LA Z BOY MIDWEEK CRITERIUM #3

LA Z BOY MIDWEEK SERIES CRITERIUM # 3

In anticipation of a number of rainy, blustery Wednesdays, we got permission to totally close one of the roads on the circuit. This made the one dodgy corner much safer in the wet. Still, there were only seven starters tonight. Makes one wonder what happens at the weekend when rain changes the nature of a circuit. Do the participants learn as they go,rather than taking advantage of midweek races like ours to hone their wet weather skills?

As usual, the first 3 laps of tonight's race were neutralised to enable all to stay together. Lone youth entrant, Brodie Hay, did a good job of staying with the" big boys' and actually hung onto the group for a further two laps as the pace picked up. About halfway through the event, OBB's Warren Muir rode off the front and the rest of the group were content to let him stay about ten seconds ahead for the next few laps, During this time , Shepherd Stewart, OBB, lost contact and dangled off the back for a while but eventually managed to regain the group. Then Schwalbe's Iain Hay rolled into the ppits with a rear flat. Son Brodie, who was a lap down, stopped and lent his dad a rear wheel and Iain was soon back in the bunch, with Brodie DNF. Meanwhile, Paul Thompson, OBB, drifted of the rear of the group and was eventually lapped by the finish.

With 7 laps to go, Muir attacked again, and this time no-one could stay with him. He gained about 5 seconds per lap with the remaining four riders watching each other, none of them willing to take up the chase.

After Muir crossed the line alone, the sprint for second was won Hay, with Derek Brain, Everti, beaten into third by half a tire width.

Thanks to Dave Kenny for setting out the course and for doing a stirling job of marshalling ( he says he tangled with a Brinks truck!) and for all the participants for helping to stack the cones.

The next Wednesday criterium will be on June 23rd., rain or shine.