Marsden Wheeler Annual Club Champs 2009
Kia ora everyone
Below is the media race report for the annual club champs with several photos. Feisty racing!
Also I have attached the full results.
Thank you very much to those that were press ganged into helping on the day – especially Brenda for the timekeeping.
Ruth and Jonathan
Top Northland cyclist Ben Evans easily won the Marsden Wheeler Club championships held in perfect conditions on Sunday in Whangarei.
Club President Kevin Futter said that Evans dominated the three stage event to take home the Mark Briggs Memorial Trophy for Overall Champion.
“Ben won all the stages but he did have to out sprint Daryn Johnston in the road race.”
The Marsden Wheelers Club championships consists of three events in one day – an individual time trial on Jordan Valley Road, a short hill climb up Rushbrook Road, followed by a road race at Ruatangata. All are short but hard events where speed and endurance fitness are necessary.
The expected battle between last year’s overall winner Lee Johnstone and Evans did not eventuate as Johnstone was unable to start because of illness. Despite being Masters aged riders Evans and Johnstone are the club’s strongest riders and have performed well at a national level over the last year.
The battle for second place overall was hotly contested. Three senior riders and upcoming junior rider 15 year old Mathew Zenovich were within 1 minute of each other before the final stage – a 33km road race. Zenovich and Tom Andrews both tried hard to get away during the road race but it came down to the sprint finish to determine the final places amongst the seven fastest riders. Zenovich edged out Andrews to finish 2nd overall only by two seconds.
However triathlete Andrews still proved that he could foot it with the more experienced road riders by winning the Budge Shield for the best placed senior rider.
A small women’s field competed with the Under 15 men over a shorter course. Beijing Paralympian Fiona Southorn was too strong for the other women but a feisty performance by 12 year old Ben Johnstone gave him the overall wins in the hill climb and 18km road race. Johnstone is now looking to the Te Awamutu Junior Tour in Easter as his first taste of national competition.
Results:
Fastest overall man and club champion - Ben Evans – winner Mark Briggs Memorial Tray
Fastest overall woman - Fiona Southorn – winner Motocat Cyclery Trophy
Men
First U15 man - Ben Johnstone – Winner MWAC Schoolboy Champ Cup
First U17 man - Mathew Zenovich – Winner Ken Webb Cup
First U19 man - Tim Riddell
First Senior man - Tom Andrews – Winner Budge Shield
First man 35-44 yrs - Ben Evans – Winner Keith Ralls Memorial Cup
First man 45-54 yrs - Gordon Wright
First man 55-64 yrs - Kevin Futter
Women
First U19 woman - Nadya Worthy
First woman 35-44 yrs - Fiona Southorn
First woman 45-54 yrs - Jane Sweeney
Download the results table
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