Jack looking strong at the Rivercity Wheelrace event at the velodrome

Palmerston North-raised rider Jordan Castle was at the head of the NZ Cycling contingent from Cambridge with a dominant performance across several races at the 71st running of the Rivercity Wheelrace event at the velodrome on Saturday afternoon.

In what could be the first time Whanganui's big multi-discipline track cycling event has been held on the actual Leap Day, Castle came off scratch to win his third Sports Heritage Trust Rivercity Wheelrace in the feature.

Around 40 riders from Whanganui, Cambridge, Wellington, New Plymouth and Manawatu attended the event, roughly the same as last year and still down from the 70-odd who had registered to take part in 2018 before rain saw the event cancelled.

Spokeswoman Cath Cheatley said organisers moved the Wheelrace from the traditional mid-February spot due to officials not being available the prior weekend, while Saturday also provided young cyclists a lead in to the Vantage Age Group Track National Championships in Invercargill this weekend.

Early morning rain likely kept away some of the other riders who may have considered travelling from out of town, based on past experiences, but Cheatley said she had confidence in the ultimately correct weather forecast that conditions would be fine from 12pm onwards.

Ten riders lined up for the five lap Wheelrace, including current Whanganui Collegiate deputy head boy Finnegan Murphy and fellow old boy Kyle Hoskin, who had both graduated out of the inaugural J Williams Jewellers Junior Wheelrace last year.

Race favourite Castle was the sole rider starting on scratch in the handicap event, with the front marker placed 240m ahead of them, nearly at the completion of the first lap.

Castle hooked up with fellow Cambridge-based rider Jayden Fleming, a top BMX competitor who has transitioned to the track, who had a 20m handicap on him.

They worked through the field to catch the group that included Murphy and Wellington's Nick Warren, who had a 110m handicap.

In another tight finish that typifies this race, Castle didn't make the final pass for the lead until the last lap.

Cheatley said the Manawatu-born standout had raced the full programme, and so his sprinter's legs were a little tired.

"He had to really time his run well."

Warren held onto second spot with Fleming taking third, while Murphy rounded out the Top 5, finishing behind Wellington's Mark Coburn.

It rounded out a day where Castle had also won the Open A Grade Derby A Final, which like the Wheelrace had qualifying heats beforehand, as well as the Open A Grade 6km Tempo Points and the 8km Scratch (Combined).

The locals were smiling in the support events as Whanganui Girls College's Kenzey Compton won the second annual Junior Wheelrace, seeing off 11 other riders, with the minor podium placings going to Austin Tunnicliffe and Wilson Hannon respectively.

As well as his Top 5 finish in the feature, Murphy really impressed against his elite-level competition in the 8km Scratch race, with the Collegiate student attacking with five laps to go and then hanging on for third behind Castle and Fleming respectively.

As the sole local headed to Invercargill this weekend, Whanganui High School's Jack Overweel looked in strong form, winning the Under 17 515m Scratch, while coming second to Lochlan Foote in the Junior A 4km Snowball Points Race.

At the 2019 nationals, held in Cambridge, Overweel won the Under 15 Boys derby in record time, while claiming silver in both the 7.5km points race and when teaming with Foote in the 500m TT team event.

Cheatley also singled out Palmerston North's Ashleigh Gunn for her superb tactical sprinting to win the B Grade Derby.

Results:

Open B Grade 5km Tempo Points: 1. Ashleigh Gunn; 2. Joshua Turnbull; 3. Gary Gibson.

Open A Grade 6km Tempo Points: 1. Jordan Castle; 2. Jayden Fleming; 3. Finnegan Murphy.

Under 13 515m Scratch - Overall: 1. Benjamin Murphy; 2. Austin Tunnicliffe; 3. Angus Warren.

Open B Grade 8km Scratch (Combined): 1. Gary Gibson; 2. Peter Sewell.

Open A Grade 8km Scratch (Combined): 1. Jordan Castle; 2. Jayden Fleming; 3. Finnegan Murphy.

Junior B 2km Snowball Points Race: 1. Millie Donald; 2. Kenzey Compton; 3. Austin Tunnicliffe.

Under 15 515m Scratch - Overall: 1. Ta Craw; 2. Harrison Craw; 3. Andrew Richardson.

Under 17 515m Scratch - Overall: 1. Jack Overweel; 2. Riley Tunnicliffe; 3. Lochlan Foote.

Junior A 4km Snowball Points Race: 1. Lochlan Foote; 2. Jack Overweel; 3. Wilson Hannon.

Open B Grade Derby Final: 1. Ashleigh Gunn; 2. David Bernard; 3. Peter Sewell.

Open A Grade Derby B Final: 1. Dylan Cumming; 2. Finnegan Murphy; 3. Kyle Hoskin.

Open A Grade Derby A Final: 1. Jordan Castle; 2. Jayden Fleming; 3. Nick Warren.

J Williams Jewellers Junior Wheelrace Final: 1. Kenzey Compton; 2. Austin Tunnicliffe; 3. Wilson Hannon; 4. Riley Tunnicliffe; 5. Jack Overweel.

Sports Heritage Trust Rivercity Wheelrace Final: 1. Jordan Castle; 2. Nick Warren; 3. Jayden Fleming; 4. Mark Coburn; 5. Finnegan Murphy.

Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle 3/3/20