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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Lenny Hammond Memorial Handicap, September 2, 2006
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Walker takes the Lenny Hammond
By Mal Sawford
The 2006 edition of the Lenny Hammond Memorial Handicap was raced over the hilly Modella circuit in perfect twenty degree, blue sky weather. The field was split into seven bunches, with the scratch bunch facing an imposing thirty minute chase to catch the outmarkers before they completed the 78 kilometre journey. Peter Walker (12 minutes) claimed the prestigious win from a group of seven, a little over a minute ahead of fastest time winner Chris Winn, who blitzed the course in 1.51.07.
The limit bunch combined well for the first twenty kilometres, but split on the first climb to Ripplebrook when Richard Carnibella and Trent Morey set an impressive pace. The 23 minute bunch kept their rhythm much better when the climb started, and by the end of the first lap had erased almost five of their seven minute deficit.
Made up largely of first timers, the 17 minute bunch were no match for the group five minutes further back, led by inform riders Peter Walker, Neale Sturt, Mary Rogers (Kathy Watt’s Personal Training) and overall winner at the Ballarat Australian Cycling Grand Prix Briana James (The Freedom Machine). The experience showed as the 12 minute bunch blew past, and with a lap to travel had the 23 minute bunch in sight.
Things weren’t looking quite so rosy for the three back bunches. Approaching the hills for the final time, third scratch (8 minutes) were still four minutes adrift of Walker’s bunch despite the best efforts of Boon Chia (Inexa), Simon Vandestadt, Steve Morrow, Luke Mackenzie and Nick Palecek. The 4 minute ‘Croydon Cycleworks’ bunch were a minute further back, with scratch seemingly unable to close the final minute to the chopping block bunch.
Carnibella and fourteen year old Morey continued to work well until the turn halfway up the Ripplebrook climb, when Carnibella powered away. Morey chased hard and limited his losses until the steep descent, where his lack of weight saw him at a severe disadvantage and he quickly lost ground and was swept up by the Walker bunch.
Carnibella looked a certain winner as he started the final ten kilometres trek to the finish, but ran out of steam after his long solo effort and was chased down in sight of the final corner. Walker proved too quick in the dash to the line, coming off Trevor Cameron’s (aboc Cycle Coaching) wheel for a clear win. Neale Sturt held off a fast finish from James for third.
Back in the scratch bunch, the final steep incline at Heath Hill was the launch pad for Matt Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles), but his effort only served as a springboard for mountain bike star Chris Winn (Yeti) to dance past and set sail for home. Winn’s solo effort eventually saw him catch the second and third scratch bunches as they sprinted across the line battling for ninth place.
Next weekend, racing is at Casey Fields, with a retun to Modella for graded scratch races on September 16. CCCC’s final race for the winter season is also at Modella, when the club hosts the combined club and regional championships on July 23. Full details can be found at www.carnegiecycling.com.au.
Results, 78km
1 Peter Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) (12 mins) 2.19.52 2 Trevor Cameron (Blackburn) (12 mins) 3 Neale Sturt (Carnegie Caulfield) (12 mins) 4 Briana James (Carnegie Caulfield) (12 mins) 5 Michael Hay (Carnegie Caulfield) (12 mins) 6 Richard Fuesser (Carnegie Caulfield) (17 mins) 7 Gary Simondson (Carnegie Caulfield) (12 mins) 8 Richard Carnibella (Carnegie Caulfield) (30 mins) 0.11 9 Andrew Rolland (Blackburn) (4 mins) 1.15 10 Clint Van Beveren (Carnegie Caulfield) (4 mins) Fastest Time: Chris Winn (Dirt Riders) (Scratch) 2.21.07 Unplaced Junior: Trent Morey (Carnegie Caulfield) (30 mins) 2.21.43
