National News
Chris Ghiorse tunes up for OECS Championships with 40-mile race victory.
By Dean Greenaway
Jun 29, 2008, 23:55

Chris Ghiorse leading Gareth Thomas up out of Sophie Bay.

TORTOLA—Chris Ghiorse tuned up for Friday’s Organization of Eastern Caribbean States 75-mile race and Sunday’s John T. Memorial in Anguilla, by winning the weekend 40-mile Gatorade Highway Challenge.

Ghiorse had a winning time of 1 hour, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. Gareth Thomas was credited with the same time. Orano Andrews and Darel Christopher Jr., followed in 1:47.45. Lisa Adamson—fifth overall—was the top woman in 1:48.00. Sue Tucker and Sally Blackmore turned in times of 1:52.17 and 2:04.51 respectively.

“We decided that we would make the race easy—if you can call a 40-mile race over some of the toughest hills on Tortola and a 30 knot head wind coming from West End easy—it was good to see them employing some of the strategy from last week’s training ride in this event,” BVI Cycling Federation president David Thomas said. “I think everybody rode well—although I think they made the mistake of letting Chris and Gareth ride off on the front. But, it was good to see the lead pack riding to chase them back down.”

The chase group consisting of Neil, Lisa, Darel, Orano, Sue, and Jean-Pierre comming down Sophie Bay hill.

Ghiorse, Neil Thomas, Adamson and Blackmore, will compete in Friday’s 75-mile OECS Championships and Sunday’s 80-mile John T. Memorial. “It will be good to see where our fitness level is, because the OECS race is always hotly contested and the John T. is always hotly contested,” Thomas noted. “It’s a matter of what we want to focus on. It bodes well for us to focus on the OECS Championships, but, then if we go all out for the OECS, if we have the opportunity to go for something in John T, we will see. It’s going to be and interesting strategy for both races.”

Anguilla is a race friendly and competition friendly island Thomas noted and he thinks both events will be really good, especially for the female cyclists. He said they are accustomed to riding with 5-6 girls and more will be at both races.

Final results, Men: 1. Chris Ghiorse, 1 hour, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. 2. Gareth Thomas, 1:44.55. 3. Orano Andrews, 1:47.45. 4. Darel Christopher Jr., 1:47.45. 5.Jean-Pierre Bacle, 1:52.17. 6. Neil Thomas, 2:04.51. 7. Steve Marsh, 2:15.17. 8. Dean Fonseca, 2:15.18. 9. Keble McDonald, 2:17.12.



Women: Lisa Adamson, 1:48.00. 2. Sue Tucker, 1:52.17. 3. Sally Blackmore, 2:04.51. 4. Olympia Fahie, 2:19.35. 5. Kay Reddy, 2:19.37.

Fun/Novice; Erasmus George, 1:07.00.

Sue Tucker leads Orano Andrews and the rest of the chase group out of Sophie Bay.

© Copyright 2003 BVI Cycling Federation