After recent rain had ripped apart our district’s rural roads, this year’s Club Championships for the Mackay Cycling Club was as much a state of survival as it was about strength and endurance.
The undulating 48km circuit around the back roads of Walkerston finished at the top of the steep rise on Stockroute Road, a set of hills that had to be conquered four times on the loop track. But the corner leading to the finish proved to be the real obstacle, with a large pothole creating punctured tyres which spelled the end of the race for some.
Those who dodged the damage will reap the rewards at the club’s prizegiving later in the year. Kyle Marwood and Brendon Brauer broke from the bunch early on and remained out of the front of the race for its entirety. Marwood crossed the line first to win the race outright, claiming the M1-2 title, with Brauer winning the M3-4 category. Craig Larsen was third across the line giving him second place in the M3-4. He was followed by the peloton with Ethan Weiss breaking early to claim the J19 title. Winning the bunch sprint behind was track sprinter Hamish Wright, placing him in third for the M3-4 category. Tenille Galea was not far behind to cross first for the women, taking out the W3-4 title.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Junior Men U19
1 Ethan Weiss
2 Lockie Bourke
Men Masters 1-2
1 Kyle Marwood
2 Peter Ransome
Men Masters 3-4
1 Brendon Brauer
2 Craig Larsen
3 Hamish Wright
4 Ben Sutton
5 Luke Schatkowski
6 Scott Manning
Women Masters 3-4
1 Tenille Galea
Men Masters 5-6
1 Shane Edwards
2 Martin Cahill
3 Alan Simonsen
Photo credit: Amanda Wright
