Club Races
Parnaby Gets Timing Right
Warrak Torture Test Handicap
Sunday 27th June 2010

Peter Parnaby

After dying in the sprint 50 metres from the line in the previous weeks race, Grampians Vets rider Peter Parnaby made no mistake last Sunday, taking out the gruelling 40 kilometre Ararat to Warrak handicap.

One of the toughest races on the Vets circuit, the race leaves Ararat, heading out along Warrak Road, passes through Warrak towards Mt Cole until the bitumen runs out, then returns. A long steep hill just out of Warrak on the return journey severely tests even the fittest riders.

Limit marker Meg Parnaby, still stiff from a hard 16 kilometre cross country run the day before, did well from her 15 minute mark to lead until 5 kilometres from home. At this point she was passed by the 8 minute riders Tony Rathgeber, Gary Brumby and Peter Mayo, working in conjunction with 5 minute rider Peter Parnaby, who had earlier caught them after breaking away from Alan Barnett and Glenn Ford on the steep climb out of Warrak.

Further back, scratch riders Sean Prins and Shane Clark rode superbly to reel in 2 minute riders Drew Heard, Crystal Wemyss and Daryl Elliott half way up the climb out of Warrak, then picked up Barnett and Ford along the way before finally catching the leading group about 1 kilometre from home.

Rounding the final bend with 500 metres to go, the scratchmen lifted the pace. With 200 metres to go Barnett made a bid for the line, but Peter Parnaby, suddenly finding some hidden reserves, flashed past to win by a comfortable margin, with Shane Clark second, and Sean Prins third.

Clark also recorded the fastest race time of 1 hour and 7 minutes.

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