Gray caps the year off with victory
Kyle Gray continued his sterling season when claiming the NBS Ashburton, Tinwald Cycling Club championship title on Sunday, raced over 64km around the Wakanui Beach block.
The mass start event saw overall and age group titles up for grabs, ensuring some tough racing.
Gray and a select group of 6 riders made the break at the 12km mark and continued on to cover the distance in 91.09
Sam Baltrop produced an eye catching ride to secure second place overall and in doing so take the senior men’s ribbon.
Larry Neal will be happy with his ride after a short lay off, charging into third place.
Fourth place getter Thomas Audeau lifted the under 19 trophy and title, with the ever present Steve Caldwell delivering his trade mark tough ride to take fifth place and vet 3 men’s honours.
Monique Brake build on her recent top track results with a strong ride to claim the overall women’s championship title.
Marcel Smithers was hot on her heels to secure the second place women’s spoils.
Emma Waite having her first season of racing dug deep to secure third women home honours and senior women’s ribbon.
Basil Audeau finished the race of strongly to secure the vet 2 men’s title.
Tony McManus continues to impressive with another top shelf effort to see him claim the vet 4 men’s spoils and take out the sealed handicap cup.
Liz Wylie again showed her determination to lift the vet 4 woman’s title.
Junior Club honours were also up for the taking over 16km distance.
Jack Gorrie had a day to remember breaking clear in the final 5km to take the victory and Club Championship honours.
Zac Brookland pushed him to the line to secure second place.
Third place getter Thomas Stevenson had his best race of the season to take the third place spoils, getting home over fourth place getter Connor Spillane in a sprint finish.
Louie Audeau was hot on their tails in fifth.
Charlotte Neal again produced a great ride to lift the u15 girls championship title.
The Club takes a break over the festive season and will be back on 8 January 2023, with a 36km handicap event around the Winchmore Church block.
O’Donnell makes flying visit
Former Tinwald Cycling Club member and now UCI Continental rider Bailey O’Donnell led home the field in Tinwald Cycling Club’s, McIntosh Group, 60km handicap event around the Blackbridge block on Sunday.
O’Donnell had to work hard for his win, pushed too the line in a sprint finish with fellow back marker Kyle Gray.
O’Donnell recorded the fastest time of the day riding the course in 82.49.
Kristine Marriott produced a top shelf effort to secure third place and also lift the first women home Cup that bares the name of her father, Chris Ward.
Tony McManus continued his great patch of form with a solid fourth place.
Cole Harris and Rob Campfes rounded out the top six.
Riders also had to content with warm summer conditions that caused tar on a stretch of the road to melt to a point that close to half the field was unable to complete the race due to a built up of tar on the wheels.
The juniors contested a 20km handicap event.
Leah Reid continued her great run of strong results with another top ride to take the victory and major spoils.
Isabel Wall was game in her charge to the line to secure second place.
Zac Brookland claimed third place and also recorded fastest time honours, riding the distance in 36.07.
Charlotte Neal rode well to take fourth place.
Next week the Club will contest one of its blue ribbon events, the Club Championships around the Wakanui Beach block.
O’Brien digs deep
Despite the winter type conditions on Sunday a hardy field of riders contested Tinwald Cycling Clubs, Aaron Stewart Memorial, McDonalds Family Restaurant, 48km handicap event around the Grahams Road block.
Brad O’Brien revelled in the conditions riding strongly with his co-markers to stay away form the chasing bunch by the barest of margins to secure the win.
Estelle Arundell will be pleased with her first start, taking the second place spoils with an equally tough ride.
Basil Audeau led in the chasing group to step onto the final podium position.
Frequent Christchurch visitor Quinten Lawler charged into fourth place.
Nigel Chatterton and Paul Summerfield rounded out the top six.
Scratch marker Thomas Audeau rode the course in 72.03, to lift fastest time honours.
Co-markers Tony Ward and Kyle Gray secured second and third time.
The juniors contested a 16km handicap event.
Zoe Spillane was rewarded for a great ride to take the major spoils, securing victory and taking fastest time honours, riding the distance in 27.28.
The ever consistent Louie Audeau stormed into second place with Cooper Spillane hot on his heels in third place.
Next week the Club will contest a 60km handicap event around the Blackbridge block.