Results and Reports for March 23-26, 2002

Australia

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Eastern Suburbs Summer Criterium Series, Round 12 Finale

Heffron Park, Maroubra, March 26, 2002

King Spurge reigns again

The sun has set on another outstanding season of Tuesday night racing at Sydney's Heffron Park and Anthony Spurgeon, the undisputed king of this circuit has claimed overall victory in the 12 race, 2002 Trek Bikes Series.

But it wasn't all plain sailing for King Spurge as the season's smallest field of only 12 A grade riders lined up to chase down a hyped up B grade field of 25 riders and a similar sized C grade field. With Masters guru Perry Hughes firing up the B grade field, it was going to take a supreme effort from the small A grade bunch to get up for line honours, but the gusty north easterly wind, which is the most difficult wind to master at Heffron, took all the puff out of the B grade challenge and the A grade bunch, driven by Trek riders Graeme Moffet and Brian Appleyard, had B grade wrapped up with 5 laps to go.

The sprint king competition for A & B grade riders was wrapped up by Todd Sinclair who managed to hang onto his 4pt lead by closing marking his nearest rival in the competition, Peter Carscadden. At 3 laps to go C grade were caught and despite a late attack from Liam Kelly, it was a matter of the series points being decided on the final sprint for the season.

Liam Kelly was again in the action as he lead the sprint out from the bottom corner, but it was the fast finishing Brian Appleyard who looked to have the best run to the finish line before King Spurge made his perfectly timed run on the left to claim his 3rd outright win of the season and the series lead.

Looking back over the 11 races of the series, 1 night was washed out, A grade were up for 6 wins of which King Spurge won 3 outright, placed 2nd in one and 3rd in two. A very consistent effort from someone who was struggling with post Bali holiday blues at the beginning of the summer.

So King Spurge rides off with the first prize of the Bontrager Race Lite wheelset, the same wheels which Lance used in the Milan - San Remo at the weekend. Check them – and Lance's bike – out here.

Once again, the Series boasted the toughest racing competition any rider could hope for as a constant stream of state, national and international riders used the racing to improve their form, stamp their authority or simply have some early season fun. Trek Bikes National Sales Manager, Graeme Moffett summed it up by saying "Trek Bicycles Australia is proud to sponsor the Trek Heffron Series, arguably the hardest club racing in NSW, if not Australia."

Big thank you's go to the Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club, especially Pat Johnston and Frank Conceicao; Fred and Helen Vela and the crew from Randwick Botany for the use of their clubrooms; Jenny Spurgeon for handling the race numbers and entry fees and for putting up with the late arrivals (Dr Bob!) and to our St John Ambulance man, Roy.

Thanks also to everybody who came and raced and everybody who came and watched, especially No 1 spectator Bernard and the Portugese tifosi.

Ride safely over winter, go hard and see you next summer.

Results

Overall
 
1 Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello) 
2 Brian Appleyard (Trek/Sydney) 
3 David Harrigen (Parramatta) 
4 Bart Hickson (Caravello) 
5 Liam Kelly (Easts) 
 
B Grade 
 
1 Trent Iliffe (Easts) 
  
C Grade 
 
1 Colin McDermott (Manly)
 
Trek Bikes Points score
 
1 Anthony Spurgeon       31
2 Charles Topfer         21
3 Jose Rodriguez         11
3 Brian Appleyard        11
4 Peter Carscadden       10
4 Steve Wooldridge       10
5 Luke Picton             7
5 David Stewart           7
5 Scott Ford              7
5 David Harrigen          7
6 Clive Hammerson         6
6 Liam Kelly              6
7 Alan Bozunovic          4
7 Mark Renshaw            4
7 Nathan Russell          4
7 Brent Jenkins           4
7 Chris Jenkins           4
7 Matthew Bazzano         4
8 Antonio Iannacito       3
8 Warren Doyle            3
8 Paul Duncan             3
9 Brendan Shipp           2
9 David Gowty             2
9 Paul Hanley             2
9 John Sunde              2
9 Dave Watkinson          2
9 Stewart Campbell        2
9 Bart Hickson            2
10 John Kenny             1
10 Paul Rowney            1
10 Campbell Kerr          1
10 Brent Dawson           1
10 Todd Sinclair          1
10 John Buckton           1
 
A/B Grade Sprint King
 
1 Todd Sinclair          58
2 Peter Carscadden       56
3 Bob Hampshire          41
4 Liam Kelly             25
5 Brent Jenkins          21
5 Adam Radford           21
6 Anthony Spurgeon       20
7 Charles Topfer         15
7 Matt Bazzano           15
8 Antonio Iannacito      12
9 M. Fleming             11
9 Brian Appleyard        11
10 Steve Williams         8
10 David Gowty            8
11 John Sunde             7
12 Steve Wooldridge       6
12 Jose Rodriguez         6
12 David Harrigen         6
12 John Kenny             6
13 Stuart Dangerfield     5
13 Paul Rowney            5
13 David Stewart          5
14 Josh Fleming           4
15 Wayne Anderson         3
15 Jono Davis             3
15 Danny Innazo           3
16 Greg Rule              2
17 Warren Doyle           1
17 Stewart Campbell       1
17 Paul Duncan            1
17 Nathan Jones           1
17 Mark Renshaw           1
17 David Johanson         1
17 Anthony Challinor      1
17 Mark Robertson         1
 
C Grade Points score
 
1 Clive Hammerson        30
2 Craig Dempsey          19
3 Alan Bozunovic          9
4 Luke Picton             5
4 Justin Case             5
4 Paul Duncan             5
4 Scott Ford              5
5 Chris Jenkins           4
6 Sean Vale               3
7 Roger Shackelton        1
7 Chris Young             1
7 John Percy              1