By Avenash Ramzan
Leading junior rider, Raynauth Jeffrey, started the year in fine fashion, carting off top honours in the season opening 11-race programme at the inner circuit of the National Park on Saturday.
The teenager won the feature race of the 20th annual Ricks and Sari Agro Industries 11-race programme in convincing style, as he continued with the prolific form he displayed last year.
The East Coast Demerara rider clocked one hour, 16 minutes, 56 seconds (01h: 16m: 56s) to win the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race on the programme, which was organised by the long-serving national coach, Hassan Mohamed.
The talented Jeffrey, who crossed the finish line unchallenged, collected a trophy, a hamper consisting of products of Ricks and Sari Agro Industries, as well as three prime prizes.
Jeffrey’s Team Coco’s Guyana teammate, Raul Leal, Orville Hinds, John Charles, Akeem Wilkinson and Rastaff O’Selmo rounded off the top six finishers in that order.
In the other races, Raphael Leung won the BMX Boys 12-14 years race ahead of Britton John and Keon Harris respectively. Rashedi Ceres won the Boys 9-12 years, three-lap race ahead of Shemroy Grannum in second and Thuran Gharbarran third.
Before the feature event, the experienced Junior Niles rode off with the Veterans Under-50 first place trophy and the prime prize, beating Stephen Fernandes and US-based Berbician, Wilbert Benjamin, who placed second and third respectively. Makel Diaz took top honours in the three-lap BMX Boys Open race ahead of Adrian Sharma and Khemraj Sanichar.
In the 12-14 Boys and Girls, three-lap race, Alfie Sonaram, Hazina Barrett and Leung were the top three finishers in that order. The lone prime prize also went to Sonoaram.
In the five-lap Veterans Over-50 race, Virgil Jones was first followed by Lancelot Rose and Dwayne Ramsey respectively.
Maurice Fagundes won the Veterans Over-60 years’ race ahead of Harry Lall. Fagundes and Lall were the only two riders in that category. Leal won the Juniors and Juveniles 10-lap race in a time of 25 minutes, 12 seconds ahead of Alonzo Ambrose and Akeem Arthur.
The race for Upright cyclists was won by Ozia McCaully, with Keon Thomas placing second and Stephano Husbands crossing the finish line third. The two-lap BMX Boys 6-9 race was won by Jeremiah Harrison with Isaiah and Christopher Sahadeo pedalling in second and third respectively.
Mohamed, speaking at the presentation ceremony, said riders can look forward to a busy year, as a number of events are planned for 2013. Mohamed also announced that the National Sports Commission will sponsor an 11-race programme next Saturday, as well as a 40-mile road race the following day from the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Bushy Park and back. The cycling coach also revealed that he has already secured sponsorship for races in February and March.
