2000 Results Day 1 Day 2 Past winners
By Rod Morris
American track star Jame Carney continued his love affair with the Basslink Tasmanian Carnival Series with immediate success on the opening day. Carney (33) produced an explosive burst of speed when it counted most to edge out Tasmanian scratchman Darren "Dasher" Young in a nervously close finish of the A. J. Clarke & Sons 2000 m Handicap Wheelrace.
This prestigious wheel has been kind to scratchmen in recent years with Carney becoming the third "backie" in a row to win, following on from Young in 1999 and Sydney gold medal Olympian Brett Aitken last year. "I have made the final of the AJ Clarke every year I have raced in Tasmania and am aware of the importance riders place on this race," Carney said.
Carney is the reigning Burnie Wheelrace champion and would now dearly love to add the Latrobe Wheel to his list of credits. However, Carney will have to come the second round of heats as Young turned the tables on the American in yesterdays (Dec. 26) opening round heats.
"Not qualifying through round one might be a blessing, because I need all the hard racing I can get," Carney said. "I caught pneumonia after a Six-Day race in Zurich and I am now only just recovering."
In the sprint to the line in the AJ Clarke, Carney pipped Young by the barest possible margin with exciting young Launceston rider Abram Manion snatching third place.
Winners of the opening round heats of the Latrobe Wheel included Clarke, sentimental home town hero Nathan Clarke, three in-form Tasmanian youngsters, Ben Elliott, Jarrod Burr and Jason Johnson and a "smokey" from New South Wales, Warren Doyle, who is making his first trip to the Tasmanian Carnivals since 1995.
The 16 km A Grade Scratch threw up the first real surprise of the Carnivals, with former Burnie Wheel winner Robert Wilson upsetting the favourites to win from big American Mike Tillman and topline Italian Adriano Baffi - who had only stepped off a plane from his home country the night before.
This photo kindly supplied by Lynne Ryan
Holymans Latrobe Wheelrace heat winners Nathan Clarke (scr) Darren Young (scr) Warren Doyle (135 m) Jason Johnson (290 m) Jarrod Burr (240 m) Ben Elliott (225 m) A. J. Clarke & Sons Handicap 1 Jame Carney (scr) 2 Darren Young (scr) 3 Abram Manion (80) Other finalists Nathan Clarke (scr) Danny Day (20) Robert Wilson (40) Sean Sullivan (90) Michael Skeggs (110) Keiichi Maruyama (120) Bill Robertson (130) Makoto Tanabe (130) Nathan Seage (140) Jason Johnson (150) Masashi Aoki (160) Jarrod Burr (160) Ryan Sullivan (170) Andrew Loft (170) Ron Crawford (180) Heat winners Darren Young Jarrod Burr Robert Wilson Ryan Sullivan Jason Johnson Sean Sullivan Basslink International Invitational Keirin Series Heat 1 1 Ryan Bayley 2 Mark French 3 Kouji Yoshii 4 Brent Dawson Heat 2 1 Shane Kelly 2 Jeff Hopkins 3 Ashley Hutchinson 4 Danny Day A Grade 16,000 m Scratch 1 Robert Wilson 19.57.25 2 Mike Tillman 3 Adriano Baffi D Grade Scratch 1 Jarrod Burr 6.08.33 2 Andrew Rix 3 Ron Crawford E Grade Scratch 1 Tim Chiverton 6.25.94 2 Adrian Morrisby 3 Jason Johnson F Grade Scratch 1 Michael Wood 6.55.28 2 Katrina Purcell 3 Trent Deacon Women's Scratch Race 1 Belinda Goss 4.02.47 2 Kristine Bayley 3 Tanya Lindenmuth Junior 3 1000 m Handicap 1 Kaidan Murfett (110) 1.22.15 2 Carrie Price (80) 3 Matthew Laskey (130) Junior 2 1000 m Handicap 1 Sean Oliver (100) 1.17.03 2 Aaron Jones (130) 3 Natasha Mapley (90) Junior 1 1000 m Handicap 1 Cameron Flint (70) 1.15.22 2 Kirby Piscioneri (90) 3 Ron Tregurtha (80) Junior 3 Scratch 1 Alex Holden 2.12.84 2 Thomas Robinson 3 Carrie Price Junior 2 Scratch 1 Ben Fielding 4.23.14 2 John Rayner 3 Jarrod Harman Junior 1 Scratch 1 Matthew Goss 7.22.24 2 Ty Winduss 3 Wesley Sulzberger
By Rod Morris
He's only 18, but his knowledge of the Latrobe Wheel extends to the basis that it is one of the most prestigious handicap wheelraces, not just in Australia, but indeed the world.
That is Queenslander Aaron Kemps' description of the time honoured Latrobe Wheel - which for yesterday (Dec. 27) was run for the 105th time. Kemps is now no stranger to Tasmanian cycling, as he has competed in the Tassie Carnival Series for the last four years and before his Latrobe Wheel win, his best effort was a fourth behind Matthew Gilmore in the 1999 final.
"This race means so much to me, its not just about the prizemoney, it really is the prestige of the race, its tradition, its history and its purpose," Kemps said. "The Latrobe Wheel is known the world over and although I am only 18, I have been in other countries and a lot of riders ask about its history."
Kemps was among a small but elite handful of "expert" selections for the Latrobe Wheel and produced the goods from his 120 m handicap. "I was a little surprised with my starting mark, but no doubt I will pay the penalty for it," Kemps added.
In a bold sprint to the finish line, Kemps beat home another pre-race fancy, Warren Doyle, who rode from 135 m. Kemps and Doyle were part of a well-oiled group of eight middle markers who were always going to make it hard for the six scratchmen who made the final - the best of whom proved to be hometown heroes, Darren Young (4th) and Nathan Clarke (5th).
Exeter youngster Caleb Manion took third and he was also part of that group of middle markers. Interestingly enough, Tasmanian Cycing Federation commissaires, fined Mark Jamieson, Mike Tillman, Sean Sullivan and New Zealander Hamish Wright $50 each for various infringements in the final.
The 8000 m A Grade Scratch was boosted to a $4200 event - arguably the richest of its kind in Australasia. Former Olympian Shane Kelly took the first prize of $3000, but some riders were offered the opportunity to take a $100 lap prize...it may prove to be their biggest pay cheque for the week.
Kelly also took first round points in the Basslink Invitation Keirin Series, while Keiichi Maruyama became the first ever visiting Japanese rider to win a major/minor wheelrace when he scored success in the Patron's 1000 m Lightning Handicap.
Holymans $12,000 Latrobe Wheelrace 1 Aaron Kemps (120) 3.15.45 2 Warren Doyle (135) 3 Caleb Manion (120) 4 Darren Young (scr) Other finalists Nathan Clarke (scr) Gareth Atkins (scr) Adriano Baffi (scr) Jame Carney (scr) Jeff Hopkins (scr) Ashley Hutchinson (30) Robert Wilson (60) Marcus Kammerman (75) Tim Decker (90) Mike Tillman (90) Abram Manion (120) Hamish Wright (120) Sean Sullivan (135) Mark Jamieson (150) Sion Jones (150) Ben Elliott (225) Jarrod Burr (240) Simon Elliott (255) Ron Crawford (270) Jason Johnson (290) Basslink Invitational International Keirin Series 1 Shane Kelly 11.80 (last 200 m) 2 Ryan Bayley 3 Jeff Hopkins 4 Mark French Other finalists Danny Day Kouji Yoshii Ashley Hutchinson Brett Dawson Patrons 1000 m Lightning Handicap 1 Keiichi Maruyama (60) 1.04.08 2 Brendan Geale (60) 3 Andrew Taylor (75) Other finalists Shane Kelly (scr) Aaron Kemps (40) Warren Doyle (45) Mark Jamieson (50) Paul Atkinson (55) Todd Parnell (55) Joby Ingram-Dodd (65) Makoto Tanabe (65) Daniel Newnham (65) Yasuharu Kawai (70) Nathan Seage (70) Luke French (75) Andrew Rix (85) Andrew Loft (85) Jason Johnson (95) A Grade Elimination 1 Shane Kelly 2 Jame Carney 3 Todd Wilksch Womens Wheelrace 1 Louise Yaxley (30) 2.36.80 2 Emily Williams (25) 3 Belinda Goss (scr) A Grade Scratch 1 Shane Kelly 9.53.58 2 Jeff Hopkins 3 Todd Wilkch B Grade Scratch 1 Warren Doyle 5.55.02 2 Caleb Manion 3 Bernard Sulzberger C Grade Scratch 1 Andrew Taylor 5.57.06 2 Makoto Tanabe 3 Joby Ingram-Dodd Juniors Junior 1 2000 m Wheelrace 1 Daniel Cameron (80) 2.34.71 2 Matthew Goss (scr) 3 Ty Winduss (40) Junior 2 2000 m Wheelrace 1 Sean Oliver (200) 2.42.95 2 Aaron Jones (260) 3 Nathan Jones (70) Junior 3 1000 m Wheelrace 1 Carrie Price (80) 1.24.36 2 Edward Robinson (100) 3 Clay Murfett (100) Junior 1 Scratch 1 Matthew Goss 7.37.15 2 Ty Winduss 3 Jason Bellchambers Junior 2 Scratch 1 Ben Fielding 4.16.54 2 John Rayner 3 Matthew Bonham Junior 3 Scratch 1 Alex Holden 2.09.58 2 Hugh Williams 3 Sarah Eaves
2000 Grant Young