Jack MacKay 50km X-Roads Memorial Handicap - Saturday, May 22, 2021
Presented by Bathurst Isuzu Ute
Bathurst Cycling Club held the annual Jack McKay Memorial Handicap on the weekend with the important trophy race presented in 2021 by Bathurst Isuzu Ute.
First held in 1998 the event honours the life of Bathurst Cycling Club Life member Jack McKay who was one of the biggest promoters of Cycling in Bathurst. Jack was born in 1919 and joined the local cycle club as a young teenager and around the same time took on a job with the ‘National Advocate’ when they advertised for a boy with a bike. He would be involved in both activities for around half a century; becoming a very successful rider and at the same time a key person in the promotion of cycling in the Bathurst community.
In the early years the McKay Memorial was the Bathurst round of the Western Region Interclub Premierships and would be regarded as an important event of the Regional Cycling Calendar. These days the event remains a fitting memorial of one of Bathurst’s most popular cycling identities as it is also a round of the club’s annual historic Weal Trophy.
Last year’s winner Will Hodges didn’t defend his title in 2021, and when both Nic Barrett and Jack Cannon withdrew it left only Cadel Lovett and Mark Windsor on scratch for this years event. It was young Lovett’s second time riding on Scratch in contract to Windsor who was a scratch rider (and in fact took fastest time) in the first McKay Memorial Trophy race back in 1998. The pair however had a tough assignment giving 21minutes to limit and importantly 3 minutes to the strong block group which included hard working riders David Reece, Bradley Rayner Tony Shaw, Will Lesh & Patrick Crump.
Early leaders Lara Allen Lachlan Crump Kristy Crump Robyn Partridge where joined by Gary Theiss and Peter Hickey who forced the pace on Caloola Climb with Lachy Crump. Behind them Michael Robinson, Scott Allen and Jille Harris where making ground on the leaders while the Cameron Crump, Brian Draper, Darren Fenton and Kevin Bell of the 13minute bunch would be soon to be joined by the 9minute bunch of Scott James, Damien Bennett and Rob Stephen.
However in the closing stages of the 50km event the strong Block bunch (3 min) charged home to beat every one, with Brad Rayner record his third win from his last 3 starts, with co-marker David Reece second and Damien Bennett, who joined the block bunch as they charged through, taking third place.
Rounding out the top 5 was Will Lesh (3min) and Tony Shaw (3min) with Scott James (9min) sixth in front of Darren Fenton (13min). Jille Harris (16min) was 8th overall giving her the best placed female trophy, it was the third time that Harris had taken the top female award, having success in 2009 and 2018.
Rounding out the top 10 was Brian Draper (13min) and Lachlan Crump (21min) in front of Gary Theiss and Cadel Lovett. Fastest Time in the event going to Bradley Rayner who stopped the clock at 1:16:18.
RESULTS - 1Bradley Rayner (3min) 2David Reece (3min) 3Damien Bennett (9min) 4Will Lesh (3min) 5Tony Shaw (3min) 6Scott James (9min) 7Darren Fenton (13min) 8Jille Harris (16min) 9Brian Draper (13min) 10 Lachlan Crump (21min)
Then - Gary Theiss Cadel Lovett Michael Robinson Kevin Bell Rob Stephen Cameron Crump Peter Hickey Mark Windsor Patrick Crump
Fastest Time - Bradley Rayner 1:16:18
First Female - Jille Harris