Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Dauphiné Libéré Photo ©: Sirotti |
Introduction to Track Racing - What's a Wheelrace? - Introduction to Six Day racing - UCI codes
Results and Reports for Australia
Promoters wishing to submit results should send them to cyclingnews
Carnegie Caulfield CC
50th Anniversary Caulfield Cup on Wheels & Cyclists' Reunion
Carnegie Velodrome, November 8, 2003
Nunan fends off strong field in Caulfield wheel race
By Mal Sawford
|
Newly elected Club Secretary Jodie Bowker, together with her father, and former Secretary Bill Bowker proposed a major carnival to open the track season and incorporate the 2003 staging of the prestigious Caulfield Cup on Wheels. After many hours of fantastic effort, their hard work was rewarded with a great field, a huge number of spectators, fantastic weather and great racing.
With former riders making the trip from as far as Queensland, the recently resurfaced Packer Park Velodrome was the venue for a full program of events, including a novel series of invitational Challenge matches, featuring past and present stars of the Club.
Four heats were needed to produce the final field for the $1000 Bob Jane T-Mart Caulfield Cup on Wheels. Multiple Paralympic and World Championship Gold Medallist Peter Homann (130 meters) held off back markers Cameron Wise (Pro-Motion Bicycles - 20m), Australian Junior Sprint Champion Shane Perkins (Scratch) and Doug Garley (Terry Hammond Cycles - 40m)to win the opening heat, held over four laps of the 368 meter outdoor velodrome.
Veteran middle marker Mike Goldie (140m) and Leon Sims (140m) qualified from heat two, along with current CCCC committee member Jenny Macpherson (Fitzroy Cycles - 150m) and Under 15 Australian Champion Lisa Friend (190m).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jonathan Nunan (100m) an Englishman who recently joined the host club was an impressive winner of heat three, ahead of Carl Jacobsen (140m), Daniel Strangio (130m) and New Zealander Ricky Hair (40m), with Scratch riders Barry Woods (ACR) and former Forges Wheelrace winner Warren Knevitt narrowly failing to qualify.
The final heat saw more middle markers proceed, with Frank Cipriano (120m) and Matt Jensen (Kennedy Cycle Fit - 120m) leading juniors Bill Prosser (180m) and Greg Nicholson (150m) through to the final.
Nunan's impressive ride saw him installed as a clear favorite for the final, despite the event being his first track race for a number of years. Nine of the sixteen finalists were concentrated between 120 meters and 150 meters, with four strong back markers facing a tough chase.
Nunan jumped across the twenty meter gap to the middle markers on the opening lap, but after catching the outmarkers the lead group's pace slowed, allowing the charging back markers a sniff of the win. Homann surged clear down the back straight as the back markers latched on at the bell, but Nunan had enough in reserve to sprint clear to take the win by two lengths. Matt Jensen and Mike Goldie passed the tiring Homann for second and third, with Hair's big effort leaving him just short of the big prize money.
Blackburn's Dale Reith (150m) took out the Junior Wheelrace over three laps, holding on by a length over Scratchmen Pete Johnstone (O'Mara Cycles) and Michael Downing (Le Tour Cycles), although the enthusiastic crowd would have preferred seven year old Jade Perez (300m) to get up! The plucky star in the making held her big lead for two long laps before running out of steam with half a lap to travel.
Support events included a sprinters Omnium featuring Shane Perkins, Cameron Wise and Tommy Nankervis (Fitzroy Cycles). Perkins took the honors in the Kieran and Flying 200 meter time trial giving him the overall win, with Wise taking the Sprint Derby with a surprise early attack to finish second overall on a countback from Nankervis.
Another highlight was the 40 lap Points Score for road bikes, the second such event held at the track. Jeremy Childs has recently moved to the area and found the race suited his attacking style well, taking a narrow points win over former Sun Tour rider David Sturt (Pro-Motion) and Michael Ford (Gran Prix Cycles), a silver medallist in the individual pursuit at the World Junior Track Championships. Pat Lane (Gran Prix) dominated the Junior Points race, winning every sprint.
Jenny Macpherson was too quick for Vanessa Crawford (Mainline Cyclesport), taking their Elite sprint series in straight heats, while Nicole Holt took out the B Grade Women's sprint Derby ahead of Louise Bourke and Ferne Walklate. Leon Sims (O'Mara) was in great form, taking out the Master's Derby ahead of Mike Goldie and Sandy Williamson.
Matt Jensen took out the B Grade Scratch race with a well timed throw at the line to turn the tables on Wheelrace winner Nunan, while Cameron Wise rode a great race to survive the fast, attacking pace of the A Grade Scratch, riding from the front to take out a good win ahead of Barry Wood and Warren Knevitt.
The 'Celebrity' Challenges also entertained the crowd, with Under 17 Australian Champion Tess Downing out sprinting former Club VP and father David in two straight heats. David James and Kurt Jensen squared up for a rematch of their Masters Titles Pursuit, with James taking the win this time, while super coach Paul Parker (Cycle Finesse) held off protégé Chris Weire in their standing start 1 lap dash.
The three generations sprint series between Bill Bowker and Grandson Grant Bowker-Bell saw some aggressive tactics from the older rider, with both riders winning a heat before the deciding race was abandoned in the interests of family unity!
The two up Kierin behind a traditional derny (driven by Daryl Perkins and which probably saw service at the inaugural Caulfield Cup on Wheels!) between CCCC Vice President Grant Jamieson and President Mal Sawford saw perhaps the closest finish of the day, with the judges making a very questionable decision in favor of the VP!
Thanks to all who contributed to the success of the day, organizer Jodie Bowker, officials Daryl Perkins, Mick Hollingworth and Bill Bowker, Mike Goldie, Hilton Clarke, Doug Garley and commentator extraordinaire Rob Crowe, chef Rob Licciardo and Wendy Ford, Margaret Lane, Anne Johnstone, Lorraine Collings and many others for their help with the canteen and raffles.
Results
Bob Jane T-Mart Caulfield Cup on Wheels, 1500m 1 Jonathan Nunan (Carnegie Caulfield) (100m) 2 Matt Jensen (Carnegie Caulfield) (120m) 3 Mike Goldie (Carnegie Caulfield) (140m) 4 Peter Homann (Carnegie Caulfield) (130m) Biggin & Scott Junior Wheelrace, 3 laps 1 Dale Reith (Blackburn) (150m) 2 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) (Scr) 3 Michael Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) (Scr) Pick-a-Part Aces Invitational Omnium 1 Shane Perkins (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 pts 2 Cameron Wise (Carnegie Caulfield) 7 3 Tommy Nankervis (Carnegie Caulfield) 7 Biggin & Scott Open Road Bikes 40 laps Points Score 1 Jeremy Childs (Footscray) 24 pts 2 David Sturt (Carnegie Caulfield) 21 3 Michael Ford (Carnegie Caulfield) 17 4 Ray Turner (Footscray) 12 Junior 9 lap Points Score 1 Patrick Lane (Carnegie Caulfield) 15 pts 2 Dale Reith (Blackburn) 9 3 David Corbett (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Women's Urban Environments Wholesale Nursery Challenge Omnium 1 Jenny Macpherson (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Vanessa Crawford (Carnegie Caulfield) COGS Café Masters Sprint Derby 1 Leon Sims (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Mike Goldie (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Sandy Williamson (Footscray) A Grade Scratch, 15 laps 1 Cameron Wise (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Barry Woods (Blackburn) 3 Warren Knevitt (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade Scratch, 12 laps 1 Matt Jensen (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Jonathan Nunan (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Leon Sims (Carnegie Caulfield) Women's Sprint Derby 1 Nicole Holt (Blackburn) 2 Louise Bourke (Blackburn) 3 Ferne Walklate (Carnegie Caulfield) COGS Café Masters Pursuit Challenge, 8 laps 1 David James (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Kurt Jensen (Carnegie Caulfield) BikeNOW Father/Daughter Sprint Challenge 1 Tess Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 David Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) O'Mara Cycles Grandfather/Grandson Sprint Challenge 1 Grant Bowker-Bell (Carnegie Caulfield) 1 Bill Bowker (Carnegie Caulfield) BikeNOW President/Vice President Keirin 1 Grant Jamieson (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Mal Sawford (Carnegie Caulfield) Rosstown Hotel Coaches 1 lap dash Challenge 1 Paul Parker (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Chris Weire (Carnegie Caulfield)
