Race Report

I really should apologise: the following easterly we ordered seemed to get a bit off-course. But the 'youngsters' didn't seem to mind. (I had to throw that in, in support of 'solidarity' amongst the old farts these days!) Despite the flattering things Steve Jansen, my minute man, was saying before the start he was always going to make damn sure I never even caught sight of him once he was counted down! 'Welcome back' Ric Steele! The last time Ric rode was the year BBB did such terrible things to Scotty's course record. This time he was 3 minutes closer to Bruce's record time. Actually Scotty himself (he loves this course) and Steve Jansen also bettered Scotty's old record time today. And welcome to new member Mike Maloney - looks like he's also set to cause some mischief?

In fact the lack of wind assistance probably didn't really have a huge effect overall - it was tough out of Toodyay as usual and the last 5km sorted a few things out and caused a bit of grief; the times up that last bit tell their own story. But the mid-section 30+km was pretty good. The times seem to be pretty much in line with what we expect now that we have been riding the course for eight years and many of the riders just keep returning for another smack at it. We have to.

This was easily the biggest field we have had for this event and once again it was most fitting that it commemorates Mark Webb and, indeed reflects on all the Webb family who embody much that is the spirit of our particular discipline. This year Tony and Maggie Webb again presented the bloke's perpetual trophy to Ric and the keepsake trophies to last year's winners Brynt and Lorraine but they deferred to young grand-daughter Mei who presented the women's trophy to Lorraine. Tony made the suggestion it be renamed the 'Lorraine' trophy. But then, to be consistent, we'd have to rename most of our trophies!

Thanks as usual to the people who make the event happen: Lorraine; Deano who answered the call for assistance in getting bikes to Toodyay when it became apparent that the bus alone wasn't going to be sufficient; similarly, thanks to Paul Measey and his dad. Thanks to Jules (McD) who counted you all off at the start and Jenni Pinchen who timed you through the bottom of that last hill and Stephen who, once again was our principal timekeeper. He's off now to spend 6 weeks on the high seas off the coast of India. But he'll be back...