Club Races
Meg Tops off Great Year with Xmas Handicap Win
Fyans Creek - Sunday 9th December 2007

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	Race sponsor Leon Gibson presents Meg Parnaby with her trophies

Grampians Vets rider Meg Parnaby topped off a very successful year with a win in the last race of the year, the Pat and Leon Gibson Christmas Handicap.

After winning the Victorian Vets Time Trial early in the year, a training ride fall mid year resulted in a fractured pelvis, but she came back stronger than ever to take out the Australian Time Trial in her age group, as well as several local club races.

Twenty-four riders lined up for the 44km Fyans Creek event that circled Lake Lonsdale. Light winds and mild temperatures made for almost perfect race conditions, only marred by the race having to be shortened 1.5km due to the Wimmera pipeline construction.

Riding off 13 minutes, second limit riders Les Power, Merv Thompson, Meg Parnaby and Shauna Heard set off at a great pace and made up the 4 minutes on the limit riders Roger Williams and Steve Walker just after the half way point.

Meanwhile the 6 minute riders Steve Monks, Leon Gibson and Harvey Lang were quickly making up ground on the 10 minute riders Michael Jensen, Graeme Rooney and Frank Stokes, catching them at the 23km mark, and picking up Stokes as they went past.

However, Meg Parnaby knew to make the most of the tail wind after McCrackens Hill.  She broke from her group, taking Shauna Heard with her, and the two girls headed for home. However, the 6 minute riders were hot on their heels, powered along by Monks and Gibson, but ran out of time and were still 300 metres behind the girls when they crossed the finish line.

Parnaby deservedly placed first in the sprint finish with Shauna Heard riding brilliantly for second in her first club race for some time. The sprint for third place was hotly contested with both Lang and Gibson jostling for the best position, but Lang got the better of Gibson by a bike length.

Riding off 2 minutes, second scratch riders Michael Kelly, Tony Lloyd, Tom Eldridge, Gerard O'Brien, Dean Hayward and Peter Parnaby had ridden well to have the 6 minute riders in their sights with 12km to go, but just failed to catch them and finished 200 metres behind. Scratch riders Frank Kean, Richard Clark, Drew Heard, Allan Barnett, Daryl Elliott and Stuart King were a further 30 seconds back, with Drew Heard recording the fastest time of 1:08:30min.

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Left to Right - Harvey Lang, Meg Parnaby, and Shauna Heard

The Clubs annual presentations were made after the race. Race sponsor Leon Gibson presented the race winner and place getters with their trophies and prize money.

The Allan and Gayle Barnett Aggregate Award went to Les Power, with Meg Parnaby runner up. The 2007 Rider of the Year was awarded to Tania Walter for her Victorian and Australian Vets title wins.

The Clubs 2007 Most Improved Rider was awarded to Stuart King. Both Meg Parnaby and Tania Walter received awards in recognition of their performances at the State and Australian Championships.