"Peter Clark - Tribute To a Champion"

As competitive athletes, all of us admire those who can, week after week, put the effort in rain, hail or shine. To be able to show dedication and RESPECT for others in whatever sport you choose to partake is a trait that often sets the Champions apart from the mere mortals.

Too many competitive athletes tend to guage the level of  respect and courtesy shown based on how an individual performs at his/ her sport. Many articles have been written on Champions like Miguel Indurain, Laurent Jalabert, Fausto Coppi and Paulo Bettini. They are gracious in defeat, humble, compassionate to the lesser riders,  and yet still possess the killer instinct and desire to be the best. These are the traits of true Champions!!

Peter Clarke was one such Champion! He didnt care how good or bad you were.

Peter showed an approach to his sport that made me feel embarrased to sometimes even line up next to him. He was the true professional. I remember many times laying in bed when i was due to meet with him for training, and yet he would always go out even in the worst weather. He would prepare his race machine with love and attention to detail and have all his race kit layed out and organised. He would always be aware of his dietary intake and just how his body was responding to his training program.

Peter would spend many hours talking to and assisting Daryl Benson in his coaching of all the juniors and novices. He always had time and he gave it freely!!. No one was turned away and hence why there was a huge amount of people at Peter's Funeral - he touched many of us with his attitude and approach.

It is because of this memory, and the respect that we all had for Peter, that we turn up every year and fiercely compete to win Peter's memorial race. Many of us compete at Memorial races each year without knowing who it is we are riding in memory of,  but with Peter's race we all have an extra bit of emotion flowing through our veins as he meant so much to so many of us. I for one wish to win it just once in my life!!

Peter taught me so much about life and the real joy of being alive, and i ask all of you no matter how fit to please nominate and show respect to Peter's memory and not let this race just become another race on the calender.

Wayne Evans
March 2005

Sunday 24th October 2004, WA State Long Distance Championships >Click here
Sunday 3rd October 2004, White Swan Criterium -> Click here
Sunday 11th September 2004, Shire of York Criterium -> Click here

2004 STATE LONG DISTANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Sunday 24th October 2004 Click here for the official results

Cohen & McMurdo Win W.A. Long Distance Titles

Sunday 24th October saw Kerry Cohen & Hilton McMurdo wintheir respective State Long Distance Titles on a day that saw the temperaturerise to the high 20's and a race pace that was dictated by the heat of theday.

Mens Sate Long Distance Championship
The men's race was shortened to 160km and took 4:14.10 with them averagingjust on 17 minutes per lap and the women who raced over 100kms took 3:05.46at an average lap time of just over 20 minutes.

With both races getting underway by 7:45am and the day stillrelatively cool it wasn't long before we had our first breakaway in themen's race. Martin Depiazzi, Steven Bishop & Russell Brookes sprintedaway on lap two but this was short lived and they were back in the mainfield by lap five.

Then there was another very promising break of five ridersSteve Harcourt, Shaun O'Neill, Anthony Brenzi, Wayne Evans & Tom Nicholls,who looked like they might have the credentials to stay away from the mainbunch if they rode well together. It appeared as though this was going tobe the case as they built up a gap of 1 min 40 seconds. Then all of a suddenin one flying lap, the chase group decided enough was enough and pulledthem back in as though they were on a yo-yo string and all that energy sappinghard work that they had done had been for nothing.

As we drew closer to the 100km mark and with the temperaturerising, riders were starting to drop out. Keeping up enough fluids was becomingmore and more important and it was evident that riders had learnt from theNortham and weren't going to make the same mistake again and run out ofdrink as drinks where being handed out on a regular basis at the feedingstation.

By this time the race had settled into a more subdued paceand gone where the 16 - 16min 30 sec laps these had now been replaced with17 min + laps and the riders realizing that it was futile to make a break,settled into a comfortable racing pace and prepared themselves for a sprintfinish.

With a few laps to go another obstacle blew in, the FremantleDoctor which gave some respite from the heat on the course, but it alsoturned that small long hill into a monster of a climb as the riders nowrode directly into the ever strengthening wind and it took its toll witheven more riders pulling out.

As the race drew to its conclusion on Benmuni Road the maincontenders began to jostle for position. They started to build up speedon the long straight to the finish line, and as the riders came into viewit was a race in five. Jason Rigg, Phil Riemann, Mark Phillips, Paul Miller& Hilton McMurdo were in the lead after 15 laps of racing. A mad sprintto the line ensued. McMurdo managed to sling-shot himself out of the bunchwhich gave him a 10 meter lead which he held to the line. He snatch victoryfrom Mark Phillips with Phil Riemann finishing third, Paul Miller fourthand Jason Rigg fifth.

Womens Sate Long Distance Championship
In the Women's events which was raced over 9 laps, we had 12 riders includingGenevieve Warriner who was the first lady across the line in the Northamand Nathalie Laurendeau who also rode very well in the same race and wouldknow doubt be a key player in today's proceedings.

After three laps the first major breakaway was made by Genevievewho gained a reasonable distance on the rest of the field. When the othersrealised that unless they did something about it, it could be all over forthem Kerry Cohen, Amy Kirk & Claire McLean chased her down, eventuallybridging the gap, a couple of laps later Nathalie forced her way acrossto see a breakaway group of five riders who worked together for the remainderof the race to ensure that no one else was going to chase them down.

On the last lap Nat attacked on the hill, everyone went withher and she did the same again on the down hill section but couldn't shakethem, the use of all that energy could have cost her the bike race in hindsight.

Coming into the long home straight Amy was the first to leadout with Genevieve right on her wheel with Kerry immediately latching ontohers. As they sprinted to the line Genevieve passed Amy, with Kerry stillattached to her like a magnet. As the line drew closer Kerry picked justthe right moment and swung out passing her and crossing the finish linea good 10 meters in front with Nat coming in third and Amy fourth.

Thank You
NDCC would like to congratulate all winners, place getters and those whocompeted in this year's event. We would also like to thank those who volunteeredtheir services on the day; your support as always is invaluable. We'd alsolike to thank Neil Wise of Premier Motors - Suzuki for supplying the leadvehicles for both events.

Article By
Peter Walpole