Canny claims club crit championship

THE 2020 Oscar’s Hotel & Cafe – Eureka Criterium Championships were contested under lightly clouded skies at Victoria Park on the Labour Day public holiday.

A strong south easterly wind made racing conditions cold and tough, with nowhere to hide on the tarmac.

Lauren Burnett won the Division 4 Championship comfortably after splitting the field apart with Ken Heres mid-race.

Mark O’Callaghan tried a solo effort during the middle of the Division 3 crown race. The field regrouped and Danny Whelan made all the pace until they fought out a sprint finish. O’Callaghan won by just holding out the fast finishing Shaun Martin.

The Division 2 Championship was solid throughout. Rick Calvert almost stole the race with an inspired attack three laps from the end. The field caught him just 200 metres shy of the chequered flag with Matthew Ayres going on to win the sprint.

In the main event a determined Tim Canny put in a workman display to claim the Division 1 Championship victory. Canny made the race split apart early but most of the field regrouped, which subsequently became the springboard for a classic Matt Bowman attack. When Canny joined in the party the pair were able to race away.

Dayne Pearce led the five-man chase group who fought hard to limit their losses, then start to take time out of the lead pair. Yet the effort proved too much, with Canny and Bowman left to fight out the title.

Ultimately, Canny was too strong and prevailed in in the sprint by a bike length.

Results – Championship Race (45 min + 2 laps) – 1st – Tim Canny, 2nd – Matt Bowman, 3rd – Jason Hendry. Division 2 (40 min + 2 laps) – 1st – Matthew Ayres, 2nd – Darryn Reed, 3rd – Matt Angus. Division 3 (35 min + 2 laps) – 1st – Mark O’Callaghan, 2nd – Shaun Martin, 3rd – James Knipe. Division 4 (30 min + 2 laps) – 1st – Lauren Burnett, 2nd – Brad Eppingstall, 3rd – Helen McIntosh