The Police 5-Os dominated yesterday’s running of Cycling Southland’s Harrex Group-sponsored Corporate Pursuit winning Division One at the ILT Velodrome.
Tracey Olberg, Brook Armishaw, Regan Mauheni and Garth Cooper combined superbly to work their way through the early rounds without being stretched before repelling the challenge from Calder Stewart’s Roofing Rebels in the Division One final with a winning time of 1’13.677.
Speaking after lifting the trophy aloft, team leader Cooper paid tribute to the new teams who lined up in the event including the beaten finalists Calder Stewart and reflected on an end of an era for the 5-Os as he ended his time in the team with an impending relocation.
The Southland District Council Recyclists claimed third overall by the narrowest of margins from Jackson Plumbing’s Flying Plumbs.
In Division Two, the YMCA built steadily through the day and took out overall honours comfortably disposing of Fonterra’s Creaming It by over 4 seconds in the final to win their second trophy in as many years. Third place went to ILT/Heineken by less than a second from No 4RD.
A large crowd was entertained throughout a full day of racing which began bright and early at 9.30 with elimination rides as the teams played tactics looking to qualify without expending too much energy.
Other winners saw BNZ lift the Division One Plate from Police Get Knicked, SouthRoads Slip-Streamers take out the Division One Special Plate over Preston Russell Law Gangsters and the Richardson Riders from HW Richardson take the Consolation Plate over WHK/Janet Copeland Law. Division Two Plate winners McIntyre Dick and Partners beat Finance Now in the final, Opus took out the Division Two Special Plate from AWS Legal and the Division Two Consolation Plate saw the Southland Times win the media battle over The Radio Network’s Classic Hitters.