thebahamasweekly.com - Results of the Grand Bahama Cycling Club Points Series

Sports
Results of the Grand Bahama Cycling Club Points Series
By Rowshan Jones
Apr 5, 2012 - 12:55:24 PM

Freeport, Grand Bahama - Legs are still hurting and the streets are still blazing after record numbers turned out for the Grand Bahama Cyclists Club’s series opening event. On Saturday March 31^st, the G.B.C.C. hit the streets for the first race in its G.B.C.C. Points Series. The series which runs from March to November consists of ten events and will feature at least one race per month. During the series cyclists are asked to compete for points instead of trophies. At the end of the series, the cyclists with the most accumulated points in each category are then awarded with the Points Leader’s Jersey among other gifts. And as mentioned, Saturday’s event was the most well attended season opening event ever held by the club as a total of 12 competitors turned up to participate in Race 1 of the series.

The event also produced another milestone, as it was the first event to feature members of the club’s newly formed Junior Cycling Club. Though, the juniors did not show up in the numbers expected, the fact that the club can now host a junior division without dependence on Nassau to participate shows promise and growth. The event’s junior event winner, Olufemi Williams completed the 3 mile course in 19:35:23 giving him the lead in the Junior Segment of the series. The 13 year old student of Lucayan International School was able to complete the course in record time despite attaining an injury in a crash that occurred in the early stages of the race. Getting up and dusting himself off, young Mr. Williams pressed on into what was believed to be a headwind only to turn around and find himself encountering an even stronger headwind on the trip back to the finish. However, on he pushed and his reward after his wind hammered battle was the first Victory of the series earning him 90 points.

The adult division proved a bit more exciting with 11 participants competing in three different categories. A crash at the very start of the race served to break the pack into small groups, with the groups behind immediately finding themselves in a chase to get back into contention with the leading group. The disorganization caused by the spill initially created a slow pace. However, the pace was soon brought up to speed by Vicky Howden-Staffor who took to the front of the group and began the pace making by taking the speed up to 22 mph. She was then joined by Glenward Baillou who went to the front and took the speed up even more creating a slight distance between himself and the group. However, his lead was short lived as he was reeled back in due to a charge led by Rowshan Jones and followed by Lebert Gibbs, Ken Thompson and Romeo Seymour.

The four man group continued on in a slight break for about a mile before noticing that the chase had been taken up by Catherine Jadot who was putting in a strong effort to bridge the gap between the chase group and the four leaders. It was at this point that the pace of the four men slowed allowing the two groups to come back together, with Ms. Jadot going through to the front and taking up the pace making. However, the turnaround at the six mile mark would prove the eventual separation point for the group as the cyclists turned into a strong headwind.

The group of cyclists stayed together for a few more miles before a small separation was created by Romeo Seymour who started to put in a huge turn at the front. He was joined by Rowshan Jones, Ken Thompson and Lebert Gibbs and the four men once again created distance between themselves and the rest of the group. The groups came together and split up a few more times before a series of small attacks by Rowshan Jones along with the strong headwinds one and a half miles before the end of the first lap broke the group completely asunder allowing Jones and Gibbs to involve themselves in a two man break away that would last for the remainder of the race.

In the end, the results were as follows:

Junior Category: Position: Time: Distance: Points:

Olufemi Williams 1 ^st 19:35:23 3 miles 90pts

Adult Women: Position: Time: Distance: Points:

Cat 1:

Vicki Howden-Stafford 1 ^st 1:49:58 36 miles 100pts

Cat 2:

Catherine Jadot 1 ^st 1:12:38 24 miles 95pts

Mary Cole 2 ^nd 1:22:40 24 miles 90pts

Cat 3:

Michelle Hanson 1 ^st 49:38:00 12 miles 90pts

Adult Men: Position: Time: Distance: Points:

Cat 1:

Rowshan Jones 1 ^st 1:47:07 36 miles 100pts

Lebert Gibbs 2 ^nd 1:47:08 36 miles 95pts

Ken Thompson 3 ^rd 1:49:21 36 miles 90pts

Glenward Baillou 4 ^th 1:49:55 36 miles 85pts

Cat 2:

Romeo Seymour 1 ^st 1:12:44 24 miles 95pts

Cat 3:

Michael Headberg 1 ^st 45:14:00 12 miles 90pts

Overall it was an exciting day of racing that even manage to include an impromptu tire changing workshop officiated by Michael Headberg. The next event on the G.B.C.C. Points Series Calendar is a 12 mile Time Trial scheduled for Saturday April 28 ^th , 2012.

The 50 mile event previously schedule for Saturday April 21 ^st has been cancelled due scheduling conflicts.