Rosebery Athletic Club Carnival - NE

Tasmania, Australia, December 20, 2003

2002 results Results

Atkins turns back time

From Rod Morris in Rosebery

Matthew Atkins turns back time in the Rosebery Wheelrace
Photo ©: Shane Goss/CN

Former Austral Wheel champion Matthew Atkins has turned back the clock to regain peak form on the eve of the Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals.

Atkins won the 47th annual Rosebery Wheel, emulating the performance of his father Grant and his younger brother Gareth as champions of the West Coast. Grant, who is also the chairman of the Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania, won the Rosebery Wheel in 1977 and 1979 and Gareth, was successful in 1998 and 1999.

Matthew Atkins was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome four years ago and has only recently been able to overcome the illness and return to the saddle. He won the Rosebery Wheel in fine style, ahead of Launceston based rider Karl Menzies, with reigning Launceston Wheel titleholder Brendan Geale not far away in third place. American Becky Conzleman raised the flag for the female riders, by taking fourth place in the Rosebery Wheel.

Matthew Atkins enjoyed a great day on the West Coast, as he also won the B Grade Scratch, finished second to Ben Price in the 1000 metre Lightning Handicap and claimed third behind American Jame Carney and Matt Goss in the final of the Derby. Another American, Sarah Hammer, scored a classy win in the Invitational Women's Rosebery Wheel, just ahead of former Devonport - now Launceston - rider Belinda Goss. Devonport teenager Natasha Mapley was third after racing against the senior women on restricted Under 17 gearing.

Four scratchmen and six internationals competed at the Rosebery Carnival, which was one of the most successful in recent years. More than once the Carnival has been plagued by wet weather but on Saturday, the sun was beaming for the entire programme, ensuring good racing in humid conditions.

Juniors were well catered for at Rosebery with wheelraces, lightning handicaps and scratch events. Winners of the respective age group Rosebery Wheels included Ben Laskey (Under 17), Clay Murfett (Under 15) and David Lyons (Under 13).

The Rosebery Carnival is the last open meeting before the prestigious and time-honoured Tasmanian Carnivals, which will start at Latrobe on Boxing Day and continue with the Launceston Silverdome on December 28, the two-night Devonport Carnival on December 29-30 and the famous Burnie New Year's Day Carnival. Post Christmas, the carnival action will continue in Tasmania with Hobart (Jan. 4), Mersey Valley (Jan. 11) and St Helens (Jan. 17).

Photography

Images by Shane Goss/Cyclingnews.com/www.licoricegallery.com

And bikes as well!
The Rosebery ground is situated right in the heart of the rugged Tasmanian west coast, but there's nothing rugged about this scenic little oval.
Wouter Van Mechlen from Belgium, a team-mate of former Tasmanian Matthew Gilmore, will make an appearance at the Carnivals over Christmas.
Riders make their way down the back straight.
American Becky Conzelman in action at Rosebery, getting a feel for handicap racing.
Matthew Atkins (R) and Jame Carney (C) in the thick of it.
Carrie Price, daughter of ex-track star Craig Price, continues the family tradition at Rosebery.
Samantha Hellyer of Launceston, part of the growing rank of female cyclists,
Junior riders in the centre of the track have their gears measured to make sure all are pushing the same gear ratio.
He's only little, but David Lyons from Launceston has a great turn of speed.
Sarah Barnes gets a helping hand from Tasmanian champion Mark Jamieson of TIS/Cylingnews.
American Kevin Belz in Tassie for his first Christmas Carnival series.
Gui Nelessen of the USA in action at Rosebery Carnival.
Mark Jamieson (TIS/Cyclingnews) back on the track after a couple of hard months on the road.
American David Wiswell appearing at his first Tasmanian Christmas Carnival series.
Sarah Hammer of the USA puts the hammer down at Rosebery.
Matt Goss (TIS/Cyclingnews) awaits the start to a four-lap derby at Rosebery.
Riders gather on the oval at Rosebery for a briefing prior to the day's racing.
Under 15 rider David Lyons powers to the line to score another victory at Rosebery.
Matthew Atkins, winner of the 2003 Rosebery Wheelrace
The placegetters from the women's Rosebery Wheelrace - (L to R) Belinda Goss (2nd), Sarah Hammer (1st) and Natasha Mapley (3rd).
Matthew Atkins crosses the line to win the Rosebery Wheelrace from Karl Menzies and Brendan Geale.
There is plenty of shade on offer at Rosebery with trees keeping the harsh west coast sun off the riders' backs.
Sarah Hammer explains to her American team-mates how she won the Hydro Tasmania Invitation Women's Wheelrace
Sarah Hammer of the USA crosses the line first from Belinda Goss and Natasha Mapley to win the women's wheelrace.
Riders pass the Rosebery football ground scoreboard during racing at the Rosebery carnival.
Wouter Van Mechlen of Belgium happy to be in Tasmania for the Christmas Carnival series.
The scratchmen - (L to R) Darren Young, Wouter Van Mechlen, Nathan Clarke and Jame Carney before their heat of the Rosebery Wheel.
Belinda Goss (TIS/Cyclingnews) is all smiles at Rosebery.
Belinda Goss (TIS/Cyclingnews, C) shows Becky Conzelman of the USA (top) the way to go before the start of the women's wheelrace.
Junior riders relax in front of the old scoreboard while some peers flash past.
The Rosebery Carnival has that picnic atmosphere about the place.
Old-timers would say in days gone by, this crate of cans and stubbies would have been full by midday; the miners from the west coast supported the carnivals at Rosebery and Queenstown, often throwing money onto the track to encourage the riders.
A picturesque view of the Rosebery ground and grandstand from the hill.
Riders whizz down the back straight at Rosebery, with a section of the crowd sheltered from the harsh sun.
Junior riders get the bell lap from a junior lap scorer!
Jame Carney from the USA makes his sixth apperance at the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals.
Becky Conzelman of the USA is hoping to qualify for the pursuit and points race for the Athens Olympic Games.

Results

Rosebery Wheelrace, 2000m
 
1 Matthew Atkins (150)          2.11.38
2 Karl Menzies (80)
3 Brendan Geale (70)
4 Becky Conzleman (260)
 
Invitation Women's Rosebery Wheelrace
 
1 Sarah Hammer (scr)
2 Belinda Goss (scr)
3 Natasha Mapley (60)
4 Becky Conzleman (scr)
 
Open Lightning Handicap
 
1 Ben Price (70)                1.06.20
2 Matthew Atkins (75)
3 Kevin Belz (30)
4 Ryan Johnson (70)
 
Invitational A Grade Miss & Out
 
1 Darren Young
2 Nathan Clarke
3 Wouter Van Mechlen
 
Rosebery Derby
 
1 Jame Carney                     12.44 (last 200m)
2 Matt Goss
3 Matthew Atkins
4 Wouter Van Mechlen
5 Andrew Loft
6 Gui Nelessen
 
A Grade Scratch
 
1 Jame Carney                   9.32.10
2 Nathan Clarke
3 Karl Menzies
4 Brendan Geale
 
Lap prizes: Matt Goss (2), Brendan Geale (2), Darren Young (1)
 
B Grade Scratch
 
1 Matthew Atkins                6.00.78
2 Ben Price
3 Ryan Johnson
4 Wes Sulzberger
 
C Grade Scratch
 
1 Colin Barnes                  6.00.78
2 Dwayne Smith
3 Matthew Sydes
4 Ty Winduss
 
Junior 1 Lightning Handicap
 
1 Ben Laskey (100)              1.12.04
2 Natasha Mapley (100)
3 Grace Sulzberger (100)
 
Junior 2 Lightning Handicap
 
1 Tom Robinson (scr)            1.17.66
2 Clay Murfett (20)
3 Alex Holden (20)
4 Samantha Hellyer (70)
 
Junior 3 Lightning Handicap
 
1 Jake Laskey (70)
2 Matt Laskey (30)
3 Karissa Ling (50)
4 Jacob Fielding (50)
 
Junior 1 Rosebery Wheelrace
 
1 Ben Laskey (200)              2.32.49
2 Natasha Mapley (200)
3 Grace Sulzberger (200)
4 Jarrod Harman (20)
 
Junior 2 Rosebery Wheelrace
 
1 Clay Murfett (40)             2.41.61
2 Alex Holden (40)
3 Brenden Sutton (100)
4 Samantha Hellyer (140)
 
Junior 3 Rosebery Wheelrace
 
1 David Lyons (70)              1.28.95
2 Jake Laskey (70)
3 Jacob Fielding (50)
4 Karissa Ling (50)
 
Junior 1 Scratch
 
1 Jarrod Harman                 5.26.03
2 John Rayner
3 Ben Fielding
4 Aaron Jones
 
Junior 2 Scratch
 
1 Clay Murfett                  4.45.70
2 Alex Holden
3 Tom Robinson
4 Brenden Sutton
 
Junior 3 Scratch
 
1 Ed Robinson                   4.12.22
2 David Lyons
3 Matthew Laskey
4 Brandon Stewart