2011 CCCC Road Championships

Image courtesy Michael Eaddy

The 2010 CCCC road championships attracted a record field under clear blue skies, and saw great competition across all categories. As always, the races were run in ‘open’ format, with participation not restricted to club members – but the coveted championship medals were only on offer to CCCC riders.

The biggest bunch of the day was in the Open Men’s bunch, comprising riders in the Elite, Under 19 and Masters 1 and 2 divisions. The first selection came at the end of the neutral section at the Costers Road turn, when riders got the wind on their backs for the first time, and the hammer was well and truly dropped.

The first pass over the twin climbs of Heath Hill and Ripplebrook ended a few more hopes, with the bunch down to around 20 riders at the end of the first lap. The second time over the hills proved decisive, with Tom Leaper (Croydon Cycleworks) and Jason Spencer (Apollo) going clear ahead of a 10 rider chase group. The two Blackburn riders stayed clear to take line honours just over 30 seconds ahead of the chasers, with mountain biker Jeremy Cooper a few lengths ahead of the sprinters, led in by Vaughan Bowman, who reclaimed the CCCC Championship he held in 2009. Following Bowman home for the minor places in the CCCC titles were Gary Polack (O’Mara, Elite silver), Ben White (The King’s Men, Elite bronze), Justin Davis (O’Mara, Masters 2 gold), Clement Boydell (Under 19 gold) and Michael Hale (Charter Mason, Under 19 silver).

Regular Scottish visitor Lucy Caldwell (XOSize) made the Women’s race her own with a powerful attack on Costers Road on the opening lap that went unanswered. The rest of the field worked turns to the base of the Heath Hill climb but made little impression on Caldwell’s lead, and when the group splinntered on the long climb any chance of pegging back the leader ended. Amber Saunders (Burnley Finance) and Lisa Masters (Baysde Bandidos) proved the best of the climbers and rode ahead of the rest till the end of the first lap, but were joined by Anna Collins (O’Mara), Emma Lyall, Sonia Throssell and Suzie Molloy on the headwind leg that followed.

While Caldwell extended her lead out front, the second lap saw Saunders and Masters too strong again on the hill, with Saunders distancing Masters slightly on each climb, only to have the better descender back on her by the start of the following climb. The pair traded punches all the way to the line, with the determined Saunders getting the better in the sprint to take the CCCC title. Collins and Sonia Throssell were next home in solo efforts, while Lyall won the three up sprint to lead home Molly and Catherine Mcinernay (Fuel).

The Masters 3, 4 & 5 race saw a tactical first lap, with a succession of attacks from the 6am-ers and Classix team riders looking to get a break on the stronger climbers before the climbs started. Heath Hill saw a dozen riders open a gap by the summit, but with no-one prepared to push home the advantage, many riders were able to rejoin the lead group before the end of the lap.

On the second trip along Costers Road Dean Heathcote (Total Rush) attacked and was quickly followed by race favourite Harry Brennan, and the hard working pair quickly built a lead of over a minute. An attempt to chase across came from David Tennant (Classix) and Warren Howe (O’Mara), and although ultimately unsuccessful it saw the pair clear of the chasers well past the Heath Hill summit. Andrew Weightman (Cycling-Inform) set a fierce tempo up the climb that saw the main group reduced to just six, and soon after picked up Tennant and Shaw.

Out front, Heathcote’s day ended with a broken spoke before the final climb, leaving Brennan to power home to a convincing win. Tennant attacked the bunch again after the final descent, and despite never getting more than 100 metres clear of the chasers, fought strongly to cross the line in second place, Weightman led the frustrated sprinters home to pick up the bronze medal.

The Masters 6 & 7 bunch was given the option of racing for one or two laps of the circuit, and voted overwhelmingly to go round twice. At teh end of the first lap, the lead bunch was down to Rob Pagey, Kurt Jensen and Ray Cardosi, and the trio worked together for the second lap, with Jensen eventually taking the win ahead of Pagey and Cardosi.

In the junior divisions, Jack Throssell made light work of the backside of the Ripplebrook climb to lead home Riley Nicholls and Cam Helding in the J11 race. Mietta Greig-Hurtig also climbed well to lead home the evenly matched JG13 race ahead of Georgia ‘my brother’s a world champion’ Cummings and Alana Field, while Liam Pino flew up the climb to take the JB13 win ahead of Ryan Koroknai and David Currie.

The Under 15 and 17 divisions raced one lap of the Heath Hill circuit. Four riders sprinted for the win in the M15 race, with David Koroknai (CCCC Elite) taking the win ahead of Angus Flood (Quick Cycle), Trey Freeman and Lex Munoz.

Matt Ross (CCCC Elite) destroyed the M17 bunch in the hills, with only Drew Morey and Kyle Thompson able to stay in contact. Fittingly, Ross took the win in the three up sprint, with Thompson second.

Thanks to all the officials and marshals for another great day of racing, including Frank Cipriano, Ann Johnstone, Doug Moody, Julie Hale, Graham Prossor, Graham Fryer, Bob and Helen Kelly, Ross Thompson, Phil Randall, Darren Rowlinson, Andrew Seen, Roger Lancaster, Rob Koroknai, Ian Stevenson, Gary Imberger, Ian Tickner, Mike Goldie, Penny Robinson, Steve Hickey, Gerry Entwisle, Daniel Kick and Jason Kick Dawson.

Thanks again to Michael Eaddy for shooting all the action. If you’d like a hi-res copy of one of his shots, drop him a line at michaeleaddy@gmail.com. His complete gallery can be seen here.

CCCC Road Championships – Results by age category

Elite Men

1 Vaughan Bowman

2 Garry Polack

3 Ben White

Women

1 Amber Saunders

2 Lisa Masters

3 Anna Collins

Men Masters 1

1 Nick Youngs

2 Adam Versteege

3 Alex Lockie

Women Masters 1

1 Anna Collins

2 Suzie Molloy

Men Masters 2

1 Justin Davis

2 Jason Kruger

3 Wayne Flint

Women Masters 2

1 Emma Lyall

Men Masters 3

1 Harry Brennan

2 Wayne Andrew

3 Mal Sawford

Women Masters 3

1 Amber Saunders

2 Sonia Throssell

3 Melissa Nicholls

Men Masters 4

1 David Tennant

2 Andrew Weightman

3 Warren Howe

Women Masters 4

1 Lisa Masters

Men Masters 5

1 Trevor Coulter

2 Gary Rosengarten

3 Neale Adams

Men Masters 6

1 Ray Cardosi

Men Masters 7

1 Rob Pagey

J 11

1 Jack Throssell

2 Riley Nicholls

3 Cameron Helding

JG 13

1 Mietta Greig-Hurtig

2 Georgia Cummings

3 Alana Field

JB 13

1 Liam Pino

2 Ryan Koroknai

3 David Currie

Men 15

1 David Koroknai

2 Trey Freeman

3 Lex Munoz

Men 17

1 Matt Ross

2 Kyle Thompson

3 Drew Morey

Men 19

1 Clement Boydell

2 Michael Hale

3 Jake Klajnblat

Results of ‘Line Honours’ racing by bunch

Open Men

1 Tom Leaper Blackburn 02:04.20

2 Jason Spencer Blackburn same time

3 Jeremy Cooper Dirt Riders at 35 seconds

4 Vaughan Bowman CCCC at 37 seconds

5 Gary Polack CCCC same time

6 Ben White CCCC same time

7 Justin Davis CCCC same time

8 Clement Boydell CCCC same time

9 Michael Hale CCCC same time

10 Aaron Eynaud Blackburn same time

11 Michael Gallagher CCCC same time

12 Jake Klajnblat CCCC same time

13 Nick Youngs CCCC at 2.49

14 Jason Kruger CCCC same time

15 Adam Versteege CCCC same time

16 Tyler Spurrell Blackburn at 5.07

17 Callan Douglas CCCC same time

18 Marc Wilson Blackburn at 6.08

19 David Woolsey CCCC same time

20 Brad James Blackburn same time

Open Women

1 Lucy Caldwell Scotland

2 Amber Saunders CCCC

3 Lisa Masters CCCC

4 Anna Collins CCCC

5 Emma Lyall CCCC

Men Masters 3, 4 & 5

1 Harry Brennan CCCC 2:08.10

2 David Tennant CCCC at 59 seconds

3 Andrew Weightman CCCC same time

4 Rusell O’Toole Southern Vets same time

5 Wayne Andrew CCCC same time

6 Trevor Coulter CCCC same time

7 Warren Howe CCCC same time

8 Mal Sawford CCCC same time

9 Jeff Shaw Blackburn same time

10 Gary Rosengarten CCCC at 2.58

Men Masters 6&7

1 Kurt Jensen Chelsea & Peninsula

2 Rob Pagey CCCC

3 Ray Cardosi CCCC

J 11

1 Jack Throssell CCCC

2 Riley Nicholls CCCC

3 Cameron Helding CCCC

JG 13

1 Mietta Greig-Hurtig CCCC

2 Georgia Cummings CCCC

3 Alana Field CCCC

JB 13

1 Liam Pino CCCC

2 Ryan Koroknai CCCC

3 David Currie CCCC

Men 15

1 David Koroknai CCCC

2 Angus Flood Blackburn

3 Trey Freeman CCCC

Men 17

1 Matt Ross CCCC

2 Kyle Thompson CCCC

3 Drew Morey CCCC

For more reports & upcoming races, please visit carnegiecycling.com.au