AROUND THE BEND: Brendan Miller, Gary Bryce and Mel Kilby ahead of winner Matt Clarke and Chelsea Oaten.
RAPID sprints decided all finishes at the Optus Nowra Velo Club’s race program on the Flinders Industrial Complex circuit last Sunday.
Illawarra Cycle Club’s Shane Visser took out the division one event, over 50 minutes plus two laps, by half a wheel from that impressive youngster, Dylan Oaten.
Visser and Oaten had escaped the field with 15 minutes of racing remaining and had a two minute advantage over the bunch sprinting for the minor positions.
Earlier breaks featured Levi Johns, but he was kept in sight and reeled in each time before the gap was too big.
Morgan Clarke was a length ahead of Godfrey Green for third place.
Gerard Hilford, Paul Mackie, Ian Kielly, David Collins, Levi Johns and Tim Devlin were all up close for a tight finish.
Matt Clark showed the benefit of improvement with a half length win over Wally Erven (Illawarra CC) in the division two 40 minute plus two lap race.
Brendon Miller was just another half length back in third place following an attacking race that featured escapes, chases and attacks on the Trim Street climb.
Into the final lap, Tarni Cunningham split the bunch on the climb and was away with Erven and Mel Kilby.
The bunch chased through the last two corners and Cunningham led into the finish straight only to be swamped with 150 metres to go.
Kilby finished fourth ahead of Cunningham, Gary Bryce, Steve Daley and Hubert Driehuis.
Dave Gray is back in form and he denied Rod Pierce a win in the division three 30 minute plus two lap event.
Pierce looked the winner 100 metres from the line. He was holding Rob Pickard on the hip but the inside gap was just big enough for Gray to slip through for a half wheel decision.
Pickard finished third ahead of Lawry Byrne, Jo Chalain and Bruce Jenkins.
The under 15 girls are keen and there are some of them at the NVC program each week.
Georgia Mason had a three length advantage over Libby Randall after 30 minutes around the Flinders circuit on Sunday
Abby Johns was there for the first time and rode into third place.
These juniors are encouraged by constant coaching and guidance from FTP coach, Damian Mason.
The Optus Nowra Velo Club returns to MR92 with a 53 kilometre handicap event next Sunday.
The TLE Electrical team will host this event and it will start at 8am from the Aviation Tech Park in Wugan Street.
