Cycling season underway

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 9 March 2018

Patrick Harfield was the fastest in the first race of the season.

Cyclists were back on the road competing, as the Cayman Islands Cycling Association’s 2018 season opened with a 10-mile Individual Time Trial on 4 March.

In all, 20 riders took part in the race that started at the Haig Bodden Sports Complex in Bodden Town heading eastward and looping back for the finish.

Fastest on the day was Patrick Harfield, a newcomer to the circuit. He completed the loop in 22 minutes 12.629 seconds, travelling at an average speed of 27 miles per hour.

: James Smith

: Jerome Ameline

James Smith was next fastest in 22:17.963, with Jerome Ameline, who moved up to the Masters Division (40-49) this year, third quickest overall in 22:40.657. They were the only three under 23 minutes.

See results by category:

This was the first of 10 races on the CICA calendar for the year, with the season ending in August. President Craig Merren said a decision was taken to cut back on events.

“Due to the many sporting activities in Cayman these days and many of the riders they do triathlons, marathons and other events, so the calendar is very full…so we had to downsize on the number of events that we are doing and try to concentrate on other programmes that we are working on,” he told CaymanSportsBuzz.com.

CI Cycling president Craig Merren.

Another change sees Spartan Management Event running the popular Dew Cycling Classics in May. Merren said that’s something he’s hoping becomes a trend, as the association focuses more on being an administrative body and putting programmes in place to develop the sport.

“We want to give it to individuals or companies that want to market these events and take them over. Normally, in most countries, that is how it works. We want to slow down on having the association run the events because it is taking a toll on the volunteers and members,” he said, adding that only a handful of people have been available to volunteer, including some who have to make a decision about whether they would compete on race-day or help run the event.

Unlike previous years the Dew Cycling Classics will be held over three weekends, instead of four, although it will still feature four races. (See calendar below) “This is the first time that we’re going to have a race on the public holiday…it’s becoming difficult to do four Sundays in a row, so we decided to cut it to four events over three weekends,” Merren said.

Although not a competitive event, the association is also supporting the Feed Our Future Century Ride on Sunday 15 April.

Race photo gallery:

: Kevin Connolly

: Nadine Gray

: Gareth van den Bergh

: Michele Smith

: Josh Weaver

: Yazzer Abdulah

: David Cooke

: Gibson Edwards

REMAINING RACES

Date: Sunday 8 April

Event: Circuit Race 45‐Min + 3 Laps

Start/Finish: Batabano/Cayman Yacht Club Round About

Course: Easterly Tibbetts H/Way, Batabano/Cayman Yacht Club round‐about