Southland Sport
Hamish Keast claimed the prestigious Geo W Wilson and Sons Limited Gore to WaikiwiClassic title on Saturday. The event was run in challenging conditions, with a ferocious westerly making it a tough day out for the riders.
The event is one of the oldest classics on the Cycling Southland calendar and, as the name suggests, takes riders on a 78km journey from Gore to Waikiwi, with the finish on McIvor Road outside the entrance to Donovan Park. Run in a handicap format, the fastest riders set off last, and have to catch all the groups in front of them to take the title. Keast started in the scratch group, the last group off the line, and working with the other riders in the group, including Matt Zenovich, they soon started sweeping up the riders ahead of them. Meanwhile at the front of the race, Erin Criglington claimed the mountain prize at the top of Hedgehope Hill, while groups behind started coming together and pushing to bring the gap to the front of the race down.
Heading towards Rakahouka Hill, Zenovich put in a push, and took Keast and Hunter Gough with him. The trio soon built a good lead, and it was clear that the winner would come from this select group.
Coming to the finish line, Zenovich hit out early into the teeth of the howling wind, but Keast was able to respond, with Gough on his wheel. With Zenovich beaten, it was a two man sprint, with Gough managing to come up alongside Keast, but falling just short as Keast claimed a narrow victory over Gough in second, with Zenovich in third.
Mike White was the first masters racer home, with Rhylee Akeroyd the first woman home. The prize for the fastest time went to Keast, with Gough claiming the prize for the fastest under 19 rider, and Emily Paterson the prize for the fastest female.
Keast said that it was always great to win a race ,but especially now with so many events having been cancelled because of Covid.
“It’s always good to get out there and put the race wheels on – everyone was out there excited to race, and everyone gave it their all,” he said.
Keast’s focus now shifts to the SBS Bank Tour of Southland, which is set to take place from 1 to 7 November. Keast’s focus in the race will be working for his team, rather than going for results for himself, but it is a role he relishes.
“I need to come into it full form and ready to ride for everyone in the team,” he said.
The junior race, contested over 32km, was won by Grace Griffin over Poppy McIvor and Kate Russell, with Ronan Shearing setting the fastest time.
The open and junior races were run as two separate bubbles, with separate starts and separate finishing times, in order to ensure public gathering limits were adhered to.