During the past decade the Dubbo Cycle Club has developed into what many have considered to be one of the best in the country.
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Now there’s the proof to back up that claim.
The announcement was made at the Cycling Australia Awards in Melbourne on Friday, where it was revealed the Dubbo club is the fifth best cycle club in the country.
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While that is a huge achievement, it is even more special given it is the top club in NSW and the only one in the top 10 which isn’t based in a metropolitan centre.
The rankings are based on the number of national, Oceania, and world titles won by each club per year.
“It’s great to be fifth in the nation. It’s really quite special,” Dubbo Cycle Club president Matthew Gilbert said.
“It may well be the highest we’ve been in living memory.
“I’ve asked around some members who have been part of the club for 45 years and we haven’t had this many (cyclists compete) at a national level before.
“As far as consistency goes, in the last decade we’ve set a benchmark and each year we’ve gradually improved.”
In the last decade we’ve set a benchmark and each year we’ve gradually improved.
- Club president Matthew Gilbert
The last 12 months has been an incredible one for the club.
In state competitions Dubbo athletes have won a staggering 36 gold medals, 23 silver and 15 bronze.
There’s also been a huge amount of success on the national stage with 15 Australian gold medals collected, 9 silver won, and 10 bronze.
Simone Grounds is responsible for three of those national golds and she was on hand at Friday’s gala awards night as one of four nominees for the Female Australian Masters Road Cyclist of the Year award.
Grounds, somewhat surprisingly given she won gold in each of the three Australian title races she contested, missed out but her standing is proof of how highly regarded the Dubbo club is on the national stage.
As well as Grounds’ efforts there has been a huge number of younger riders making on impact at a high level.
Kurt Eather, Danny Barber, Dylan Eather, and Haylee Fuller are all regarded as some of the most promising riders in Australia and continue to go from strength to strength.
Kurt Eather was one of the stars of the past 12 months, winning several gold medals at the Oceania Cycling Championships.
Senior riders Jason Farr and Tim Hines are just two of the others who have gone from racing in Dubbo this year to compete on the grand stage.
“To be on this list (of best clubs) is an amazing achievement,” Gilbert added.
As well as the national recognition, Dubbo Cycle Club was also rewarded closer to home with leading coach Gus Dawson being given the prestigious John and Nita McGrath award for Individual Contribution to Sport at the Dubbo Regional Sports Awards on Friday.
While coaching athletes to national, world, and Commonwealth Games gold medals across the years, Dawson has stated numerous times during his career he gets just as much satisfaction from helping Dubbo cyclists young and old better themselves.
Fellow Dubbo coach Vaughn Eather also received an achievement award on Friday night.
“It’s all Gus and Vaughn’s fault,” Gilbert laughed.
“But we’re blessed to have them and they do a lot of work behind the scenes as well. They really care for the kids.
“The saying we’ve always had in ‘train insane or stay the same’ and this (recognition) puts it all into perspective.
“We hope to maintain this success in the medal tally but it is quite difficult and we do need that support from the coaches, executive staff, and others. It’s a real team effort.”