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George Town Cycling Club Carnival

November 7, 2002

Johnsons jumping for joy

By Rod Morris in George Town

The early season form of the Johnson boys - Michael and Ryan - continued at the annual George Town Cycling Club Carnival at the weekend.

Michael, from Burnie captured the attention of all with a solid win in the Scott Dustan Memorial Wheelrace, while the Launceston based Ryan (no relation to Michael) won both the 1000m Lightning Handicap and the B Grade Scratch. The pair now hold an early lead in Cycling Tasmania's Rider-of-the-Carnivals award for the 2002-03 summer season.

With little depth in true backmarkers to worry about, Michael Johnson had to watch the antics of his fellow middlemarkers in the George Town Wheel final. Riding from 190m, Johnson settled into an early rhythm with David Oliver, Kharne Hammersley, Nathan Hingston, Ryan Johnson and veteran Laurie Venn.

With the pace increasing over the last 600m, it was Oliver who made the most significant move, but Michael Johnson was right on his wheel and found something extra in the final lunge to the line. Talented youngster Matthew Goss flashed home for third, just ahead of 80 m backmarker Karl Menzies.

Menzies, a former triathlete, who is now better known as a road rider, showed his undoubted class in the 30-lap A Grade Scratch. He hit out at the very start of the race and was away on his own for the first 12 laps before settling back in the peloton.

Menzies hit out again at 10 to go and then again a lap before the bell, leaving others in his wake. Wes Sulzberger and Matthew Goss, two 16-year-olds who have opted to leave junior ranks three months early and try their hand in open ranks, finished second and third respectively.

The Open Keirin final produced a real blast from the past with Laurie Venn, a dual winner of the famed Austral Wheel, edging out 1984 Olympic Gold medal team pursuit champion, Michael Grenda. Also in the Keirin final was 60-year-old Fred Guilbert, a former winner of both the Devonport Wheelrace and the now defunct Tasmanian Thousands Wheel.

In junior racing, wheelrace winners included Nathan Jones (J1), Will Robinson (J2) and Bethany Coleman (J3). The next major event on the Tasmanian cycling calendar will be the revamped Ulverstone Criterium. Originally scheduled for Friday, December 13, the Ulverstone Crit. will now be held the following day, starting at 2.30pm.

Results

Open 2000m Wheelrace
 
1 Michael Johnson (190)
2 David Oliver (160)
3 Matthew Goss (120)
4 Karl Menzies (80)
5 Brendan Geale (100)
6 Laurie Venn (160)
 
Open 1000m Handicap
 
1 Ryan Johnson (95)
2 Michael Johnson (95)
3 Dwayne Smith (115)
 
Open Keirin
 
1 Laurie Venn
2 Michael Grenda
3 Karl Menzies
 
A Grade Scratch
 
1 Karl Menzies
2 Wes Sulzberger
3 Matthew Goss
 
B Grade Scratch
 
1 Ryan Johnson
2 Michael Johnson
3 Josh Wilson
 
C Grade Scratch
 
1 Dwayne Smith
2 Colin Barnes
3 Paul Guest
 
Junior 1 2000m Wheelrace
 
1 Nathan Jones (180)
2 Tim Walker (80)
3 Natasha Mapley (240)
 
Junior 1 1000m Handicap
 
1 Tim Walker (40)
2 Nathan Jones (90)
3 Josh Myers (20)
 
Junior 1 Scratch
 
1 Josh Myers
2 John Rayner
3 Tim Walker
 
Junior 2 2000m Wheelrace
 
1 Will Robinson (scr)
2 Grace Sulzberger (140)
3 Lennon Duncombe (200)
 
Junior 2 1000m Handicap
 
1 Will Robinson (scr)
2 Lennon Duncombe (100)
3 Ben Laskey (80)
 
Junior 2 A Scratch
 
1 Will Robinson
2 Alex Holden
3 Grace Sulzberger
 
Junior 2 B Scratch
 
1 Lennon Duncombe
2 Sarah Eaves
3 Chris Cunningham
 
Junior 3 1000m Wheelrace
 
1 Bethany Coleman (110)
2 Stephen Heppel (110)
3 Jack Stokes (150)
 
Junior 3 1000m Handicap
 
1 Bethany Coleman (110)
2 Jack Stokes (150)
3 Stephen Heppel (110)
 
Junior 3 A Scratch
 
1 Brendan Sutton
2 Ben Grenda
3 David Lyons
 
Junior 3 B Scratch
 
1 Bethany Coleman
2 Stephen Heppel
3 Jacob Laskey
 
Women's Invitation 1000m Handicap
 
1 Kirby Piscioneri (scr)
2 Natasha Mapley (35)
3 Tarrisha Jones (20)