RAYNAUTH Jeffrey, Christopher Cornelius and Stephen Fernandes were declared winners of their respective categories when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) staged its national Individual Time Trials championships yesterday around the Mahaicony circuit, East Coast Demerara.Jeffrey, who campaigns in the United States of America returned 24 minutes .01 seconds to win the Elite (seniors)11-mile time trial, while Cornelius and Fernandes won the junior and veterans’ categories respectively.
Cornelius recorded 13 minutes, 44.31 seconds to win the junior category, which was a 5.5-mile race against time and Fernandes returned 13 minutes, 42.75 seconds to win the veterans’ category over the same distance.
The event which started adjacent to the Mahaicony Community Centre at 08:00hrs, saw the junior and veterans’ contesting one lap (5.5 miles) around the circuit and the Elite (seniors) racing against time for two laps or 11 miles.
Marlon “Fishy” Williams was second in the Elite category after posting a time of 25 minutes .05 seconds. Jamal John who is back home from the US where he campaigns, returned 25 minutes 16 seconds to clinch third ahead of another US-based Guyanese, Geron Williams, who clocked 25 minutes 32 seconds for fourth place.
Andrew Hicks was second among the juniors with a time of 13 minutes 46.85 seconds, while Deeraj Garbarran returned 14 minutes 10.50 seconds for third place.
In the veterans’ category, Raymond Newton placed second with a time of 13 minutes 46.72 seconds and Junior Niles finished third with a time of 13 minutes 49 seconds.
Hamza Eastman, the 2015 champion failed to show up to defend his title and some GCF officials said they are not aware if Eastman is in Guyana.
Last year, Eastman registered seven minutes 42.36 seconds in winning the four-mile time trial which was staged from Montrose, East Coast Demerara and concluded at Bel Air. Michael Anthony was second and Orville Hinds third.
Last year also, Eastman won the national road race title with a time of three hours, 40 minutes 37.67 seconds. Geron Williams, who won the road race title in 2014, placed third to Eastman last year while Alonzo Greaves finished second.
Meanwhile, the GCF will stage its national road race championships today and in the absence of Eastman, a new Road Race champion will be crowned.
The event gets underway from 11:00hrs from the entrance leading to the Guyana Defence Force’s playfield on Irving Street, opposite Barr Street, Kitty and will see the competitors battling for 30 laps around the outer circuit of the National Park before finishing at the place of origin.