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Results and Reports from Australia
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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Glenvale Crescent, Melbourne, April 24, 2005
By Mal Sawford
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The final race in the $7000 Inexa - Team Alex Summer Series saw series winner Tommy Nankervis (Fitzroy Cycles) wrap up the season in the perfect way, with his thirteenth A Grade win. Great weather and the last short, flat race for a long while brought big fields across all five grades.
Although Nankervis had guaranteed the series win a few weeks earlier, and Andrea Bishop had done the same in the Women's competition, there was still the chance for the riders running second and third, Wayne Andrew and Aaron Salisbury (HLP Ridewiser) to swap positions. Unfortunately for Salisbury, a buck's party engagement prevented him from taking the start line, so the second prize Inexa X-3 frame set stayed in Andrew's hands. Team Alex supported the series for the second year, which saw well over 900 riders compete. Complete final standings can be seen at www.carnegiecycling.com.au.
A brisk northerly wind made things tough for small break aways, and for the first time in months, all races were decided with bunch sprints. Despite this, the A Grade race saw attack after attack, with Nankervis and team mate Brendan Rowbotham doing their best to split things up.
Also having a go were the O'Mara boys, with Justin Davis showing glimpses of a return to form. Reece Van Beek, Pat Shaw (VIS) and Nathan Wise made countless efforts, as did newly arrived Queenslander David Kemp. A last minute flyer from Kemp and Johnny Walker (CBD Cycles) was reeled in at the bell, leaving Brad Norton to try to set things up for Shaw; but they were unable to prevent Rowbotham piloting Nankervis to yet another victory.
The B Grade race was run at near record pace, with the huge bunch only passed once, in the final minutes, by A Grade. Dave Eadie (BikeNOW) picked up an impressive win, sprinting home ahead of noted fast man Charles Howlett and Curtis Yirildrim. Eadie is better known as a break away specialist, prone too such acts of lunacy as completing the New Zealand Ironman in nine and half hours, but proved he also has a more than handy turn of speed. Peta Mullens (BikeNOW) held position well in the final hectic laps, to lead team mate Briana James home in the Women's division.
Damien Jones held off a strong challenge from Sam Brown (HLP Ridewiser), Steve Davis and Nick Palacek to record his first win in C Grade, with Brown making a long awaited return to the race track after a battle with illness. Michelle Murrell was the best of the women, outsprinting Melissa Kah and Louisa Judd (Hampton Cycles), with series winner Andrea Bishop unable to contest the finish after getting caught behind a fallen rider.
First timer Todd Daley came away with the win in D Grade, and should go even faster next time if he puts his winnings towards a pair of knicks! Andrew Donohue (Burnley Finance - Aqua Pure) was a close second, ahead of Scott Berry (Terry Hammond Cycles). Lindsay Brown (O'Mara) was the fastest woman, holding off Louise Bourke (Fortress) and Rachel Koffel.
The Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club wishes to thank our regular volunteers who made the season such a success. Special mention goes to the efforts of Doug Moody in setting up and packing up the circuit each week, Anne Johnstone and Lorraine Collings for their surprisingly good humoured work taking entries and judging, Mick Hollingworth for his mentoring skills with E Grade, Simon Bristow our web maestro, and Jack McGowan the everpresent traffic controller and gate keeper. Trish Judd, Frank Cipriano, John Groves and Zach Alexakos could also be relied to pitch in and help us get the job done.
Results
A Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps, 43 Starters 1 Tommy Nankervis (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Pat Shaw (Ballarat) 3 Brendan Rowbotham (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Vaughan Bowman (Blackburn) 5 Alexander James (Brunswick) 6 Damion Drapac (Brunswick) B Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps, 57 Starters 1 David Eadie (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Charles Howlett (Latrobe City) 3 Curtis Yirildrim (Blackburn) 4 Dennis Toce (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Chris Garrard (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Peta Mullens (Latrobe City) 2 Briana James (St Kilda) C Grade - 55 minutes + 3 laps, 43 Starters 1 Damien Jones (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Sam Brown (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Steve Davis (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Nick Palacek (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Michelle Murrell (Mornngton) 2 Melissa Kah (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Louisa Judd (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade - 50 minutes + 3 laps, 35 Starters 1 Todd Daley (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Andrew Donohue (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Chris Berry (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Scott Sittampalan (Blackburn) Women 1 Lindsay Brown (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Lindsay Brown (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Rachel Koffel (Blackburn) E Grade - 45 minutes + 3 laps, 12 Starters 1 Patrick Gordon (St Kilda) 2 Jesse Cullen-Foote (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 George Vissariou (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 James Kladouris (Carnegie Caulfield) Women Natalie Morwood (Carnegie Caulfield)
