1. Sandra Middleton (W60+) 1:57:55 hours
2. Sue Hopkins (W60+) 2:07:15
3. Lynne McGregor (W60+) 2:13:22

Men 35-39 years:
1. Gordon McCauley (M35-39) 1:16:01 hours

Men 40-49 years:
1. Ian Beruldsen (M40-49) 1:20:16 hours
2. Scott Kenelley (M40-49) 1:43:32
3. George Kermanidis (M40-49) 1:47:06

Men 50-59 years:
1. Chris Durst (M50-59) 1:36:43 hours
2. Andrew Freadman (M50-59) 2:19:57

Men 60+ years:
1. Des Middleton (M60+) 1:42:09 hours
2. David Hosking (M60+) 1:42:11
3. Trevor Skewes (M60+) 1:42:22
4. Geoff Whiting (M60+) 1:46:24
5. Terry Miller (M60+) 1:47:04
6. Michael Jobe (M60+) 1:56:47
7. Doug Parkyn (M60+) 2:10:54
8. Bill Wass (M60+) 2:20:24