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The Darren Smith Classic 2009 turned out to be a great day for Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club. This was our first outing at the Holden Driver Training Centre at Norwell and for most cyclists this would have been their first ride on this 2.1 km circuit. There was a full program of events catering to all ages and levels of competitive cyclists. The organisation of such an event is complex and credit must be given to all members of our committee who put their shoulder to the wheel and spent considerable time and effort in the preparation and organisation of the day. The weather on the day was warm and windy and riders commented that there was considerable heat coming off the track. The wind made conditions extremely difficult but at the same time encouraged the adventurous to attack. The Junior races provided excellent results for local Junior riders from Gold Coast Goldstars with wins to Ryan Duncan, Daniel Rae, Bradley Rae, and Jesse Kerrison. Para-Olmpic Silver Medalist Bryce Lindores won the Tandems event. Ron Hewes in Masters C made an early break and teamed up with Goldstar's rider Roger Cooper to create a good gap between them and the peleton. Hewes’ training partner, Pat Goddard wanted a piece of the action and soon joined the lead pair to create an unassailable lead. Goddard’s explosive sprint from 100 metres out saw him take first place from Hewes who was fast closing in. Gary Muharen also rode strongly in this race. Ron Hewes was rewarded for his early efforts by taking two of the three primes. The Masters A race also produced a great result for Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club. Club Coach Mark Brady established an early break with World Champion rider Danny Clark and Chris Millen from HPRW. The longer they rode the more they distanced themselves from the field until Mark Brady broke from the lead group to establish an unbeatable lead. Clarke had issues with locked gears and a broken spoke on his front wheel for 4 laps but showed his experience to finish a strong second – another quinella for Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club. Highly creditable performances were also produced by Geoff Willmott who finished third in the Masters B race and Brittany Lindores who also put in a strong performance to finish third in the Women’s C event. Loren Rowney and Liz Young showed how powerful they were taking 1st and 2nd in the Women's A race by a large margin (Liz Young also rode very well to finish in the Masters A race moments prior to he Women's event) with Zoe Watters taking 3rd to provide a Marcelletes triple. Amanda Hogan from Goldstars took out the Women's B race by a decent margin and is showing how her training is paying off on the back of a number of local wins. The pace in the Elite event was fast and furious with numerous breaks being made and caught. Race favourite, Jonathon Cantwell, proved his superiority by out-sprinting the lead group to the line for a decisive win. We were delighted to have Robbie McEwen and Darren Smith’s father Dennis present for the main event and thank them for assisting with the presentations at the conclusion of the day. Robbie even showed his talent as a commentator in the closing stages of the Elite race. Our thanks are extended to Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club riders who supported the race and to all riders and attendees who contributed to the success of the event whether through riding, attendance, sponsorship or assistance on the day. We look froward to seeing you all next year. Videos: Cycling Sport News Interview - Robbie McEwen Cycling Sport News Interview - Danny Clark Cycling Sport News Interview - Jesse Kerrison |
