Australian Vets Championships 2008
Dubbo, Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September 2008

Meg Parnaby and Leon Gibson once again produced outstanding efforts, this time at the Australian Veteran Cycling Championships, held at Dubbo, NSW.

Events were staged over three days, from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th of September. The time trial and road race were held 15km out of Dubbo at Wongarbon, while the criterium was held in Dubbo itself.

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Meg & Leon with their medals

The weather was glorious, with temperatures in the mid twenties, and very mild overnight temps. It was somewhat of a shock to come back to the chilly Victorian climate.

The pair brought back a swag of medals, with Meg winning two gold medals from the two events she tackled, while Leon medaled in the three events he entered, bringing home a full set of gold, silver and bronze. Unfortunately, the fields were most small, with only 78 entries overall.

Fridays out and back 25km time trial was staged over a very testing hilly course, with all riders struggling to keep the pace up over the hills and into a head wind on the return journey. Both Meg and Leon proved their metal, coming up trumps to win gold in their age groups.

Saturdays 47km road race was held over an ideal, undulating course. Meg rode a well planned race, biding her time in the bunch until the final hilly 11km of the race. Being lightly built, the hilly section suited her, and she made a break on a long uphill climb, going on to win easily.

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	Leon in the criterium - don't you love those helmets!!!

Leon found the slow pace of his bunch frustrating. A long hard race was more suited to his style. Leon attempted to breakaway on the final hilly section with one other rider, but was unsuccessful, and so the race came down to the final sprint. A sudden change of direction by a leading rider resulted in touched wheels and checked Leon’s advance, but he recovered magnificently to claim second place.

Leon also contested Sundays criterium. Riders rode for 20 minutes, then an extra 2 laps of the excellent wide, fast course. Several attempts to break up the field by various riders failed, so once again the final sprint decided the placings. Leon once again found himself checked at a vital moment, but still finished with a bronze medal, completing a matched set.