07/09/2026
Waratahs Masters Cycling Club – Father’s Day Special at Lansdowne
After a very windy night, Lansdowne’s 2 km circuit was covered in sticks, branches and debris. A huge thank you — and perhaps even a Father’s Day hug — to the volunteers who arrived early to clear the track and make racing possible.
Hopefully all the dads out there were rewarded with a decent brunch and a strong coffee when they finally got home.
Despite the conditions, 64 riders dragged themselves out of bed, pinned on a number and rolled to the start line ready to race.
A Few Safety Reminders
E-bikes are only permitted in F Grade. They are not permitted in the higher grades, where their different acceleration and speed characteristics can negatively influence bunch racing and, particularly, sprint finishes.
Cameras must be mounted underneath the handlebars or saddle. Equipment protruding above or outside the bike can become a dangerous impact point in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to you and other riders. Please check your setup with the Commissaire before racing.
And when you cross the finish line, keep rolling for a couple of hundred metres. There may still be riders behind you fighting desperately for 7th, 12th or perhaps the all-important second-last place.
If you are doing a cool-down lap, keep hard left, as other grades may still be racing.
There are no television cameras, press conferences or journalists waiting to interview you immediately after the finish. You can analyse your sprint over coffee later.
A Grade – Fast and Furious
A small but classy three-rider A Grade field raced with B Grade to keep the pressure on.
Ben Dyball broke away early and effectively turned the morning into an individual time trial, eventually finishing with around half a lap — approximately 90 seconds — in hand.
Behind him, Rusom and Jack showed some genuine race craft and sportsmanship, holding back behind B Grade rather than interfering with their sprint finish before contesting their own exciting battle for second and third.
Gentleman’s racing at its finest.
Ben is heading to East China shortly for some professional stage racing, and everyone at the Waratahs wishes him all the best. After riding away from A Grade at Lansdowne, he should at least be properly warmed up.
Rusom described his race as looking for opportunities to become the breakaway artist whenever half a chance appeared — getting up the road without burning every match too early, then trying to arrive at the final lap in the right position with something still left in the legs.
The Most Combative Award, however, could only go to Ben for making the longest breakaway of the morning stick.
• 1st: Ben Dyball
• 2nd: Rusom Okubazgi
• 3rd: Jack Tan
Smart, technical racing with very few wasted watts.
B Grade – Pressure from the Gun
With 18 riders — plus three A Graders in the mix to keep them honest — B Grade wasted no time lifting the pace.
The elastic was tested repeatedly as the bunch stretched, threatened to snap and then came back together under sustained pressure.
Scott’s strategy was simple enough: follow every attack until something stuck. Unfortunately, closing gaps created by other people tends to hurt considerably more than it sounds.
With three laps remaining, Scott decided it was time to stop following attacks and launch one of his own.
Attack he did.
In the end, the legs decided the race. Scott finished solo — although, as he admitted, not necessarily by choice.
• 1st: Scott Davis
• 2nd: Stuart Farquharson
• 3rd: Mario Gonzales
• 4th: Thomas Bryden
• 5th: Mark Woolford
A well-earned result after a tough, attritional race.
C Grade – Small Field, Plenty of Drama
With several riders moving to D Grade, C Grade had a smaller 10-rider field, but certainly no shortage of action.
There were two serious breakaway attempts involving five riders, keeping the pace honest and ensuring nobody became too comfortable.
The bunch remained nervous, the attacks kept coming and there was plenty of redlining with very little freewheeling.
• 1st: Antony Barac ⬆️ — promoted to B Grade after a very strong finish
• 2nd: Craig Binks
• 3rd: Stephen Price
• 4th: Leslie Boroczky
• 5th: Paul King
Congratulations Antony. Enjoy B Grade — we're sure they'll make you feel welcome.
D Grade – Smart Racing Wins
A solid 19-rider field saw D Grade race patiently early, conserving matches before lighting things up late with sharp accelerations and a decisive finish.
• 1st: Greg Fisher
• 2nd: Phil Balwin
• 3rd: Gary Hines and Prime
• 4th: Paul Regattieri
• 5th: Charith — in his first race with the Waratahs
• 1st Female: Celia Collins
Measured racing, clean lines and good bunch discipline.
It was also especially encouraging to see three women racing in D Grade. The more women we get onto the start line, the stronger and more competitive our racing becomes.
E Grade – Smooth and Composed
With 11 riders, E Grade raced with experience and composure. Good rotations, minimal panic and a tidy sprint decided the placings.
• 1st: Steve Cassidy
• 2nd: Martin Horwood
• 3rd: Terry Grogan
• 4th: Michelle Scott
• 5th: Rob Dowdall
• 1st Female: Michelle Scott
• 2nd Female: Jacqui Viterale
• 3rd Female: Annie Simmons
Strong engines and respectful racing throughout.
F Grade – Honest Effort
A small but committed three-rider field worked hard from start to finish.
• 1st: Jow Gatt
• 2nd: Alan Somner
Sometimes the smallest fields produce some of the hardest racing — there is nowhere to hide and considerably fewer wheels to sit on.
A Father’s Day Word
Since it was Father’s Day, it is also a timely opportunity to remind the men in our cycling community — particularly those over 50 — to talk to their GP about PSA testing and prostate health.
We spend plenty of time checking tyre pressures, chain wear, power numbers, heart rates and whether our Garmin is fully charged. Looking after the engine that actually matters deserves at least the same attention.
It was a cracking morning of racing after some pretty extreme overnight conditions, with riders showing resilience, race craft, sportsmanship and plenty of grit.
Well done to everyone who made it to the start line — and remember, recovery is training too.
FINAL NOTES
A sincere thank you to:
• Commissaire: Ian Thomas
• Duty Officer: Steven Higgins
• Duty Helper: Brian Nielsen
• Van Driver: Michael Spackman
Thanks also to Josie on registrations, Will for providing first aid, Sam the Coffee Man for another excellent brew or two, and all the marshals and volunteers who gave up their Father’s Day morning to keep everyone safe.
Events like these simply do not happen without volunteers. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and allow our members to enjoy safe, competitive racing every week.
Next Sunday, we return to Heffron.
Different circuit. Different tactics. Same Waratahs racing.
