HAMZA Eastman yesterday sprinted away with the top prize of the inaugural Thrill Beverage feature 35-lap cycle race, organised by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed in the National Park, returning a time of one hour 18 minutes three seconds.The 11-race programme, organised by Mohamed and sponsored by Caribbean International Distributers Incorporated (CIDI), saw Eastman `crease’ the Over-40 starters for the first 14 laps of the feature 35-lap event, eventually jumping the pack, but was subsequently joined by veteran rider Paul Cho-Wee-Nam and the two cyclists worked in tandem and opened a considerable lead over the others and were never caught again.
During the final lap of the feature event, Eastman jumped Cho-Wee-Nam approaching the final 200-metre mark and the latter failed to respond, resulting in Eastman winning the feature event as well as two of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs.
Cho-Wee-Nam had to settle for a distant second while Orville Hinds, who broke away from the main chasing pack with two laps remaining, finished third.
Robin Persaud, who was in contention for the third position from the completion of the 15th lap, had to settle for fourth place while Alonzo Ambrose and Paul DeNobrega placed fifth and sixth respectively.
Like Eastman, Cho-Wee-Nam and DeNobrega won two prime prizes each, while one each went to Hinds and Marlon `Fishy’ Williams.
There were several attacks during the first 15 laps but when Eastman made the break, no one answered until two laps later when Cho-Wee-Nam, a veteran rider, decided to take up the challenge and connected. Together the duo worked in tandem and opened a sizeable lead which kept extending with every lap and coming to the final five laps, it reached over 600 metres from the chasing pack which was headed by Persaud.
However, with two laps remaining, Hinds overtook Persaud and tried in vain to connect to the two leaders.
In the end, Eastman jumped Cho-Wee-Nam who never responded and won comfortably.
In other results, Sherwin Sampson won the BMX boys six-to-nine years old two-lap race as well as the BMX boys nine-to-12 years old three-lap races.
Alexander Leung and Esan Jaisingh placed second and third respectively in the two-lap race, while Tarran Garbarran finished second in the three-lap event.
Rawle Small won the BMX boys 12-14 years old three-lap race ahead of Britton John and Reshidi Ceres respectively.
The BMX boys Open three-lap race was won by Adrian Sharma. Second was Ammo Gomes and third was Jaleel Jackson.
Jamal John won the BMX boys and girls 12-14 years three-lap race ahead of Raphael Leung and Toshawannah Doris respectively, while Junior Niles won the veterans Under-50 five-lap race ahead of Ralph Williams and Kennard Lovell respectively.
The veterans Over-50 years five-lap race was won by Linden Blackman. Second was Virgil Jones, while Maurice Faugendes won the veterans Over-60 years five-lap event ahead of Anthony Farriah.
The 10-lap race for juveniles was won by Michael Anthony. Second was Stephano Husbands and third was Cleveland King. Clyde Jacobs won the five-lap event for mountain bikers. Second was Nigel Jacobs and third was Emmanuel Cuyari.
Prior to making the presentation of prizes to the respective winners, CIDI’s Sales and Marketing Manager Alicia Katideen said her company is happy to be a part of the sponsors for cycle races in Guyana and committed CIDI’s continued support for the sport.