100 Year Centenary Event


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The following are results and report on Randwick Botany Cycling Club's 100 year Centenary Race and Celebration, at Heffron Park, Maroubra held on Sat 15 November 2003.

PENNY FARTHING RESULTS

Penny Farthing Race 4km

1 Phillip Dixon (Turramurra)

2 Patrick Jones (Randwick Botany)

3 Dean Preddy (Eastern Suburbs)

4 George Pappas (Dulwich Hill)

A Grade, 50min + 3lap

1 Chris Sutton (St George)

2 Brad Mills (Clarence Street)

3 Luis Trueba (Lidcombe Auburn)

4 Jose Rodrigeous (Eastern Suburbs)

5 Rodney McGee (Parramatta)

BCD Handicap 30km

1 John Kenny (Eastern Suburbs)

2 Matthew Lucas (Randwick Botany)

3 Jerzy Sowa (Poland)

4 Roland Lang (Waratah Veterans)

5 Paul Hanley (Canberra)

Fastest: John Kenny

WOMEN

Women Handicap 30km

1 Kate Bates (Parramatta)

2 Kate Nichols (St George)

3 Jessica Ridder (Bathurst)

4 Skye-Lee Armstrong (Parramatta)

5 Amanda Spratt (Penrith Panthers)

Fastest: Kate Bates

U17 25min + 3 laps

1 Anthony Bennett (Auburn Lidcombe)

2 Gregory Beer (Penrith Panthers)

3 Christopher Guillan (Southern Cross)

4 Jackson-Leigh Rathbone (Penrith Panthers)

5 Keegan Aitchison (Southern Cross)

Prime 1: Anthony Bennett

Prime 2: Jackson-Leigh Rathbone

U13/U15 Handicap 8km

1 Alex Carver (Lidcombe Auburn)

2 Cullam Docker (Lidcombe Auburn)

3 Justin Meindertsma (Hinchinbrook)

4 Nicholas Spratt (Penrith Panthers)

Fastest: Nicholas Spratt

U9/U11 Handicap 6km

1 Brett Meindertsma (Hinchinbrook)

2 Michael Docker (Lidcombe Auburn)

3 Jordon Wilson (Manning Valley)

4 Phillip Arias (Hinchinbrook)

Fastest: Phillip Arias

THANK YOU:

Thanks to our Commissaires, Chief Commissaire, Ken Martin. Assistine Commissaires Brian West, Jeff Don and Joanne Buckton.. Thanks to the Event Co-ordinator on the day, Richard Jenkins. Thanks to Tom Skulander, State Manager of Cycling NSW who assisted as "Video Ref" on a couple of close calls. Thanks to State Handicapper Bruce Mills for all his help with the handicaps. Thanks to Bruce and Margaret for attending and assisting on the day. Thanks to Alan Sumner who assisted with all the Penny Farthing bikes. Thanks to Janelle Lindsay who did an absolutely fabulous job on the PA system all day. Thanks to Helen & Fred Vella who manned the canteen all day. Thanks to Anna Fortuna who did her usual magnificent job on the BBQ. Thanks to all the other workers on the day too numerous to mention who helped with the registration tent, marshaling, etc etc. Thanks to Roy Magil and his staff of the St John Ambulance.

PENNY FARTHING REPORT

The 4 kilometre Penny Farthing race was indeed something to behold. There were 6 starters including triple world Penny Farthing champion, Phil "Dicko" Dickson. Randwick Botany was represented by hopeful Pat "Paddy" Jones. Randwick Botany were feeling very confident in this race despite the World champ being in it as Paddy had a high tech secret weapon (Not unlike the winged keel of Australia II).

We can reveal the secret now. Paddy figured he needed maximum downforce on the pedals so he opted for his high tech elastic sided, steel capped gardening boots. He didn't even knock off the gardening dregs as he thought every bit of weight might help.

The plan worked and no sooner had the starter said go, that Paddy was so far in front he was almost lonely.

Dicko looked pretty confident before the race as he finely tweaked his handlebars. One could almost say he was pretty cocky. "Get on me, I'm the World Champ and I'm gonna kick some out here today." Well I bet panick set in when he saw Paddy take off into that first corner.

Dicko tells me that they were pedalling so hard that a couple of them clipped pedals negotiating the tight right handers through the squircle. (Now that's really getting them over !!)

Disaster for Randwick Botany. Paddy is leading out the sprint when his high tech boots cannot match the 200 plus cadence and his foot is flung from the pedal. A hush comes over the crowd.

Just when we think Paddy has got it under control, it gets even worse. Dicko has seized on Paddy's mistake and lifts his cadence to an almost blur.

Dicko, World Penny Farthing champion, salutes the crowd as he snatches victory from the jaws of defeat.

OK, you beat us Dicko but let's see how good you are at our next Penny Farthing race, our Bicentennial scheduled for Nov 15, 2103. Put it in your diary.

Here's the boys on the podium after that gruelling race. Dicko First, Paddy second and "Mean Dean" Preddy third. A big thankyou to Alan Sumner who supplied all the Penny Farthing bicycles.

CENTENARY RACE DAY AND CELEBRATION DINNER

The Randwick Botany Centenary Race Day and Gala Celebration Dinner was a truly great event. The seven-event program has attracted over 200 junior and senior riders competing for over $5,000 in prizemoney.

Notable riders included Kate Nichols (St George) 2003 Australian National Road Series Champion; Shaun Higgerson (FRF Couriers/Randwick Botany) Australian U23 Time Trial Champion; Natalie Bates (Parramatta CC) Australian Time Trial Champion and NSW Roadwoman of the Year; Peter Milostic (FRF Couriers) Australian Time Trial Champion and NSW Roadman of the Year and Rodney McGee from the NSWIS-FDJeux.com team. The King or Heffron Park - Anthony Spurgeon (Team Caravello) will also race.

Racing was followed by an a fully catered Centenary Celebration Gala Dinner under a huge marquee immediately adjacent to start finish line of the Heffron Circuit. Some 120 guests enjoyed a fabulous evening. Special guests included Australian and Olympic cycling champions, SBS Sport Presenter Michael Tomalaris, Phyllis Gilbert, the daughter of Snow Wilson, the longest serving Club Secretary who served as Club Secretary for 34 years from 1934. . Rob Bates the President of Cycling NSW, Alex Fulcher past president of Cycling NSW, Tom Skulander State Manager of Cycling NSW, Ron Peak past president of Randwick Botany Cycling Club, to name but a few. The master or ceremonies for the evening was club member Chris White.

The event was proudly sponsored by the Newington Inn - Petersham, DS Labels, Cheeky Monkey Cycle Company, FRF Couriers, Probikekit.com, Jan and Cohen Real Estate, Caravello Joinery, Kellogg's, Swift Solutions, Cadbury Schweppes, Europa Cycles and Phyllis Gilbert.

CLUB SPONSORS

Randwick Botany Cycling Club is proudly sponsored by Newington Inn – Petersham, DS Labels – Marrackville and Cheeky Monkey Cycle Company, Pitt Street Sydney and Velomax Wheel Systems.

MORE INFORMATION

Randwick Botany Cycling Club conducts racing at Heffron Park, Maroubra NSW each Saturday throughout the year. Juniors start at 1.00pm and Seniors 2.30pm. For more information please contact the club secretary Helen Vella on 02 9667 3307 or email secretary@randwickbotanycc.com

Race report by Tony Horneman & John Buckton

Web page layout & editing by: John Buckton

Photos: Podium shots by Tony Horneman. Action Shots by Dave Patton.

Contact:
Tony: communications@randwickbotanycc.com

John: webmaster@randwickbotanycc.com

SPONSORS

The event would not have been possible without our sponsors