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By Tony Horneman
Santa Claus made a special visit to Heffron Park, Maroubra on Saturday 22 December 2001, during the Annual Randwick Botany Cycling Club Pudding Races. Santa handed out Christmas gifts to the 20 junior riders after their criterium races, which started with Junior A Grade 10km Scratch Race. First place went to Keegan Aitchison, followed by Luke Cridland, Chris Jenkins and Michael Murdoch. The junior B Grade 10km Scratch Race was won by Thomas Murdoch with Mark Woodhouse second and Belinda Angwin third. The junior C Grade 10km Scratch Race was taken out by Pita Vea followed by Luke Davison and Jonathon Cridland. The U9 8km Scratch Race placings were Scott Harding, Adriano Maradini and Tayla Aitchison
The senior A Grade event was contested over 36km or 18 laps of the 2km Heffron Park circuit. Randwick Botany rider Shaun Higgerson and Eastern Suburbs rider Stewart Campbell broke away from the 6-rider A Grade bunch early in the race and worked together to maintained a 1000m lead until the final sprint. In a closely fought-out sprint, Higgerson finished first with Campbell on his wheel. The main bunch sprint saw Brent MacParland from Eastern Suburbs club claim third place with Nicos Demetriou and Patrick Jones in fourth and fifth places respectively. Placegetters in all grades received Lions Club Christmas Puddings.
Randwick Botany U17 riders Chris Jenkins and Robert Cater sprinted from the start gun and established a 100m lead over the 13-rider B Grade bunch by the end of the first lap. The bunch regrouped by lap 2 and stayed together for the remaining 30km. With 3 laps to go Georges Pappas attacked, but Luke Gowty stayed with him to fight out the final sprint to the finish line. Gowty crossed first, followed by Pappas and Clive Hammerson.
Peter Barnard did much of the work at the front of the 12-rider bunch, early in the 28km C Grade event. Randwick Botany riders Wayne Goold and U15 Luke Cridland made some strong breakaways during the race. Natasha Harrigan from the St George Cycling Club was well positioned leading into the final 400m sprint. Barnard took the lead and powered home to claim first place. Then followed an almost dead heat for second place between Andrew Stevenson and Tony Caruana. Cridland was fourth followed by Natasha Harrigan in fifth place.
Roy McGill from St. Johns Ambulance was on hand to treat riders after a fall during the D Grade 20km event. Minor abrasions were suffered by two riders. The remaining 14 riders completed the race with Jamie Guinan finishing first followed by Mireille Campbell (wife of Stewart Campbell who came second in A Grade) and Carlos Ghisolfi in third place. E Grade 16km event placings were Luke Davison, Gai Cridland and Scott Harding. F Grade 16km event was won by Kevin Blanchfield
Club racing returns to Heffron Park on Saturday 12 January 2002. Juniors start at 1.30pm and Seniors 2.30pm. Randwick Botany Cycling Club wishes all riders, their family and friends, and spectators a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. For more information please contact the club secretary Helen Vella on 02 9667 3307 or see the club website.
A Grade, 36km 1 Shaun Higgerson (Randwick Botany) 2 Stewart Campbell (Eastern Suburbs) 3 Brent MacParland (Eastern Suburbs) 4 Nicos Demetriou 5 Patrick Jones B Grade, 32km 1 Luke Gowty 2 George Pappas 3 Clive Hammerson C Grade, 28km 1 Peter Barnard 2 Andrew Stevenson 3 Tony Caruana 4 Luke Cridland 5 Natasha Harrigan (St. George) D Grade, 20km 1 Jamie Guinan 2 Mireille Campbell 3 Carlos Ghisolfi E Grade, 16km 1 Luke Davison 2 Gai Cridland 3 Scott Harding F Grade, 16km 1 Kevin Blanchfield
A Grade 10km Scratch Race 1 Keegan Aitchison 2 Luke Cridland 3 Chris Jenkins 4 Michael Murdoch B Grade 10km Scratch Race 1 Thomas Murdoch 2 Mark Woodhouse 3 Belinda Angwin C Grade 10km Scratch Race 1 Pita Vea 2 Luke Davison 3 Jonathon Cridland U9 8km Scratch Race 1 Scott Hardy 2 Adriano Maradini 3 Tayla Aitchison U9 2km Time Trial 1 Scott Hardy 2 Tayla Aitchison 3 Adriano Maradini