Dubbo riders enjoyed great success at the Junior State Titles and opens carnival at the weekend, but the elusive Memorial double continues to evade them.
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Kurt Eather retained the Cliff Hazel Memorial Wheelrace trophy for the Dubbo Cycle Club (DCC), but junior star Emily Hines was denied the Jackson Pascoe Memorial on a countback – despite the fact she claimed gold and the NSW title in all three of her under 11 girls events.
DCC president Matthew Gilbert said the junior titles, which Dubbo has hosted for about 20 years, had been a success once again.
“The event went really well, we had lots of riders come from all over the state,” he said.
“DCC has within it four members that are going to the Australian titles and that’s not including the seniors … last year we were the recipient of about 36 national and state gold so a lot of those riders consider Dubbo as a club they’d like to come out and beat … we’re actually prepared to defend things like the Cliff Hazel Memorial.”
He was especially pleased the club had been able to retain the Cliff Hazel Memorial trophy, in honour of “ a lovely guy and a very staunch member” of the club, who “gave so much”.
More than 140 riders contested the state titles with people travelling from Lidcombe, Bathurst, Orange, Wagga Wagga, the Central Coast, Goulburn, St George and the Hunter.
But Gilbert was proud to say Dubbo talents shone the brightest.
Hines dominated her age group, claiming gold in the scratch race, time trial and sprint derby events.
“Emily is known as the golden girl within the club … she’s a wonderful talent,” Gilbert said.
“Obviously the competition is fierce … she’s going to be really pushed [at events like this] but we have faith in her, she trains hard … to try and make that dream come to fruition.”
That dream is to make it to the national titles one day, Hines said, or one day even the Olympics.
“I love having my friends support me and making new friends in different clubs,” she said, when asked why she loved the sport.
Lachlan Clark won the under 17 men’s wheelrace “in absolutely stunning fashion”, Gilbert said.
“He only just pipped his scratch marker,” he said. “Lachlan started off a handicap line and he held on to win by about a bike length from a fast-finishing Dylan Eather, who is the current Australian champion as well.”
The under 17 women’s event was won by Hayley Fuller – “a real talent in cycling” – while endurance rider Zara Fuller “absolutely raced out of her skin” to claim the under 15 girls event.
“Zara is … an avid trainer and determined to do well in the sport,” Gilbert said.