Event report
You
know an event is off to a good start when the club president and club
handicapper are just two of those offering to help as marshalls. If the
trend persists, we will need to publish selection criteria to guide us
choosing helpers for Gunning 2015!
Warmish
weather, albeit very windy, good bunch sizes and safe riding made the
2014 Gunning Two Day a memorable one. All stages started on time and
results were available quickly, despite printer troubles for the time
trial. All in all a great event, thanks to the riders and the
enthusiastic group of experienced helpers.
The
event commemorates the late Peter McLennan, who was tragically killed
in an accident over 5 years ago. Peter worked very hard to build club
numbers up, lobbied for a criterium and first suggested the race vehicle
we all benefit from.
The
prologue time trial started right on time and riders were off, plunging
down towards the Fish River and up to what seems an impossibly steep
climb. Most grades finished within 30 seconds from fastest to slowest
and the B and C grade times were almost identical. Standout times were
the Mankewich / Carruthers time in A grade at 5.07 and Charles Nicoll's
blistering 05.14. Jeff Culnane's F grade winning time would not have
been greatly out of place in A grade.
Stage
1 was a 50 km road race to Breadalbane for all grades with sprint
primes on the Cullerin range. A grade let the tandem break away, a
mistake not to be repeated the next day. Memorable sprints from Sean
Ifland (B), Terry Moore (D) and David Gunther (E) saw convincing wins
respectively, while Jeff Culnane raced the line for F grade with over a
minute in front. Mark Taylor in C grade could only have been millimetres
in front and in a hotly-contested race, at least 3 members came back to
the finish line, just to double-check that the line judge had not
changed his mind ...
Spare
a thought for Lynne Prentice, in her first ever race, finishing G grade
with dogged determination. Al Bontjer finished hoping the NRMA would
have unlocked his car for him. He had inadvertently locked it many hours
before, having found out the hard way that it auto-locks after 30
seconds, whether the keys have been taken out or not!
Sunday
was warm, but with the usual strong headwind. In some years, not many
return for day 2, but in 2014, large bunches started. There were many
tired riders and it was not too long before Ashley Sked returned, having
being tipped off about a Terry Moore attack up towards Cullerin, which
he led out. With not enough racing under the belt this year, the effort
cost him his chance and with some irony, later caused Terry to drop to
the back of her grade.
Strong
surges were obvious at the half way point, where riders took on water
bottles. It is always inspiring to see Reinhard Mauch, who gets faster
each year, off the front of B grade.
With
2.5 hours' racing all done, the final sprints were memorable.
Christophe Barberet reprised his 2013 effort, with an almost 20 second
gap over Mark Harris. A dozen B grade riders came in almost together,
while in C grade, Dave Hennessy, desperate to avoid duplicating
yesterday's photo finish, came flying up the hill well clear of all
chasers. D grade charged across the line in close succession while in F
grade, Jeff Culnane cemented his placing with a 20 second gap.
G
grade rode a very tactical race on each day, with a convincing final
sprint from Lindsay Graham. Leon Horsnell was not far behind, sprinting
in small chain ring with legs pumping furiously.
Congratulations
to the overall winners from the grades: Christophe Barberet (A), Sean
Ifland (B), Mark Taylor (C), Geoff Strang (D), David Gunther (E), Jeff
Culnane (F) and Lindsay Graham (G).
This
year, the Gunning Showground was unavailable, so the Race Committee
provided an equivalent refreshment and temporarily one-armed club
president Alex O'Shea handed out medals and trophies, signalling the
conclusion of a most successful event.
Many
volunteers helped out, giving up their chance to ride. Sally Thompson
clocked up over 150 km escorting bunches up and down the Gunning -
Breadalbane road.
The
club is very appreciative of the efforts of: Alex O'Shea, Bill Frost,
Clare Darcy, Elton Ivers, Frank O'Sullivan, Henry Beaverstock, Jan
Koehler, Kathryn Passalis, Mary Lovett, Michael Hanslip, Nick Boylan,
Richard Bourne, Richard Gorell, Robert Langridge, Rosemary Robinson,
Ross Robinson, Sally Thomson and Vince Dunn.
And a special thanks to Bill Frost for race refereeing for the 2 days.