Text by Cub Reporter Ken Wilson
Photos by Martin Reid
It started out as an overcast but pleasant day as Martin and I drove to Ayr…but it didn’t take long before we ran into our first glitch of the day: a new stop sign on OUR Road Race course!! (The nerve!)
It seems that traffic has been heavy enough at the intersection of Drumbo Road and Brant-Oxford Rd, that a four-way stop has been installed since we last raced there in August 2010.
So, we had to give the riders the news and some cautionary advice. (Looks like we’ll have to find another course somewhere?)
(Story continues after photos.)
Attendance was not good, as only seven riders showed-up. (Perhaps not enough pre-race publicity?) We had four slower riders and four faster riders, so we split it up into two groups, Australian Pursuit. Debbie Clarke, John Wiseman and Eric Laurin were given a 15-minute head start on Carl Clarke, Kevin Intini, Shawn Cranwell and John Wilby.
Things were proceeding right on schedule after the first lap, and the faster group was on-schedule to catch-up by the end of the race. However. Eric felt a little faster and broke-away from Debbie and Gary.
Meanwhile, dark clouds were gathering to the north and blowing in south-west just outside our race course area. There was lightning, but it didn’t look like it would come near us. We thought the rain might too, but no such luck – it poured on third lap third lap! Apparently it got pretty bad out on the backstretch and Shawn pulled-off, as Carl, Kevin and John continued to gain ground on the first group. They caught and passed Debbie and Gary coming into Ayr, but without one of their riders, the first group lost some of their momentum. At the end of the third lap, Eric was still four minutes ahead of the fast group.
Ken had to start a new lap sheet, as the first one got soaked! Martin drove around the course taking some photos….in the dark!
The rain stopped by the time the last lap of our started, but Gary and Debbie dropped-out, as did Shawn.
Carl, Kevin and John were still pursuing Eric, but Eric upped his pace for the last lap and stayed out of reach, finishing about 2:40 ahead of the faster guys. John won the sprint to the finish up the Ayr Rd hill, beating Kevin by a bike length (same time) with Carl pulling-up three seconds behind.
As we were standing around reading out the results and giving-out some prizes, that storm had done a circle and decided to have another go at us. Prizes were given out and we all retreated!
- 1:21:11 Eric Laurin
- 1:23:56 John Wilby (actual time 1:08:56)
- 1:23:56 Kevin Intini (actual time 1:08:56)
- 1:23:59 Carl Clarke (actual time 1:08:59)
DNF: Debbie Clarke, Gary Wiseman, Shawn Cranwell