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2006 CQU Rockhampton Cup on Wheels
Queensland, Australia, January 20-21, 2006
Day 1 - Friday, January 20
Central Queensland University Rockhampton Cup on Wheels off to flying start
Team Cyclingnews 'ring-in' brings it home in the Madison
By John Michael Flynn in Rockhampton, Australia
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In what could only be described as a perfect climax to the first night of racing (both for the event promoters and the owner of this website!), the hometown combination of Cameron Jennings (Team Cyclingnews.com) and Grant Irwin claimed the honours in the feature Madison event at the 2005 Central Queensland Univsersity Rockhampton Cup on Wheels.
Going perfectly to script, the rain gods kept the tropical monsoon at bay just long enough for a full program of carnival racing as Central Queensland's cycling Mecca showed off its seemingly endless pool of homegrown talent.
Adorned in the Team Cyclingnews strip, Cam Jennings and his last minute 'ring-in' team-mate Irwin (Queensland Academy of Sport) would have been at short odds had bookmakers framed a market on the race.
Still, with talents lining up, including Jeff Hopkins of The U.S. Jittery Joe's team paired with his Junior World Champion brother Shaun, not to mention the Victorian-Tasmanian combination of Todd Wilksch and Darren Young, the Madison was never going to be one-way traffic.
Dash For cash
Figuring their opponents would chase the easy money during a series of impromptu sprints (sponsored on the run by participants in the crowd), Jennings and Irwin decided to take it easy during the first part of the race.
But it was a decision the pair would soon re-consider as the cash prize pool quickly rose.
"We weren't too concerned about the intermediate sprints, then we heard a few hundred dollars go up," Jennings told Cyclingnews.
"So we had a go at them, but really we wanted to just rest our legs for the first twenty or thirty and rip into it again."
And what better cyclist to be partnered with for the purpose of 'ripping into it' than Grant Irwin. At the end of eighty laps, the standout rider at the recent Queensland Track Championships once again produced superior leg speed as he brought it home from the final changeover.
"It was good, we waited for the lesser prizes to go, it ended up (Todd) Wilkschie and that were feeling it a bit," Irwin said.
Despite the tiring series of punishing sprints, brought on by intense crowd participation during the madison, Jennings was all smiles and several hundred dollars better off at race end.
His first victory for the year, putting a disappointing crash at last week's Australian Open Road Championships behind him.
"It's always good racing in front of a home crowd or a crowd in general," Jennings said. "Great to get a first win for the year for Cyclingnews."
Wilksch wins the keirin
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Earlier in the evening, the Men's Keirin brought the opposite result, with the inter-state visitors prevailing against a high quality field.
While Grant Irwin went into the final a warm local favourite after defeating Ryan Bailey in the same event here last year, Horsham's Todd Wilksch proved, on this occasion, the superior tactician.
When Irwin kicked with a lap to go, Wilksch decided not to panic, choosing just the right moment to counter attack.
"I was pretty happy with it, ended up coming away with a win," Wilksch told Cyclingnews post race.
"Grant rode well and I ended up coming over the top of him at the end; I thought I had a good wheel in Jeff Hopkins and Grunter (Irwin) went early at the bell lap, I was half expecting it anyway so I just laid off him and had the run at him."
The trip from Victoria to Queensland to contest the Rockhampton Cup on Wheels might be an epic journey, but it's one the Victorian has so far enjoyed.
"I come up with (Darren) Youngie from Tassie and Victoria," Wilksch said of the purpose for his trip.
"I'm a country lad myself from Victoria, it's always good to support the country carnivals, good to race somewhere different," he added.
Hogg wins one lap dash
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After giving it everything in the Keirin and the Madison, it seemed only a matter of time before Rockhampton's young gun sprinter, Jeremy Hogg, featured on the winners list at the Capricornia region's biggest carnival of cycling.
Despite feeling the obvious effects of fatigue after eighty tough Madison laps, the world junior team sprint medalist showed his blistering turn of pace was still there during the invitation one lap dash.
Hogg even surprised himself with the result, with his time shaving significant fractions off those set by Rockhampton club-mate Lachlan Plane and Canberra's Joel Stewart.
His improving track speed a possible form indicator for the National Championships where Hogg faces first class opposition in Western Australia's Scott Sunderland.
"Yeah, I hope to go good at Nationals," Hogg said while catching his breath after the sprint.
"Obviously I'm on track, going the right way."
Le Lay builds form ahead of nationals
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In the feature Women's event of the night, the twenty lap point score, Brisbane under 19 talent Courtney Le Lay provided one of the upsets of the carnival so far by defeating Rockhampton track endurance specialist Anouska Edwards.
Racing up a division against the senior women, Le Lay fought back hard after conceding the first sprint to Edwards. The Balmoral club cyclist, formerly of Mount Isa, then took the second sprint and finished second in the final sprint behind Rockhampton's Alex Bright. The overall result, a points victory and an important confidence booster heading into next week's National Track Championships in Adelaide.
"Went in there with a positive mind and racing with elite women, so I just tried to stick to their wheel," Le Lay said.
"I've gotta peak yet, I've got another week (of training) then I'll have another couple of days off before Nationals."
Le Lay's Balmoral club-mate Brodie Stewart also stood out during the first night of racing at the Rockhampton Cup on Wheels.
Already a national standard rider in the under 15 girls division, Stewart decided to take on the boys, many of whom had a tough time keeping up.
Another feature during the entertaining evening of racing was the close competition in the under 17 men's division. Brisbane's Sean Caskey finding a worthy opponent in emerging Cairns cyclist Ivan Cook.
A photo was required to split the decision in the under 17 men's scratch race, with Caskey just managing to edge out Cook by a tire width.
Big ticket events yet to come
The results from the opening night of racing at the Central Queensland University Rockhampton Cup on Wheels will give handicappers plenty to think about heading into tonight's signature events, the rich Rockhampton Cup on Wheels for men and the Capricornia Cup for Women.
Clear favourites are yet to emerge in the big ticket races, which have been sought after prizes since the inception of the Rockhampton Cup on Wheels carnival in 1960.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by John Flynn
- Cameron Jennings on the podium
- Lachlan Plane flying
- Jeremy Hogg shows blistering speed in the one lap dash
- Anouska Edwards in the womens points race
- Liz Georgouras (Bicisport)
- Alex Bright, Anouska Edwards and Courtney Le
- Matthew Wood enjoying the racing in Rockhampton
- Grant Irwin gets a push in the mens A Grade Hanidcap
- Ivan Cook challenging in the under 17 Men scratch race
- Sean Caskey in winning form
- Emerging talent Phillippa Hindmarsh
- Liz Georgouras off scratch in the womens handicap
- Courtney le Lay racing the Open Women
- The Men's Keirin heats
- Jeffrey Hopkins of team Jittery Joes
- Brodie Stewart racing the guys
- Christopher Hendy of Brisbane Broncos making Brodie Stewart work hard
- Grant Irwin and Jeff Hopkins go head to head
- Tucker time
- Tasmanian Darren Young sees the lighter side of another Robbie Williams look-a-like jibe
- Todd Wilksch too strong in the Keirin
- Cameron Jennings of team Cyclingnews
- Cameron Jennings gets a push from Harvey Mitton
- Cameron Jennings in motion during the Madison
- Jeff Hopkins going for the money in the Madison
- Darren Young in action during the madison
- Cameron Jennings
- The Hopkins brothers Jeff and Shaun teamed up in the madison
- Cameron Jennings racing on home turf
- Grant Irwin - a quality ring in for Team Cyclingnews
- John Forrest keeping the Canberra team in the race
- Winner Grant Irwin salutes the crowd
- Cameron Jennings and Grant Irwin
- Phillippa Hindmarsh
Results
U/19 Men Grade 1000m Handicap 1 Tyler Wright 2 Lachlan Plane 3 Joshua Edwards Men’s B Grade 1000m Handicap 1 Craig McLennan 2 Jason Paterson 3 Lindsay McMaster Men’s A Grade 1000m Handicap 1 Jeffrey Hopkins 2 Grant Irwin 3 Joel Stewart U/17 Men 10 Lap Scratch 1 Sean Caskey 2 Ivan Cook 3 Joel Callaghan U/17 Women 10 Lap Scratch 1 Phillippa Hindmarsh 2 Lucy Mosley 3 Sarah Edwards Tandem 8 Lap Scratch 1 Macfie B/Holmes B 2 J Edger/J Hickson 3 R Grant/P Martens Combined Women 1000m Handicap 1 Terese McAullife 2 Erin Stoklasa 3 Jacqui Klowss Masters A Grade Elimination 1 Grant Fraser 2 Byron Tucker 3 John Hickson Masters B Grade Elimination 1 Matt Sheild 2 Antony Lackey 3 Ron Hickson U/11 Combined Lap Dash Handicap 1 Aidan France 2 Callum France 3 Aaron Goodwin U/13 Combined Lap Dash Handicap 1 Taylah Jennings 2 Francesca Higgins 3 Melanie Plane Combined B Grade Kierin Heat 1 1 Lindsay McMaster 2 Steven Rynne Combined B Grade Kierin Heat 2 1 Jay Callaghan 2 Mathew Wood Combined B Grade Kierin Heat 3 1 Craig McLennan 2 Damien Harris Combined A Grade Kierin Heat 1 1 Todd Wilksch 2 Shaun Hopkins Combined A Grade Kierin Heat 2 1 Grant Irwin 2 Lachlan Plane Combined A Grade Kierin Heat 3 1 Jeffrey Hopkins 2 Joel Stewart U/15 Girls 8 Lap Scratch 1 Penelope O'Dea 2 Holly Dellow 3 Jessica Mckay U/15 Boys 8 Lap Scratch 1 Jordan Kerby 2 Brodie Stewart 3 Christopher Hendy Tandem Flying 200m time Trial 1 B Macfie/B Holmes 2 J Edger/J Hickson 3 R Grant/P Martens U/11 Combined 2 Lap Handicap 1 Callum France 2 Mathew Ross 3 Aaron Goodwin U13 Combined 2 Lap Handicap 1 Jordan Toyne 2 Alexandra O'Dea 3 Samuel Moore Combined B Grade Kierin Final 1 Mathew Wood 2 Lindsay McMaster 3 Jay Callaghan Combined A Grade Kierin Final 1 Todd Wilksch 2 Grant Irwin 3 Shaun Hopkins U/15 Girls 666m Handicap 1 Penelope O'Dea 2 Kelly Smith 3 Holly Dellow Tandem 3 Lap Handicap 1 B Macfie/B Holmes 2 J Edger/J Hickson 3 D Pollock/J Barnett U/17 1000m Handicap Final 1 Kai Zanchetta 2 Benjamin Moore 3 Sean Caskey U/11 Combined 2 Lap Scratch 1 Mathew Ross 2 Clayton Plane 3 Callum France U/13 Girls 5 Lap Scratch 1 Alexandra O'Dea 2 Francesca Higgins 3 Melanie Plane U/13 Boys 5 Lap Scratch 1 Alex Mckay 2 Jordan Toyne 3 Samuel Moore Masters 1600m Handicap Heat 1 1 Unknown 2 Unknown 3 Unknown Masters 1600m Handicap Heat 2 1 Unknown 2 Unknown 3 Unknown Combined Men 1600m Handicap Heat 1 1 Unknown 2 Unknown 3 Unknown Combined Men 1600m Handicap Heat 2 1 Unknown 2 Unknown 3 Unknown U/15 Combined 1000m Handicap 1 Penelope O'Dea 2 Kelly Smith 3 Lachlan Capern Masters 1600m Handicap Final 1 Grant Fraser 2 Ron Hickson 3 John Hickson Combined Women 1600m Handicap Final 1 Jacqui Klowss 2 Anouska Edwards 3 Le Courtney Lay Combined Men 1600m Handicap Final 1 Joel Stewart 2 Grant Irwin 3 Lindsay McMaster 1 Lap Dash Invitational 1 Jeremy Hogg 2 Lachlan Plane 3 Joel Stewart U/17 Men 24 Lap Point Score 1 Sean Caskey 2 Ivan Cook 3 Kai Zanchetta Madison 1 Grant Irwin/Cameron Jennings (Cyclingnews) U/17 Women 12 Lap Point Score 1 Phillipa Hindmarsh 2 Sarah Edwards 3 Zoe Appel Masters C Grade 10 Lap Scratch 1 Antony Lackey 2 Matt Sheild 3 Gregory Chiverton Masters B Grade 10 Lap Scratch 1 Ron Hickson 2 Paul Wroe 3 Billy Wright Masters A Grade 15 Lap Scratch 1 Grant Fraser 2 John Hickson 3 Byron Tucker Combined Women 20 Lap Point Score 1 Courtney LeLay 2 Anouska Edwards 3 Alexandra Bright Combined Men 20 Lap Scratch 1 Jason Corset 2 Craig Mclennan 3 Jason Patterson
