The blistering sun peering down from a clear blue sky may have been an uncomfortable experience for spectators, but the 100-odd cyclists who participated in the John T. Memorial Cycle Race showed much tolerance for the hot weather conditions.
Besides any discomfort, they initially posed or playfully rode around under the view of a visiting BBC film crew for the first time.
It was the 17th Annual bicycle race which went off to a late start on Sunday, July 17, just outside the FLOW Anguilla Telecoms Building in The Valley. A total of 104 cyclists were registered for the event, a few of whom did not make the trip from some of the neighbouring islands.
The recently-elected President of the John T. Memorial Race, Mrs. Sharon Richardson-Lowe, spoke to The Anguillian about the participation in the event. “We have riders from Trinidad for the first time, St. Kitts-Nevis, Guyana, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Antigua, Aruba and Anguilla in all categories.”
Asked to elaborate, she said: “We have the Elite Category which is 18-39 years; the Masters Category, 40 years and over; the Junior Category 17 and 18 years; the Cadets, 15 and 16 year-olds; the Minines, 13 and 14 year-olds; a Benjamin Category, 11 and 12 years; Poussines Category, 10 year-olds; and the Pupil Category, 7 and 8 years.”
Mr. Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary for Sports and Tourism, welcomed the athletes, from the neighbouring islands, and offered his best wishes.
The longest race – all across the island – was about 129 kilometres for the Elites. There were shorter distances for the other categories.
The results of the race were as follows:
Elite Category (19-39 years)
1st Place – Jyme Bridges – Team DPS, Trinidad
2nd Place – Akil Campbell – Team DPS Trinidad
3rd Place – Dean Hodge – VCG, St. Martin
4th Place – Patricio Blade Carty – ASM, St. Martin
5th Place – Emmanuel Carbon – ASM, St. Martin
6th Place – Marvin Spencer – Antigua
7th Place – Sherwin Osborne – Anguilla
8th Place – Justin Hodge – Anguilla
9th Place – Vinesh Narine – Anguilla
10th Place – Thomas Conroy – Antigua
Masters Category (40 and over)
1st Place – Junior Niles, Guyana
2nd Place – Mark Maidwell – Mo Trouble, St. Maarten
3rd Place – Sean Weathered – Antigua
4th Place – Timothy Richardson – Anguilla
Female Category
1st Place – Sharon Bredl – St. Martin
2nd Place – Isabelle Adams – St. Martin
3rd Place Dymphne Bosses – St. Martin
Juniors Category (17-18years)
1st Place – Wilfred Chittick – Cyclone, St. Maarten
2nd Place – Tyler Cole – Team DPS, Trinidad (Cole is reigning Junior Caribbean Champion)
3rd Place – Xavi Brookes – Anguilla
4th Place – Zambezi Richardson – Anguilla
5th Place – Jamari Bryan – Anguilla
Cadets Category (15-16 years)
1st Place – Adelio Brooks – VCG, St. Martin
2nd Place – Daron Carty – Anguilla
3rd Place – Kianny Noel – ASM, St. Martin
4th Place – Emmanuel Gayral – Antigua
5th Place – Nickilon Gumbs-Niles – Anguilla
Minimes Category (13-14 years)
1st Place – Deanthony Niles – Anguilla
2nd Place – Cailan Fleming – Anguilla
3rd Place – Nicholas Carbon – Anguilla
4th Place – Caedon Fleming – Anguilla
Benjamines Category (11-12 years)
1st Place – Dyclai Nagau-Grell – ASM, St. Martin
2nd Place – Kenny Carty – ASM, St. Martin
3rd Place – Justin Riley -Anguilla
4th Place – Rolandio Lake Rogers – USMC, St. Martin
Poussins Category (9-10 years)
1st Place – Jahkim Carty – ASM, St. Martin
Pupille Category- Male (7-18 years)
Kamari Ruan – Anguilla
Pupille Category- Female (7-18 years)
Trinity Romney – Cyclone, St. Maarten
