With competitors representing the Albany, Easter Goldfields and South West cycling clubs it was going to take more than dismal weather to stop the Peel Junior Tour, a three race event for Western Australia’s up and coming young cyclists held at the Kwinana Motorplex last Saturday.
The first race was the 500 metre sprint from a rolling start. The under 13 women was won by Emily Wiggins with Isabella Commons second and Hannah Waters third. In the under 13 men it was Baden Grey first, Joshua Howe second and Toby Dew third. The under 15 women saw Danica Wiggins and Dharlia Haines racing side by side for 500 metres, with 20 metres to go Wiggins just edged ahead to win by less than a wheel, with Emma Lendrum third.
The under 15 men sprint was a repeat of the State under 15 men criterium with Sebastian Barrett and Jordan Dawson clear of the field and Barrett’s powerful sprint propelling him to first again. Courtland Wood finished third. Due to injury and illness the under 17 women was a two rider race, with Rebecca Blake winning from Talia Banks. The biggest field was the under 17 men and Julian Krohn kicked early and held off a fast finishing Craig Wiggins with Conor Leahy third.
The rain has eased to a constantly drizzle by time the next race the time trial started. The under 13s raced one lap of the 2.1km circuit, the under 15 and under 17 women three and the under 17 men six. In the under 13 women, it was Emily Wiggins first, Hannah Waters second and Amelia Stones third. In the under 13 men it was Joshua Howe first, Toby Dew second and Matthew Connan third. The under 15 women saw Emma Lendrum first, Dharlia Haines second and Danica Wiggins third.
The under 15 men was another reversal of the earlier results with Jordan Dawson winning, Sebastian Barrett second and Courtland Wood again third. Rebecca Blake was again victorious in the under 17 women with Talia Banks second. Craig Wiggins was untouchable in the time trail, riding away to the win. With Conor Leahy second and two seconds away in third place Tyler Lindorff.
The final event was the road race, a 3.6 kilometre circuit using all the Motorplex and including a couple of technical corners, a short climb and some exposed sections which were going to be challenging now the wind had picked up, but at least the rain had dropped away. The under 13s combined men and women were first away for a 5 lap 18km race. Most of the bunch stayed together until the final lap. First round the final corner was a very select group of under 13 men. Baden Grey used the same burst of speed as he did in the sprint to score a convincing win. With Toby Dew second and Matthew Connan third. Emily Wiggins was not far behind to secure her third win. Followed by Isabella Commons second and Hannah Waters third.
Before the next race started, the wind became really fierce and the squally rain returned. The race director took the decision that circuit was too dangerous to race and cancelled the under 15 and under 17 road races.
Emily Wiggins took out first in the under 13 women overall with 3 wins. with Isabella Commons second and Hannah Waters third. Baden Grey took the overall in under 13 men with two wins, Joshua Howe second with a first, second and fourth and Toby Dew was third overall.
The under 15 and under 17 overall results were based on the first two events, with the time trial results used as the tiebreaker. Which gave Emma Lendrum first overall with a third in sprint and first in the time trial, Danica Wiggins second overall with a win in the sprint and third, Dharlia Haines was third overall with two seconds. In the under 15 men, Jordan Dawson was first overall with his win in the time trial. Sebastian Barrett second and Courtland Wood third. Rebecca Blake took the overall in the under 17 women with two wins, Talia Banks was second.
Craig Wiggins was the overall winner in the under 17 men, with Conor Leahy second and Julian Krohn third.
The Peel Distrcit Cycling Club would like to thank the riders for racing in difficult conditions, all the volunteers for working in the same difficult conditions and the sponsors Murray Mandurah Mayday Club (Inc) Op Shop and the Department of Sport and Recreation without whom it would not be possible to run one of the premier races for junior cyclists in WA.