Results and Reports for February 16

Carnegie-Caulfield Criterium

Melbourne, Australia, February 15, 2000

Courtesy of Mark Chadwick

A splendid, warm evening at Waverley Park in Mulgrave saw 150 starters compete in the popular graded criterium that runs throughout daylight savings. The report lacks detail today due to your correspondent being involved with the care of a spectator who collapsed late in the A and B race.

A grade’s 25 riders rode hard, 21 in pursuit of the successful break that went before half distance. Robert Tighello, Hilton Clarke jnr, James Taylor and Ashley Goewie worked solidly to achieve a lead of 35 seconds that they held till the end. No concerted effort from the chasers, solo attempts to bridge came to nothing. The final sprint saw Tighello win from track star Clarke by a tyre’s width, with Taylor third and Goewie fourth.

A late break in B grade managed to survive by a small margin. Five slipped away in the dying laps and the efforts of the remainder of the 46 starters to reel them back failed. A strong female presence included the reappearance of Anna Wilson (Saturn), along with Karen Barrow, Liz Tadich and Priska Doppman (Master-Molteni) all active throughout. Wilson animated more than one escape attempt. The final placings going to the late break, first Matt Heath from Austral placegetter John Maddern, Brett Morton and Rob Tidey.

Early attacking in C grade had a few riders in trouble, then the race settled into tempo as the 52 starters looked to the sprint. Stuart Campbell took the win in a hurly-burly sprint that could have seen any of ten riders win. Mark Kensitt was awarded second over Ron Gallagher and Jason Lobascher.

D grade witnessed repeated attempts at escape in the course of the race. Often strung out, the group managed to reel back each attempt and a field sprint ensued. Brendan Gaffey victorious from John Jones in his first placing in two years, veteran Bill Dove third ahead of Tony Gill.

The cyclingnews.com club events page drew a number of interested spectators - Bruce from Monash Uni Economics Dept. among them. An acquaintance of Bill Mitchell from his time at Monash, Bruce read of our racing and has decided to give it go himself. We are grateful for the opportunity provided by cyclingnews.com and wholeheartedly recommend the listing to all clubs.

Results

A GRADE 25 Starters 60 minutes + 3 laps

1 Robert Tighello 
2 Hilton Clarke jnr
3 James Taylor
4 Ashley Goewie

B GRADE 46 Starters 60 minutes + 3 laps

1 Matt Heath
2 John Maddern
3 Brett Morton
4 Rob Tidey

C GRADE 52 Starters 40 minutes + 3 laps

1 Stuart Campbell 
2 Mark Kensitt
3 Ron Gallagher
4 Jason Lobascher

D GRADE 27 Starters 35 minutes + 3 laps

1 Brendan Gaffey
2 John Jones
3 Bill Dove
4 Tony Gill

Heffron Park Criteirum

Sydney, Australia, February 15, 2000

Courtesy of David Langley

After another wet Sydney morning the weather cleared for the weekly 15 lap handicap out at Maroubra's Heffron Park. Within the B-grade bunch, pre-race banter focussed on the humiliating fact that C-grade actually stayed away and took the honours the previous week...most unusual this season. This was not going to happen again!

At about half distance, C-grade were firmly within our sights, but then the rot started and complacency set in. Primes at 8, 5 and 3 laps to go didn't help the cause either, as they were laps in which C-grade managed to hold their ground. With A-grade closing rapidly most were then content to let the big boys do the work (this is why we are still B-graders, right!). A-grade took up the chase with two laps remaining, but it looked like the C-graders might do it again. However, the hammer was down, and timing it as only they know how, the big motors caught C within the last lap and took the honours. Stuart Campbell from Eastern Suburbs managed to hold off Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello) and Liam Kelly (Easts) for the win, increasing his overall lead in the series.

Results

Overall

1. Stuart Campbell (Easts)
2. Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello)
3. Liam Kelly (Easts)
4. Ben Litchfield (Bicisport)
5. Graham Moffett (Manly)

B Grade

John Sunde (St George)

C Grade

C. Howe (B.R.A.T.)