It may seem strange to some but last Wednesday’s 33 degrees was a divinely cool start back for our Twilight Race series 2019!
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Unlike our roadie buddies who had to can Monday track night with a blistering 38 degrees we got to play.
Eight little Dirtmasters stepped up to the plate.
Hattie Lefmann gleefully set out on her favourite Dirty B trail, mostly we suspect because as the only Dirty B the podium was a guarantee.
Untainted by the sure win she still flashed around her loop five times for a race finish of 15:55.
The Dirty A's were given a lead out by one of our NIAS development athletes, Lachie Butters, and headed out over the Hillside horizon in a neat congo line.
Soon the pace was on with Lachlan Gillies coming first with five laps in 17:31.
Lachlan Marsh was 2nd and Jonah Sylvester took the line honours of 3rd by a whisker from Liam Marsh. Trail Maintenance Crew Mark 1 (aka Alyssa, Isla and Jock) set about construction of a temporary detour trail thanks to a dirty big tree having a rest on our main race loop.
Not to be beaten by a piece of timber and a few leaves Trail Maintenance Crew Mark 2 (aka Jeff Benson plus heavy machinery) headed out, eliminated trail blockage and was back in race position before his division was let out of the blocks.
Eliza Shaw came first in the female Junior Elite with three laps in 39:30, Isabelle Willis 2nd with two laps. In the Junior Elite males Kal Blair, new to the trails and just starting out on the 2019 NIAS program, came first in 39:57 in four laps. Jock Barwick came 2nd and Ben Shaw 3rd.
The Rec riders were three strong and with an all female contingent a big congratulations to Raleigh Green for her 34:56 ride of three laps. Kirstine Butler came 2nd and Amanda Shaw 3rd.
In the female Division C Sophia Butler has come back from holidays in fighting fit form with a win of 33:05 and four laps, Lisa Roberts in 2nd. The male Division C was a clear win for Finlay Boresh with a zippy five laps in 36:45, Ben Marsh and Lachlan Butters fought it out for 2nd and 3rd placing with Ben digging deep for that extra two second margin.
The Division B boys were on yet again and did not disappoint. It looked like a bit of a race upset with Eric Day smashing out a hot lap of 9:59 and and a whole lap in front of the lads. Congratulations to Mr Consistent Nathan Sharples who just managed to keep Rory Allen at bay for first place, 2nd to Rory and James Scales less than a minute back in 3rd.
Division A were required to head further up Central Mountain that the B boys and Isla Maidment worked hard for her three lap win in Division A females racing for 59:42. Division A males had the pace on with Eddie Willis taking first place in 44:43, Marty Siddons in 2nd in 45:13 and Peter Thistle in 3rd in 46:01.
The Elite Division was given no favours and sent straight to the top of Skyline for their sins.
Annie Buchan took out the Elite females with a hot 19 min lap straight up, Alyssa Rogan came 2nd. Elite males was taken out by Stevie Roberts who clocked the fastest lap time of this race loop with 16:32.
Conor Noonan and Chris Shaw played cat and mouse all race with Conor holding his own to take 2nd by four seconds and Chris in 3rd. Luke Deasey stepped up to Elite 1/2 way through the series (due to his ridiculous form in Division A,) but was robbed of an opportunity to play with the bigger lads by a flat tyre.
Great way to start the year everyone, see you all next Wed for Round 2!.