Panter Returns to Whyalla
09.05.09
Bob
Panter returned to the city from Queensland for the weekend and,
having heard the local road season had started, decided to get back
on the bike after a break of many years.
Panter grew up in Whyalla and started his cycling career here at the
age of 15 and rose to the international level. Panter was in the
first group to start the 50km handicap along with his first coach
Hayden Gill (an inspiration to many), Dylan Starkey, Gary Anderson
and Pierce Sutton, but Panter punctured just before the OneSteel
lights as they began the lap of the Mad Mile before turning onto the
Iron Knob road.
Luckily there was a spare tube in the follow car and he was able to
change the tube in time to join Paul Waring, Darryl Fulton, Keith
Gibbons and Scott Cramer who started five minutes later. G.
Anderson also suffered a puncture and was forced to retire just
after the speedway on the way out.
Nicole Goldring dropped off the back of the other six riders in the
18 minute bunch, but was able to join Wil Symons, Tim Fulton, Steve
Brown and Ben Young when they caught her. Scratch riders Rhyse
Carpenter, Malcolm Clasohm, Paul Berkett and Tony Kingdon had their
work cut out from the start to reel in the four groups in front of
them and had made up two minutes by the turn around. Kingdon
had dropped off the back on the approach to the turn and with the
others happy to leave the pace setting to Clasohm, all but one
second of the two minutes was lost on the return with Clasohm
narrowly claiming the fastest time.
Ryan Ware, Darren Anderson, Peter Werner, Adrian Wilson, Ron
Versteegh and Kelvin Rohrlach worked well together slowly, but
steadily closing the 18 minute gap to the front markers. After
a struggle last week Starkey broke away from his group on the return
and had a good lead as he began the slight downhill to the model
aeroplane club and increased this lead on the way to the finish at
Fryers Cutting. Starkey crossed the line almost four and a
half minutes, ahead of Gibbons, Waring, D. Fulton and Gill with
Versteegh, Werner, Wilson, D. Anderson and Ware a minute later.
In the Junior 20km handicap along the Iron Knob road Liza Wakeling
(0 mins) made the most of her lead to hold off Sam Campbell (3 min
40sec), Jessica Shore (2 min 15 sec) and Charlotte Wakeling (45 sec)
with Campbell taking out fastest time.
The Novices had their distance extended by 2.5kms to 7.5km this week
with some of the less experienced riders finding it quite a
challenge. Heather Cutting was the first rider off followed
three minutes later by Chris Margaritis in his first race and Nathan
Balkwill then Corey Gibbons and Connor Margaritis off four minutes
and Justin Burke five minutes. Burke is sure to have his
handicap changed for next week as he easilyclosed the gap and
tookthe lead to finish first from Connor, Corey, Nathan and Heather.
FULL RACE RESULTS
HERE |
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