CYCLING

Cyclocross Hawkes Bay Black Barn Results Race #3

By Cyclocross Hawkes

Overcast skies threatened rain early on Sunday morning in Hawkes Bay, but this didn’t deter a large field of eager racers turning up to the 3rd  event of the 2017 Black Barn Cyclocross Series.

Plenty of smiles were on display as the young kids fun ride, including balance bikes, were chased around the course by red faced parents. Smiles that only got wider when they received the reward of a well earned Whittakers chocolate bar. Plenty of chocolate lovers here. 

Racing in earnest got underway with the Arataki Future Stars 7 and under field, and while the first couple of racers got away cleanly, there was an Auckland traffic style jam in the starting straight. Things eventually sorted themselves out, and out of the carnage emerged Frank Nicholls to race away to an early lead. Caught up in the melee behind him was  Lance Hunt and he chased hard for a well deserved second place. 

The girls event was also a great competition with Charlotte McLaren managing to edge out Isobel Thomson.

The Freeman Decorating 10 and under race was the pick of the day. After a fast and furious start the end of the first lap saw Benjamin Gray lead Brooke Duncan by a bike length.Duncan sat perched on his wheel for the next 3 laps, and it became clear that the first rider to lead into the the Black Barn Spiral would be the first across the line. A desperate lunge for the inside line at the corner on the final lap, and Duncan was able to grab the lead. While Gray piled on the pressure in the spiral, she was able to hold him off and take line honours, and the girls medal, Gray taking  the gold medal in the boys race. 

Second and third in the boys race went to Tommy Nation and Jack Hunt, while the girls podium was filled out by Anna and Kate McLaren.

This winter, all over the country, there has been plenty of precipitation and Hawkes Bay has not been any different. So while the skies slowly cleared, the course was still expected to be muddy and slippery as riders wound their way through Black Barn vineyards and the olive grove. A Le Mans start mixed things up in the CX45 race, and Steve Nicholls took the chance to put some early pressure on series leader Gary Hall, opening up a 20+ second lead. Hall kept his composure and kept on the pressure, and as Nicholls slowed he seemed to get stronger, taking the lead just past the halfway mark and pulling away for another win. Chris Clark finished in 3rd. 

Rachael Nicholls won the CX30 in her last outing, and this week stepped up to the longer CX45 class taking the CX45 womens title. 

The CX30 race was next away, and was just as competitive, another strong showing by Brendon Pheasant to take the title from Finn van Kampen and Brent Symes.

In the womens, young local rider Laura Bickers pushed Delwyn Goldsborough into second place, with Fiona Simcox in 3rd on debut. 

The Black Barn underground hosted the traditional Belgian cyclocross post race recovery meal; Beer and Frites, competitors enjoying locally batch brewed Roosters beer as the skies cleared and the sun poked through the clouds, bathing the dormant vines in shafts of light.

The next event is in two weeks, back at Black Barn.