Race Report - Midmar Notts – 5th October 2008
Team Members present...
30 to 39
Martin Attebury
Andrew Murray
Zane Sonnekus
Johan Joubert
Mike Nash
Helder Amorin
Ben Howard
50 +
Charlie van Heerden (was sick on the day and was advised not to race)
Chris Uniacke
We set offf or Midmar Dam on a depressing wet, cold and windy day around 4.15am.
As wet ravelled inland the weather worsened, which led to us (not gonna tell youwhich of the 3 team members were in the car with me) to “deciding” that it wasjust too wet, cold, dangerous and miserable to race in such conditions.
Having convinced ourselves of this fact, the mood in the car immediately brightened asscary race tactic talk in wet conditions turned to which venue we should go tofor breakfast and coffee. A quick call to the team captain to get his view onthe breakfast venue met with the following response, “ we are racing, no matterwhat” …..
I cannot repeat the reaction from those in the car but let’s just say that depressionset in once more !!
We set-of fin wet and freezing cold conditions at 6 am on our warm-up ride … that’sactually a joke. We got back after 3km colder than when we started.
The race eventually got underway after a 30 minute delay due to the conditions.
No matter what the conditions racing is always the same, you start fast, you finish fastand everything in between is fast and this race was no different.
The average speed for the team members was around 38 km on narrow roads in extremely harshand very wet conditions …. that’s what’s required if you are to even get closeto a podium finish ... anyone keen to join up ?
Our results for the day were pleasing as we achieved 3 podium finishes:
30 to 39 Category – 3rd Place (Martin Attebury)
40 to 49Category - 2nd Place (Helder Amorin)
50+Category – 2nd Place (Chris Uniacke)
Specialmention is made of Helders ride, he ended up 5th overall, battlingout the finish with the some very elite riders in his category.
This Sundayis the Geoghegan Trophy, see you there !!
