Barracuda Track League at Skinner Park

The club has been hosting the popular event since 2008 and this weekend’s track programme will provide the usual high level of competition and excitement. The two nights of racing will be staged on Saturday and Sunday, commencing at 6 pm each day.

As is customary, the tourney will be held in recognition of Hilton “Barracuda” Mitchell who rode for the club in 1958 at Southern Games. Mitchell, a top international cyclist, had his cycling career curtailed prematurely after being paralysed by a falling wall at his California home in 1959.

Mitchell represented Trinidad and Tobago with distinction at paraplegic games in Jamaica, Mexico, Canada, Argentina and Scotland. However, he unfortunately passed away in 2014 and his family and the club have agreed to keep his name attached to the event so as to commemorate his outstanding contribution to cycling and sport in the country.

The League this year, also honours Richard “Dickie” Hart, a former top Southampton cyclist who went on to be an outstanding national cycling coach for many years, accompanying national teams to all corners of the globe in major international cycling competitions.

This year, the club is using the opportunity of the event to honour several other prominent club cyclists who performed with distinction in the national and international arenas or who contributed significantly over the years. Key events include the Fitzroy Lyons (founder of the club) Keirin; Ian Atherly Match Sprint; Robert “Junior” Farrell Individual Pursuit; David Baird Junior/ Juveniles North – South Team Pursuit; Winston “Charlie” Attong 500m; Jeffrey “Baby Face” La Fond Category 1&2 Elimination; Robert Olliveira Category 1&2 Eight-Lap Pointer; Gregory Hart 25 Lap Open; Phillip Richardson North – South Italian Pursuit; and the Salim Mohammed 30-Lap Open.

Additionally, the family of Clinton Grant, another former top national sprinter who was struck and killed by a vehicle while training in 2014, has offered to sponsor the prizes for the Ian Atherly Match Sprint final in memory of Clinton. The Ian Atherly Match Sprint final is being held on the second night of racing, March 29, which was the date of Grant’s tragic passing.

The Barracuda Track League is positioned immediately before the Easter International Grand Prix so that the cyclists are approaching top form, with the event being used as the final selection criteria for cyclists vying to represent the country at the Easter meeting.

Top riders expected to compete include Varun Maharaj, Justin Roberts, Akil Campbell, Quincy Alexander, Jamol Eastmond. Jude Codrington, Gavin Nero, Joshua and Adam Alexander. Among the young men, very good performances are expected from Ramon Belmontes, Tyler Cole and Jabari Whiteman. This nation’s top females will be out in their glory and would include Tenile Campbell, Keiana Lester, Jodi Goodridge, Aziza Browne, Tianna Wilson, Christianne Farah and Dhalia Palmer. The male and female Junior cyclists will be sharpening their form for the forthcoming Junior Pan Ams in Mexico. In addition, it is expected that in-form Marloe Rodman of Jamaica, his countryman Langford Blackwood, and Phillip Clarke (Heatwave/Barbados) will be burning up the Skinner Park track together with Darren Mathews of Barbados, Manuel Tunjano, Diego Pena, Juan Guttarez and Andres Sierra of Colombia.

The programme of events caters to all ages and categories, from Youth Development cyclists to Elite to Masters 70+ and would include the internationally recognised Match Sprint, Keirin and Individual Pursuit races that provide great excitement for spectators. North – South cycling rivalries will be re-ignited with the pursuit events.

The events are being managed on a League “points” basis, with winners of individual events earning points which are aggregated at the end of the meeting to determine the top three cyclists in each category. These overall winners in each category would be sharing $28,000 in prizes to be awarded at the end of the competition. Entrance fee is $30 per night with children aged ten and under free.