{"id":67270,"date":"2020-02-27T05:59:43","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T18:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/?p=67270"},"modified":"2020-02-23T18:43:01","modified_gmt":"2020-02-23T07:43:01","slug":"mayor-successful-amid-shortcut-surprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/news\/mayor-successful-amid-shortcut-surprise\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor successful amid shortcut surprise"},"content":{"rendered":"

CROWDS at Marty Busch Reserve were entertained on Sunday morning as City of Ballarat mayor, Cr Ben Taylor and Cr Des Hudson put on a BMX show.<\/p>\n

Kicking off Ballarat Sebastopol Rush\u2019s Rebellion Race Meet, the pair zoomed around the club track at 10.30am to see who was council\u2019s most capable BMX racer, with Cr Taylor crowned winner.<\/p>\n

But taking his helmet off after the race, he had to \u201ccall it as it is,\u201d with Cr Hudson bypassing the final straight to cross the line first.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was just plain cheating,\u201d Cr Taylor laughed. \u201cI think he realised the heart was pumping a bit too fast, he needed the defib a bit too early, so he cut the corner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was nervous at the top, the heart was pumping, but once I got around that first corner, I thought I was right after that. It was good fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cr Taylor and Cr Hudson post race.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cr Hudson said he was fastest off the straight and first onto the main jump before the situation changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly Ben\u2019s training that he had with the professional trainer through the week gave him some corner lines and technique of being low on the bike, then pumping,\u201d Cr Hudson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time the fourth straight was there I had to think on my feet. He was out in front and clearly going to win, so I had to improvise and take a short cut through the grass.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think in the end I beat him by about 15 lengths. Might have been slightly outside the rules, but for ingenuity and getting the job done, I think I was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rush club member, Shallan Pompe was impressed to see the councillors engaging with her sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting the club, coming out and having fun is what makes you a leader, and it\u2019s good to see them having a go,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n