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Illawarra CC Scratch Race
December 21, 2003
No Sunday roll
Another good turn out of over forty riders participated in the 27km scratch races last Sunday. All grades had good numbers making for very competitive racing.
The blue ribbon A grade event wasn't for anyone just wishing to go out for a Sunday roll. Nearly every rider attacked at one time or another during the race. Luke Dale was very active as was Graham Rutter, Seth Collins, Craig Williams and Steve Franklin. Joe McDonnell in his first bunch race this year showed that he has plenty of condition and will be a danger when he gets a bit of speed back into the legs. With under 200m to the finish, it looked like anyone of six riders could take it out, but it was the speed of Morris that came to the fore crossing the line just in front of Dale and Williams.
A1 grade had plenty of people willing to swap the turns off, which made it very difficult for anyone to get away. There were a few attempts by Joe Pereira, Kirk Brown and Rob Calladine but they were short lived. Grant Law and Lionel Covington hardly missed a turn and filled many a gap. Daniel Silveri was riding his first A1 grade race and was having a few problems with the surges but got back on every time and then did a few turns. Law led the sprint out for a good win, and in a surprise it was Silveri who crossed the line in well deserved second place. Calladine rounded out the top three.
Fifteen riders started the B-grade event. The surges and attacks, started early by Mitch Harris, were to continue throughout the race mostly on the hills. The work was evenly shared by Dave Russell, Warren Poole, Emma Ringer, Peter Evans and Mark O'Keefe. Jason Johnson looked like he would gap the field before the final turnaround but was caught at Hooker Hill. There were more attacks in the final run back to the finish where, with less than a kilometre to go, a fall involving Lou Caruana and Tony Stephenson split the field into bike racers and first aiders. Of those who kept racing, the sprint was won by Mark O'Keefe, from Phil Jones and Paul Kaye. Neither of the fallen riders was badly hurt.
The C Grade event was a power and speed affair with Sal Caballo doing most of the work on the front dropping riders off the back one by one. At the finish it was Sally Watts who just sneaked past on the line to win from Caballo and Teegan Makowski with new rider Melinda Sharpe 12 seconds back.
Next week's race is a 27km handicap with group 5 marshalling. Anyone wishing to enter should contact Garry Doughty.
Results, 27 km
A-1 Grade 1 Grant Law (Illawarra) 41.38 2 Daniel Silveri (Illawarra) 3 Rob Calladine (Illawarra) 4 Keith Bennett (Illawarra) 5 Kirk Brown (Illawarra) 6 Jose Pereira (Illawarra) 7 Lionel Covington (Illawarra) 8 Richard Lorenc (Illawarra) 0.20 9 Brian Joyce (Illawarra) 0.30 10 Garry Doughty (Illawarra) 4.25 A Grade 1 Tim Morris (Illawarra) 38.18 2 Luke Dale (Illawarra) 3 Craig Williams (Illawarra) 4 Joe McDonnell (Illawarra) 5 Seth Collins (Sutherland Shire) 6 Graham Rutter (Hinchinbrook) 7 Steve Franklin (Illawarra) 0.19 8 Frank Tortorici (Illawarra) 2.04 9 Mark Walters (Sth Highlands) B Grade 1 Mark O'Keefe (Illawarra) 45.02 2 Philip Jones (Illawarra) 3 Paul Kaye (Illawarra) 4 Tim Devlin (Illawarra) 5 Justin Lathlean (Illawarra) 6 Jason Johnson (Illawarra) 7 Peter Evans (Illawarra) 8 Emma Ringer (Illawarra) 9 Dean Kelly (Nowra) 10 Patrick Delahunty (Illawarra) 11 David Russell (Illawarra) 12 Warren Poole (Illawarra) 13 Mitchell Harris (Illawarra) 2.00 DNF Tony Stephenson (Waratah Vets) DNF Lou Caruana (Illawarra) C Grade 1 Sally Watts (Sth Highlands) 46.36 2 Sal Caballo (Illawarra) 3 Teegan Makowski (Illawarra) 4 Melinda Sharpe (Illawarra) 2.12 5 Vince O'Dwyer (Illawarra) 3.24 DNF Andrew Telford (Illawarra)
