THE seventh annual National Milling Company (NAMILCO) Wheat Up-sponsored, Roraima Bikers Club (RBC)-organised CARICOM Day cycle road race was launched yesterday with a simple presentation ceremony in the boardroom of the sponsors. Prior to the handing over of the sponsorship cheque and the first place trophy, president of RBC and vice-president of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Brian Allen, expressed his gratitude at being associated with NAMILCO for the past seven years.
“Being associated with NAMILCO over the years is like one big happy family. They have been associated with RBC for many years, through their sponsorship of this event to which many cyclists look forward and is one that lives up to its promises of being an exciting event.
As is customary over the years, the winner of each category will receive a championship jersey, which I intend to have them display not only in upcoming NAMILCO-sponsored events, but also events organised by the Guyana Cycling Federation,” stated Allen.
Like Allen, chief accountant of NAMILCO, Rajindra Ketwaru, expressed his company’s delight at being associated with the organising club for so many years and pointed to the fact that managing director of NAMILCO, Bert Sukhai, really needs to see the event live up to its name as being a CARICOM one.
“Over the past years, Mr Sukhai had suggested we make this event a true CARICOM one, with the participation of cyclists from our Caricom brothers and sisters country and even though we saw a few cyclists from Suriname compete in one of the races, that is yet to happen.
“Hopefully, we can have cyclists from other CARICOM countries participating in this event, hence making it a more competitive and exciting race to watch, with NAMILCO playing an important role in same,” said Ketwaru.
Seven cycling clubs that are affiliated to the GCF will be participating in the race. Among them are Carlton Wheelers, Kaieteur, Flying Star, Flying Ace, Continental and Linden Bauxite Flyers who are on probation with the GCF and the host club.
Cyclists will be battling for supremacy in four categories, namely seniors, juniors, veterans and mountain bikes, with the seniors, and juniors journeying up to Long Creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway while the veterans will turn back at the Linden/Soesdyke junction, after being sent off at 08:00 h from the Two Brothers gas station at Eccles.
Apart from the trophy that will be awarded to the individual group winners, the first six finishers in the senior category, along with the first three in the junior, veteran and mountain bike categories respectively, will be given cash prizes, while each competing cyclist will be awarded a medal.
Present National Sports Commission (NSC) Independence three-stage champion Warren ‘40’ McKay is the most decorative cyclist in this event, having placed third in 2006 and 2007 and second in 2008 before claiming the top position last year.
But in order for him to repeat as champion this year, he will have to contend with cyclists with the calibre of Robin Persaud who is in tremendous form, along with his club mates Alonso Greaves, Jude Bently and Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams.
In the veteran’s category, two-time champion Kennard Lovell, who won the event in 2006 and 2008 before placing third and second in 2007 and 2009 respectively, can be expected to stake a strong claim against 2009 champion Gary Benjamin.