Archer, Pereira Memorial Cycle meet

Warren McKay (left) out sprints Alonzo Greaves and Leer Nunes to win the feature 15-lap event of the Continental Cycle Club’s 3rd annual Marlis Archer and Maxie Pereira Mmorial Cycle Race meet yesterday (Sonell Nelson photo).

WARREN McKay returned one hour 29 minutes 52 seconds in winning the feature 15-lap event in the 3rd Annual Marlis Archer, Maxie Pereira Cycle Road race yesterday.

The day’s 10-race programme which was sponsored by the Alliance For Change (AFC) opposition party was well supported by both cyclists as well as fans and supporters of cycling.

Apart from McKay’s winning effort, there were other outstanding performances from both BMX and racing bike riders, including Raymond Perez, Geron Williams and former national champion Randolph `Randy’ Toussiant.

In winning the feature event, McKay also won six of the 15 prime prizes that were up for grabs, while Robin Persaud who placed fifth overall won four primes.

Alonzo Greaves who placed second to McKay as well as Geron Williams who finished fourth overall won two prime prizes each, while Eric Sankar who dropped out of the race during the 13th lap won the other prime.

Leer Nunes who was partly responsible for McKay winning the event settled for third overall while Alex Mendes ended sixth.

The 15-lap event attracted more than 25 starters and went off at a fast pace with Robin Persaud taking the lead during the first lap, but from the second lap, McKay made his intentions known by taking up the lead position ahead of Persaud and Alonzo Greaves respectively while the others played a `Cat and Mouse’ game, eying each other.

The pace was intense during the third lap, causing McKay to kick down, but still maintaining the lead over the chasing pack which was headed by Greaves.

The pattern remained the same during the following two laps and it was during the sixth lap that Greaves and Raymond Newton inched closer to him while the others were approximately 200 metres away, led by Williams with Christopher Holder and Nunes following closely behind.

During the next lap, Williams, Newton, Persaud and Nunes along with a few others connected to McKay and Persaud attacked and led at the end of the eight lap, but Sankar countered and led at the completion of lap nine.

Not intended to give up the fight, McKay retaliated during the next lap and took up the lead position once more and held on to it for another lap before Persaud overtook him with Williams hot on his (Persaud) back wheel, followed by McKay and Nunes respectively.

Williams then attacked during the next lap and led Nunes, Persaud, McKay and Greaves.

With three laps remaining, Greaves surged to the front and led Williams, Persaud, Nunes and McKay by approximately 50 metres with Sankar struggling way off the pace.

Williams then took up the lead position during the following lap and led by approximately 20 metres from Nunes, Greaves and McKay and after receiving the bell for the final lap, Nunes, sensing McKay was struggling, worked with him (McKay) and took him back into the leading bunch and it was at this point that McKay called on his strength and experience as a sprinter to out-sprint Greaves to the line, winning by approximately five bicycle lengths.

In other results from the day’s activity, Williams won the five-lap race for junior and juveniles ahead of Christopher Persaud, Christopher Holder and Enzo Matthews respectively.

Persaud won the eight-lap race for categories one to four riders.

Second was Sankar, while Tony Simone, Newton and Jamal Nichols occupied the other top respective positions.

Newton won the three-lap event for veterans under 50 years of age ahead of Eon Jackson and Andre Spencer respectively while U.S. based former national champion Randy Toussaint was first among the veterans over 50 years of age. Second was Robert Beaton and third Compton Persaud.

The two-lap race for upright cyclists was won by Richard Charles while Keon Thomas and Kester Cole placed second and third respectively.

Perez won the boys 6-9 years as well as the boys 9-12 years BMX races.

Crystal Blackman and Danesh Raghubeer placed second and third respectively in the 6-9 years category, while Darius Ramsammy was second in the 9-12 race and Christopher Griffith third.

The BMX boys 12-14 years event was won by Brandon Baker ahead of Ravendra Rodrigues and Mark Harris respectively.

Marcia Dick and Naiomi Singh finished first and second respectively in the girls 12-14 racing cycle race.

The day’s event was staged to remember the contribution that Archer and Pereira made during their tenure as secretary and president respectively of the Continental Cycle Club before being gunned down in Duncan Street three years ago.