Club Races
Power Powers to Victory
Fyans Creek - Sunday 17th June 07

	Les Power

Early sun gave an illusion of warmth to the start of the Fyans Creek 45km handicap, but the warm up rides were another matter! However, once racing started riders soon warmed up and the early chill was forgotten.

Limit riders Larry Bales and Roger Williams, riding off 15 minutes, headed off 2 minutes ahead of Meg Parnaby, Graham Rooney, and Les Power.

The 13 minute bunch, however, managed to reeled them in about 15 kilometres later, at the turn from the Halls Gap road onto the Illawarra Road.

After loosing a slightly out of form Williams on the hilly Sandbar section, this group continued on for the rest of the race.

Five minute riders Dean Haywood, Stuart King, Harvey Lang and Peter Parnaby worked well as team, and although 2 minutes 30sec riders Mike Kelly, Alan Barnett, Tony Lloyd and Tom Eldridge worked hard, and had the 5 minute bunch in their sights early on, they didn’t catch them.

Scratch riders Daryll Elliott, Jamie Bennett, Richard Clarke, and Drew Heard, put in a great effort to catch the 2 minute 30sec group with about 7kms to go.

Great handicapping saw a close finish, with all bunches finishing within a short time.

With 5 kilometres to go, the 5 minute bunch had the combined 15 and 13 minute bunches in their sights, but in spite of working hard, the limit group held on to take the placings.

At the Fyans Creek bridge, Les Power and Graham Rooney saw the chasing riders, and decided to make a do or die effort, and took off, with Power taking line honours ahead of Rooney. Meg Parnaby crossed the line for third, with Larry Bales fourth.

Fastest race time went to Drew Heard with 1:10:57.

After the race, many rides enjoyed a coffee and muffin at Halls Gap.