Last Monday evening’s Whakatāne Cycle Club race was the annual Brian Fahey Memorial hill climb championships from the Awakaponga Hall to Herepuru Road, which is just over the top of the Manawahe Hill, a distance of 7 kilometres.

Riders rode in their age groups, with the younger age group first away then other age groups starting at one-minute intervals.

The rider who recorded the fastest time of the night would be awarded the Brian Fahey Memorial trophy, with each age group also racing for their own trophy.

Oliver Christie rode a great race by breaking away from his group about half way up the hill and went on to win in a great time of 16 minutes 40 seconds, with second place going to his brother Xavier, in a sprint finish with Jacque Collombet, the flying 15-year-old.

The Veterans two group was taken out by Dean Sisson from Matt Fredrickson and Antoine Collembet. Vet three was a win for Rex Humpherson from Neil Jones, with the vet four, which is 65 years and over, going to Gary O’Neale from Albie Hulse and Dave Wright.

Times for all riders were O Christie 16.40, X Christie 17.16, J Collombet 17.17, B Fredrickson 17. 53; Lilly Collembet 20.05, D Sisson 20.50. M Fredrickson 21.38. A Collombet 21.40; R Humpherson 22.12, N Jones 22.52, D Sax 25.11, D Wright 23.34, A Hulse 23.05, G O’Neale 22.01, Steve Trenberth 30.47.

Thursday evening’s race was the annual Kevin Crook Memorial women’s race.

This was a held on a handicap system with the first group away having a 15-minute start on Lilly Collombet over the 26km distance, which was going to be a hard ask for the bronze medal winner from last week’s national road champs.

Wendy Boonen rode on the front of the bunch for most of the race, with Rachel Collombet joining her at the turn around and these two stayed together till the sprint finish outside Paroa School, with Boonen taking line honours by 15 metres and the trophy.

Third place went to Donna Smit, with the youngest rider in the bunch, Lea Collombet, in fourth place.

Ten guys turned up for a race over the same distance as the girls . Two groups raced, with the first group away having a three-minute start on scratch and all coming together with 3km to go, setting up a bunch sprint, which was taken out by Lorin Hickson from Dean Sisson and Neil Jones in third place.

Tomorrow night’s race will be from Awahou Road, Tāneatua.