REPORT

Early arrivals at Heffron park were greeted with blue skies and a magnificent afternoon about 1pm.  However about 1.30pm the skies became overcast and the infamous Heffron breeze started to pick up almost on cue for racing to start at 2.30pm.

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David Stewart and Anthony Spurgeon away.  Spurge checks to see where the chasers are.  (Click on image for larger view)

Aaron Castles chases with Robbie Cater on his wheel and Jerry Sowa not far behind.  (Click on image for larger view)

The A graders turned on quite an exciting race for spectators.  On lap 9 of 16, Dave Stewart of the Eastern Suburbs club, hit off the front of the bunch with the King of Heffron, Anthony Spurgeon, right on his wheel and Randwick Botany junior rider Robert Cater being the third member of this breakaway trio.  It wasn’t long however before the pace became a little too hot for young Robbie in his restricted gearing and he dropped off the back of the breakaway.  Tony Ianacito had found himself in no man’s land after the attack, having ended up in front of the peleton and not quite across to the breakaway.  Aaron Castles then turned up the wick and the chasing peleton was able to catch Tony with about two laps to go.   The final sprints came down to a sprint for first and the peleton sprinted for third place.  Both sprints were exciting with Anthony Spurgeon just edging out Dave Stewart for first place.  The sprint for third place saw Polish rider Jersy Sowa show a great turn of speed to pass Tony Ianacito and take the placing.

B grade also split into two groups.  The B Grade peleton (pictured right) was left behind by four riders who got away early. 

(Click on image for larger view)

 Randwick Botany rider Dave Macpherson, who has hit good form recently, attacked about lap 4 and got about a 200 metre gap on  the chasing peleton.  Dave rode a race reminiscent of Laurent Jalabert's recent performance in the Tour de France, staying away till the bell lap, when he was swallowed up by the chasing bunch. 

Rob Allen leads Dave Jackson, Dave Macpherson and Dean Preddy.

The three chasing riders, two of whom were Randwick Botany riders, Dave Jackson and Rob Allen would not assist Eastern Suburbs rider, Dean Preddy to bridge the gap to one of their club members and Preddy was reluctant to try to get across as he knew he would take both the RBCC riders with him. 

The RBCC B grade train. Dave Macpherson leads Rob Allen & Dave Jackson.  Click on image for larger view.

On the bell lap instructions were screamed from the sideline to Dean from a well known Eastern Suburbs identity, “Don’t worry who you take with you, just get across”.  Preddy then turned up the wick and bridged the gap to Dave Macpherson.  Randwick Botany riders, Dave Jackson and Rob Allen were taken across the gap by Preddy.  In the end however, Preddy had dug too deeply into his energy stores to chase down Dave Macpherson and Dave Jackson and Rob Allen were able to sail by in the sprint to take first and second place respectively.