By Rod Morris
Any one of 12 riders remain in contention to win the inaugural Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania - Malaysia Airlines International Award with only the Burnie New Year's Day Carnival to determine the end result. The inaugural award carries a return a trip to Europe for the eventual winner and Nook cyclist Belinda Goss, who is now based in Melbourne, will take a slender 3-point lead into Burnie.
All open age riders are eligible for the award, with nominated races offering a 5-3-1 points system. Goss has amassed 25 points from the Latrobe, Launceston and Devonport carnivals, including three wins, three seconds and a third and leads from dual gold medal Olympian Graeme Brown.
Sister-brother act, Carrie and Ben Price from Ulverstone are third and fourth respectively, while newly crowned Devonport Wheel winner Ben Kersten jumped into fifth place on Thursday with 15 points, after winning the 1000 m Lightning Handicap and A Grade Scratch on the first night of the Devonport Carnival. Unfortunately Kersten is the only one of the top 13 riders who cannot win the award, as he has returned to NSW for his brother Josh's wedding.
SCAT and Malaysia Airlines are also offering one lucky patron at the carnivals to win two return air fares to any of its European destinations. All patrons have to do is fill out a coupon and place it in the box provided. The winner will be drawn at tonight's Burnie New Year's Day Carnival.
SCAT - Malaysia Airlines International Rider Award standings
TV coverage on Cycling Central
The 2004-05 Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals Series will be featured on this Sunday's (January 2) edition of Cycling Central on SBS television, which screens at 11:30am and is repeated the following Tuesday at 3:30pm. SBS cycling host Michael Tomalaris was in Tasmania earlier this week to watch the Tasmanian carnivals as well as the third annual Launceston Criterium. Due to time constraints, the second night of the Devonport Carnival and the Burnie New Year's Day Carnival will be featured on the following week's edition of Cycling Central.
