Perfect conditions greeted riders for the 2012 Time Trial Championships at Braxholme on Saturday. Southland titles were handed out in 13 grades with only seconds separating a number of riders of their 10, 20 or 40 kilometre distances.
Ryan Shields took out the Under 13 Boys covering ten kilometers in 18 minutes 40 seconds with Taz O’Connell just four seconds behind taking silver. Newcomer Josh Miller became the first to two medalists in his family with a solid 20:32 for bronze. Madeleine Gough took out the Under 13 Girls in a time of 22:05.
The Under 15 Boys was won by Josh Carpenter who showed he was in top form leading in to the Club Road Nationals in two weeks time, completing the 10 kilometres in 15 minutes 28 to take a comfortable victory from Hamish Beadle (16:12) and Hayden Strong (16:27) with Brayden Stephens and Tom Sexton both within 13 seconds of a medal. Nicole Shields made it a family double by taking out the Under 15 Girls in 17:55.
Just five seconds separated the two Under 17 Boys entries with Josh van den Arend pipping Anton O’Connell for gold, covering the 20 kilometres in 34 minutes 51 seconds. Laura Heywood warmed up for her tilt at Club Nats, dominating the Under 17 Girls field to take gold with 1:19 up her sleeve in 33:06. Brooke Brazier made a successful return after six weeks off her bike following a crash at the Age Group Track Nationals last month, taking silver in 34:25 while Makayla Smith rode strongly to take bronze in 35:56.
Matt Zenovich completed one of the rides of the day in the Under 19 Men, completing his 20 kilometres in 26:46, averaging just a shade under 45 kilometres per hour for the distance. Jennifer Muhl claimed the Under 19 Women in 31:54 with Georgia Timpany in second.
Andrew Lienert impressed with a personal best time in the Masters Men (35-44 yrs) to claim victory by over a minute and a half with 29:13, from Alistair Burnett and Jamie Cunningham. The Men’s 45+ category featured the largest field of the day with former Southland rugby stalwart Wayne Miller (30:54) following in his son’s pedal-strokes from earlier in the day, powering to a dominant win by 30 seconds over Dave Beadle, with Alan Strong just 13 seconds further back in third.
Erin Criglington added yet another Southland title to her collection in the Masters Women with a time of 31 minutes 45, to take gold by 52 seconds from Kylea Gough with Nicola Stevens sneaking in front of Sam Kopae by a mere four seconds for bronze.
Phillipa Gray teamed with Sean Finning to cover their 20 kilkometres in just 28.21 to take Para-Cycling tandem gold while Kylie Young took out the Elite Women gold in 31:01. The Elite and Under 23 Men covered 40 kilometres with gold going to Brehan Cairns in 58:49 from Marcel Baird and Brad Tuhi. Masters rider Derek Tan also rode the longer distance and impressed with a blistering 57 minutes 35 seconds.
To view the full list of results click here
The Championships provided a great litmus test for the strong Cycling Southland contingent which is to ride the RaboDirect Club Road Nationals in Hastings from May 3 to 6. The following Southlanders will be in action:
Senior: Laura Thompson (Road Race), Kylie Young (Road Race), James Canny (Road Race), Matt Dodds (Road Race), Stuart MacDonald (Road Race).
Para-Cycling: Phillipa Gray (Time Trial).
Under 23: Dillon Bennett (Road Race), Brehan Cairns (Time Trial & Road Race), Brad Tuhi (Road Race).
Under 19: Jennifer Muhl (Time Trial & Road Race), Georgia Timpany (Road Race), Tom Beadle (Time Trial & Road Race), Paddy Daly (Road Race), Josh Haggerty (Time Trial & Road Race), Matt Zenbovich (Time Trial & Road Race).
Under 17: Brooke Brazier (Time Trial & Road Race), Laura Heywood (Time Trial & Road Race), Michael Culling (Time Trial & Road Race), Nick Kergozou (Time Trial & Road Race).
Under 15: Josh Carpenter (Time Trial & Road Race).