National title for racers
Aracersteam of young Wimmera has claimed a national age-group title after a successful end to their racing season in South Australia at the weekend.
Wimmera Human Powered Racing won the Australian Human Powered Racing Super Series C4 under-13 national title after a round-four victory at The Bend Motorsport Park at Tailem Bend, South Australia.
Sharing the team’s pedal-powered racing vehicle, called ‘Visper’, and swapping in and out of the vehicle in half-an-hour stints across more than eight hours of continuous racing, the team came from behind late in the day to secure the win.
Wimmera HPV team manager Andrew North said the entire Wimmera HPV club could not be ‘prouder’ of the group.
“In the last hour of the race, the team was behind by a lap or two and had to work really hard to make up the time gap. We couldn’t wipe the smiles of their faces when they won,” he said.
Mr North said the team came together for its first proper season of racing in 2022, after several years of COVID-19 interruptions, and after racing in the series through school-based teams in previous years.
“They came together and made incredible friendships this year. In total, they have raced together for more than 28 hours and cycled more than 820 kilometres across their four-race series,” he said.
The team won the Tailem Bend event by less than a minute-and-ahalf, or less than one entire lap of circuit – with the win sealing the national title.
Wimmera HPV also raced teams in C6 and C7 categories at the weekend, for more experienced riders. The club finished fifth and 36th in these categories respectively, and have another two races to complete, in Busselton, Western Australia, and Murray Bridge, South Australia, as part of the national series.
Mr North said the club was a great opportunity for young racers and riders to get involved with a club, learn about bicycle maintenance and gain team and leadership skills.
“It has been an amazing adventure this year after setting up this new club. We worked hard to fund our vehicles and the teams and because nothing is cheap, help from Horsham Rural City Council and Murra Warra Wind Farms got us new vehicles to race,” he said.
“Our under-13s team was not always the fastest every time, but they always did the best they could, were motivated and worked like a true team – and importantly they had fun while doing it.”