CARLTON Wheelers Cycle Club’s (CWCC) Robin Persaud out-sprinted his club mate Raynauth Jeffrey to take the third and final leg of this year’s El Dorado Trading and S. Jagmohan sponsored National Sports Commission (NSC) organised Cheddi Jagan Memorial cycle road race in Essequibo yesterday. Persaud’s winning time of 2h 09:32s ,the event which was being held for the fifth year in the Cinderella County, was 3m.40 seconds faster than the time recorded by Alonso Greaves who had won last year’s event in a time of 2h 13:12s.
Differently –abled Walter Grant-Stuart, Linden’s Orville Hinds, Albert Philander and Junior Niles completed the top six positions of yesterday’s race which saw 42 cyclists, including Greaves, Enzo Matthews, Paul De Nobrega and Kurt La Rose amongst others.
The peloton pedaled off from Supenaam, where they proceeded to Charity and back to Anna Regina for the finish after receiving some brief remarks from both Permanand Persaud and Director of Sports Neil Kumar.
There were many short breaks during the upward journey of the race, but as they approached the village of Suddie, the top six along with Matthews, De Nobrega and Rastaff O’Selmo, made a move to front where they gradually opened a lead of 200 metres over the peloton.
However, Hinds thought he had enough of the front runners and made his solo move as they approached furniture giants Courts (Guyana) Incorporated ,Henrietta branch, and led all the way to the turn back point at Charity, picking up two prime prizes en route.
The other six front runners made a move to reconnect with Hinds, which saw Niles, Matthews, O’Selmo and De Nobrega being dropped as only the eventual winner and Jeffrey who has been consistent and impressive with his riding this year, keeping up the challenge with Grant-Stuart 15 metres behind.
As they approached the village of The Jib on their way to the finish, Robin Persaud and Jeffrey connected with a tired looking Hinds, while Grant-Stuart’s never say die attitude saw him connecting with the front trio as they entered Walton Hall.
Robin Persaud and Jeffrey made an unchallenged move to the front shortly after and kept a distance of 200 metres over Grant-Stuart and Hinds, following which Robin Persaud displayed his superiority over Jeffrey to take the title.
Jeffrey (3), De Nobrega, Niles and Robin Persaud with one each shared the other six prime prizes that were up for grabs.
Female Inter-Guiana Games champion Naomi Singh was the lone female to compete and complete the distance, while 13 year old Alfie Sonaram of Flying Stars Cycle Club, received an award for being the youngest finisher and Walter Isaacs the first Over-60 competitor to finish.
By virtue of finishing second to the eventual winner, Jeffrey also took the top junior prize with La Rose and De Nobrega finishing second and third respectively while Kennard Lovell also outsprinted Andy Rajkarran-known more for his exploits on the grass track- to take the Veteran’s title with Mark Spencer finishing third.
Young Cleveland King, who was aboard a BMX cycle, took the Upright category with the greatest of ease from Garfield Lorimar who finished three minutes after King passed the finish line, with Nigel Jacobs a distant third.
At the simple presentation ceremony which followed, both Kumar and the Regional Chairman lauded the cyclists for competing in the event which was accident free, while race organizer Hassan Mohammed gave an overview of the three events that were held this year.