Sprint endurance gets Classic victor home
Hamish Keast claimed the prestigious Gore to Waikiwi Classic road cycling title on Saturday.
The Geo W Wilson and Sons Ltd-sponsored event is one of the oldest classics on the Cycling Southland calendar.
As the name suggests, it takes riders on a 78km journey from Gore to Waikiwi, with the finish on McIvor Rd outside the entrance to Donovan Park.
Run in a handicap format, the fastest riders set off last, and have to catch all the groups in front of them to take the title.
Keast started in the scratch group, the last off the line, which also included Matt Zenovich. Working together, they soon started sweeping up the riders ahead of them.
Meanwhile, at the front of the race, Erin Criglington claimed the mountain prize at the top of Hedgehope Hill, while groups behind started coming together and pushing to bring the gap to the front of the race down.
Heading towards Rakahouka Hill, Zenovich put in a push, and took Keast and Hunter Gough with him. The trio soon built a good lead, and it was clear that the winner would come from this select group.
Coming to the finish line, Zenovich hit out early into the teeth of the howling wind, but Keast was able to respond, with Gough on his wheel. With Zenovich beaten, it was a twoman sprint. Gough managed to come up alongside Keast, but fell just short as Keast claimed a narrow victory over Gough in second, and Zenovich in third.
Mike White was the first masters rider home, and Rhylee Akeroyd the first woman home. The prize for the fastest time went to Keast, and Gough claimed the prize for the fastest under-19 rider, and Emily Paterson the prize for the fastest female.
‘‘Everyone was out there excited to race, and everyone gave it their all.’’ Hamish Keast
Keast said that it was always great to win a race but especially now, given so many events had been cancelled because of Covid.
‘‘It’s always good to get out there and put the race wheels on – everyone was out there excited to race, and everyone gave it their all,’’ he said.
Keast’s focus now shifts to the SBS Bank Tour of Southland, which is set to take place from November 1 to 7 . His priority in the race will be working for his team, rather than going for results for himself, but it is a role he relishes.
‘‘I need to come into it full form and ready to ride for everyone in the team,’’ he said.
The junior race, contested over 32km, was won by Grace Griffin over Poppy McIvor and Kate Russell. Ronan Shearing set the fastest time.
The open and junior races were run as two separate bubbles, with separate starts and separate finishing times, in order to ensure public gathering limits were adhered to.