The Maquarie Camperdown Classic

On Saturday 10th April 2010 Camperdown held its first event in the 2010 Banks Thargo South West Series, the Maquarie Camperdown Classic.
64 riders turned out on an overcast day with moderate winds, at the start of the race "ideal conditions"
The handicapper divided the field into 7 bunches and 1 lone limit rider with a 30 minute start on scratch.

The 4 middle bunches were large bunches with numbers between 10 & 16 riders in each.
Scratch with only 4 riders had a hard task chasing 2&1/2 minutes to block with 7 riders who inturn had an equally hard task chasing a 2 minute gap to a bunch of 13 riders.

The course was out to the Cobden loop for 3 laps of an undulating and trying course.

Scratch lost David Tozer (Puncture) early on, making the task of catching block almost impossible.

Block caught 3rd scratch about half way through the race then a bunch with around 20 riders were chasing the largest bunch of 16 (4th scratch) once this catch was made it looked as though the block bunch would take who ever could "hold on" to the finishline.

On the third lap of the race heavy rain and strong crosswind greeted the riders as they rode the fast downhill section, then sharp turn into Cobden.

The 18 minute bunch starting with 10 riders had combined well, only losing 3 riders well into the third lap still had quite a gap to the fast moving "block" bunch.

The 18 minute bunch lost 2 more riders on the uphill section just before the final turn to the home straight into the fast "down hill tail wind" finishline at Camperdown.
At the same time the block bunch was within 500 metres looking to catch.

The outmarkers with Darren Earl,Chris Odonnel, Monica Kelly, Steve Kelly and John Cranwell stayed organised and held out to the line.
Earl taking first to chris odonnel second then Monica Kelly in a close 3rd.
Xavier Gstrien crossed the line 12 seconds after the winners to once again take fastest time riding from block.

Once again a well organised and well attended race at Camperdown, Presentations were held post Race at the Hamden Hotel.

Final placings 1 D Earl Mtg, 2 C Odonnel mtg, 3 M kelly hor, 4 S Kelly hor, 5th & Fastest Xavier Gstrien Camperdown, 6 L Nolte ptl, 7 Cirian Conaught Blrt, 8 J Cranwell mtg, 9 R Boydle cpd, 10 Jason Smith cpd.