Weightman claims elite time trial championship

Updated November 2 2012 - 2:40pm, first published September 21 2010 - 1:46pm
Charlie Stebbing at the start line for the BSCC senior time trial.
Charlie Stebbing at the start line for the BSCC senior time trial.

ANDREW Weightman took victory and the elite championship title in the open senior 19.26-kilometre individual road time trial championship on Saturday.In strong south-westerly windy conditions, Weightman posted a time of 26 minutes 48.59 seconds, that was only eight seconds from Rhys Gillett's 2009 winning time and 34 seconds better than his own runner-up time last year of 27:22, an outstanding performance given the weather.The drizzly morning cleared to an almost ideal afternoon and then closed in to be cool and overcast as a blustery southerly blew in to test riders to the limit.Gillett was unable to defend his title as he was racing the Tour of Tasmania.Grant Gilbert finished the Windermere Cuthberts Rd, Dyson Dve, old Western Highway loop in 27:13 to be runner-up time trialist, with new member for 2010 Thayne Turley in the bronze medal position.Stuart Grigg almost claimed back-to-back time trial titles but was edged out by two seconds by Neville Bilney, who claimed the MAS1-3 (aged 30-44) championship.Stuart Sanders was back on the bike and looked ready for a very strong assault against the clock. He took third in his lead-up to his Australian Masters campaign later this week. Shane Cody dumped the mountain bike for a hit out against the clock, while Scott Denno rode in his first championship event with the BSCC to post an official time over distance.A shaky start by Charlie Stebbing saw him settle into a rhythm that allowed him to post a competitive time on his 19-kilometre journey to claim the Masters 4-7 (aged 45-64) division title, with Dave Peters runner-up.With entries improving in the divisions over the last few years the skill of time trialing is being harnessed by those willing to test their limits against the clock and course.A shortage of female entries saw the normal women's category abandoned for this year.Several visitors made the trek from various clubs around the state to pit themselves against Ballarat's conditions and the clock in the lead-up to the Australian Masters titles this week.Shane Miller, Martin Larma and Paul Ambry, of Hawthorn CC, posted official times with Miller claiming the statistical fastest time of the day.RESULTS:OPEN: A. Weightman 26:48.59, G. Gilbert 27:13.03, T. Turley 30:32.09.MMAS 1-3: N. Bilney 30:25.70, S. Grigg 30:27.20, S. Sanders 30:43.44.MMAS 4-7: C. Stebbing 32:37.76, D. Peters 34.47:55.Overall results by time: S. Miller (HCC) 25:26.46, M. Larma (HCC) 26:42.41, A. Weightman (BSCC) 26:48.59, G. Gilbert (BSCC) 27:13.03, W.Gebert (Coburg CC) 28:56.73, N. Bilney (BSCC) 30:25.70, S. Grigg (BSCC) 30:27.20, T. Turley (BSCC) 30:32.09, S. Wallis (BSCC) 30.42:69, S. Sanders (BSCC) 30:43.44, S. Cody (BSCC) 31:09.19, P. Ambry (HCC) 31:13.28, C. Stebbing (BSCC) 32:37.76, B. Pollock (Mildura CC) 33:43.09, R. Kerr (BSCC) 34:01.83, S. Denno (BSCC) 34.05:11, D. Peters (BSCC) 34.47:55

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