Hosay, cycling clash at George V Park

THE Rotating Equipment Cycling and Duathlon Series, third event in the newly established National Cycling League, and celebrations of Hosay celebrations clashed at King George V Park yesterday during the 30-lap main event. The day of cycling which began at 1.30 pm featured Trinidad and Tobago’s top cyclists including Roger Smart, Christopher Gill, Shannon Metevaire, Joshua and Adam Alexander, David Alves, Gene ”Geronimo” Samuel and Ian Price who both came out of retirement to add to its prestige and National League leader Michael Phillips.

Christopher Sellier won the first event on the afternoon, the 1 Lap Sprint, beating Adam Alexander, Elisha Greene and Phillips into second third and fourth place respectively and claiming 12 points for the win. Samuel made an appearance in the Masters 40+ event, Kelvin Lee Young fit into second place ahead of Gregory D’Andrade and Richard Ramchand, among the 50+ Master riders in their four lap event Peter Hernandez was first, Godfrey Clyne second, Mark Messiah third and Neil Alleyne fourth.

First place in the Category 4 &5 race was claimed by Slevon Edwards who forced Raphael Figuera into second while Daniel Koo was third and Robert Thomas fourth. Another Samuel, Gene’s son Givan, took top honours in front of a strong gathering of cycling enthusiasts in the 14 and Under 1 Lap event, he blew past the competition to the finish ahead of Gavin Nero, Alexander Gibbon and Matthew Charles, showing a lot of promise for the future. The Junior Duathlon, cycling and running, was won by Andrew Smith, with Akeil Baptiste in second and Dorian Marcano third, Leann Eligon was fourth overall and was first in the girls’ event ahead of Ariana Marcano and Aimee Smith.

Due to the proximity of the imposing tadjahs, and booming tassa troupes, the Masters, Juniors and 14 and Under races had to be reduced to three laps down from four, with events being run almost immediately after each other in an attempt to complete the programme before allowing the procession into the heart of St James to proceed along Hayes Street, the back straight of the event’s circuit. The two police officers present had their hands full as the tadjah’s were brought up to the barrier signalling the celebrant’s impatience and at different points during the event carded to go 30 laps but reduced to 25 sections of the crowd spilled into the road barely avoiding collisions with the cyclists.

With nine laps to go in the event however the barrier was breached and race leader Shannon Metevaire had to navigate through a raucous tassa group, by the time the chasing pack reached the Elizabeth and Hayes Street corner they had to reduce their speed significantly and the race was stopped. A short meeting with club managers calmed nerves at the starting line as cyclists tried their best to stay warm nearby and the race resumed almost an hour after the pause. On its resumption Elijah Greene crossed the finish ahead of the pack at the end of a tainted race, Christopher Gill was crowned overall champ in the Main Event of the Rotating Equipment Cycling Series with 25 points, Alves was second on 20, Greene third on 18, Metevaire fourth on 15, Darren Reid fifth on 13 points and Adam Alexander sixth on nine.