2014 Season Round 1, report (Summer Series Round 2)
Round 1 of the 2014 Season kicked off at the Coomealla MTB Park, it was also Round 2 of the Summer Series and points went toward the series trophy. The track gurus prepared a short but punchy course trying to take advantage of the technical elements of the course whilst making use of the trees and shade on offer to.
With the temperature in the high twenties at start time, the pre-race banter had disappeared and race faces were well and truly on. The guns at the front led the field out into the singletrack following the start. The lack of any breeze saw a dust cloud envelope the riders and those at the rear cursed the lack of any rain to settle the trail surface.
The club has been encouraged to see the numbers of female riders has continued to increase with good numbers in both A and B grade. It appears that some of the mum’s aren’t content to see dad and the kids have all the fun and have really brought a new energy to the club. Genelle Baldwin started 2014 with a first in A grade females, able to hold off the fast finishing Jodie Bray and up and coming junior rider Chelsea Dawes. The fast improving local, Kerrie Copley was able to ride good consistent lap times to cover Alice Walker and Amanda Dawes in the C grade. With a special mention for Nadine Sadler who continues to improve her skills in the social class..
New rider Erin Baxter led the field on the first lap closely followed by Sam Barnden. The rumour that Barnden had headed off to Melbourne for studies proved to be incorrect and he and Baxter put a good lead into the other A grade riders that was never breached. Barnden’s experience gained at the last National Cross Country round proved invaluable and he was able to take Baxter in the latter stages of the race and hold him off for the win. Damien Gibson and Jason Dawes battled all race and it took a slick passing moving on the line for Gibson to claim third place.
The B grade males was hotly contested with a dozen riders all vying for honours and after the first lap only 50 seconds separated first and seventh. Leon Pedersen over cooked a tight turn which saw four riders led by Grant Brooks take advantage of the error. However, Brooks’ inability to avoid a stick on the second lap saw him exit the course at right angles and the following three riders flew past.. Steve Baldwin continued the good results for Team Baldwin. Steve competing on his “fat bike” a mountain bike with 3.5 inch tyres, found it was well suited to the dusty and sometimes sandy parts of the track and was able to hold out Nathan Floramo and the newly crowned club champ, Jeremy Pappin for the win.
C grade males was taken out by Mark Stephenson, with Bailey Copley in second and Nigel Harriss in third
The U13 Juniors concentrated on honing their race craft but it was Damon Dawes who had the strongest legs and with a fast first lap was able to put a good lead into Caelan Dew and Jake Hariss who finished 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
The definite advantage of racing next to the river was the post race debrief was finished off with a swim in the river to rinse off the dust and an icy cold Sunraysia delicacy (the Cruncha).
Our next event is Hodgo’s Roll of the Dice event on Sunday 2 March 14. It is a great opportunity to come and have some fun and if the dice are with you, you might even win some cash or a prize.
