A strong turn out of 24 riders fronted for the Yoogali Cup. This is a graded Scratch Race and was also the last race of the year for Griffith Cycle Club. Scratch racing is a race of tactics and there was plenty of pride on the line.
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A, B and C Grades were to be contested over four laps, with the D graders rode three laps around the Hanwood Course.
A Grade presented with a strong field with five-time champion Mal Blake the firm favourite. He was joined by Nigel Dunstone, Craig Tilston, Mitch Harrison, Peter Stockwell, Jason Minato and Steve Bertoldo. They were determined to make life difficult for Blake. Dunstone and Harrison surged away but Blake responded and quickly joined their wheel, leaving Tilston with a choice to close the break or sit back and wait. Not wanting to be caught out he chose the former and worked hard to close the gap. Unfortunately for Bertoldo, Stockwell and Minato they missed the jump and were left hoping the front four would choose to back off.Tilston attacked on lap three and almost managed to break away, but Blake and Harrison were having none of this, launching a counter-attack of their own. Tilston and Dunstone kept in touch and the group settled back into their rhythm again with all four launching little attacks in the hope numbers would thin. The pace quickened as the final turn arrived and it was clear this was going to be a sprint finish. It was a case of who would jump first and it was Tilston who was quickly followed by Harrison, then Dunstone and Blake. The power was down and the pace was on with Blake taking his 6th Yoogali Cup from Dunstone and Tilston. The race was one of the best in A grade for a number of years.
B Grade had Dick Hore, Jenni Massey, Aiden Hill, Kingsley Massey, Tony Delgigante and Myles Bunn. The bunch settled into a good rhythm as the riders preceded to test each other out to see who had the freshest legs. Bunn and Hill were testing their legs, closely watched by the Massey's. Hore and Delgigante were working well and it was evident that it was going to be a tight affair. On lap three the pressure was applied and this saw Delgigante lose touch with the bunch, Hore and Bunn were working hard but they were being well watched by Hill and the Massey's. The bunch powered into the finishing straight where it was the young legs of Hill that proved to strong powering to the win from Kingsley Massey, with Jenni in third.
Tough ride today for C Grade. The group of seven started out strong with attacks in the first lap from Tony Jones and Brendon Sinclair. This saw the group being split on lap one with Sinclair leading the charge followed by Andreazza, Trotter and Chiappin. The back runners of Piccoli, Jones and Wynne fought hard and managed to catch up. The group managed to keep it together for the remainder of the race but Jones, Chiappin and Sinclair forced the group to work hard. It was Sinclair and Jones who worked the hardest on the front. The final sprint to the line saw a very strong Wynne come from the back of the bunch to make his way to the front and cross the line first.
D grade was represented by Tara Payne, Mia Stockwell, Alana Rossiter and Tom Graham. This bunch powered off with Graham and Rossiter showing that they were going to mix it with Stockwell and Payne. The bunch were working well with each making little attacks. The inexperienced Stockwell was finding it difficult to stay off the front, but it was not slowing her down as she pulled the other along. Graham was starting to feel the pinch. Payne attacked midway through the race and it caught the others by surprise. Rossiter was determined to close this and worked with Stockwell. It was clear it was going to come down to a sprint and this was where Payne's experience showed as she powered away from Stockwell, with Rossiter finishing in third.
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