Penny for your travels
HUNDREDS of cycling enthusiasts were treated to a display of 150-year-old bikes and some newer contraptions at the weekend’s Victorian Penny Farthing Championships and Classic Bicycle Show.
Organiser Pat Evans said the event went off without a hitch, with the exception of a few light showers.
Melbourne’s Tim Nash, a veteran penny farthing champion, won the gentleman’s championships while Sydney’s Lizanne Wilmot took out the ladies’ championship.
Ms Evans said competitors were “very happy and sporting”, while the highwheeled bikes were a crowd favourite.
“There was a wonderful display of bikes, all types from the 1870s to the present day,” she said.
The Geelong West Band created a lively atmosphere while proud bike owners paraded their beloved contraptions.
Competitors travelled from interstate for the event at the Geelong West Oval and velodrome.
But locals did not leave empty-handed, with Geelong’s Alice Debney placing second in the ladies penny farthing championships.
The oldest penny farthing competitor was 80-year-old David Axon, who pedalled alongside teenagers in an admirable effort.
The event also featured a swap meet, stalls and a feature display celebrating the Malvern Star.