Tru-Blu pips Firetruck in the field of dreams, as the 'other' Beaconsfield is just as Incredible.

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As the second Casey-Cardinia Cycling Festival blossomed into life at the new Casey Fields precinct, to some it may have looked like fields of mud, but to most on Saturday they were fields of dreams. It certainly turned out to be the latter for the team ‘Tru-Blu’, who won the secondary and community event by just two laps over Berwick Secondary College’s Firetruck. An enthusiastic crew from Beaconsfield Primary School (in Victoria, not Tassie) also raced to a win in the grades 5 & 6 event earlier in the day. Throughout the day there was a whole host of activities, including mountain bike racing, criterium cycling for novice and experienced cyclists, and HPVs of all ages. Dirt Riders MTB were on hand to assist the off-road action – where many a racer finished completely covered in mud and CycleSport Victoria managed the cycling events for registered cyclists. “The circuit is so versatile, we can have Primary HPVs racing here (on the front loop), mountain bikes off to the side and road cycling over the back all independently of each other – it’s just great.” Terry Trevena from St Margarets College said. Indeed, the smooth hot-mix circuit drew widespread approval and is a definite selling point. The 2.2 km loop can be broken into a number of smaller loops, creating hairpins and sweepers. The Primary school HPV event was held on the 600 metre loop, whilst the Secondary and Community event ran on a 1600 metre track. “It’s a great course. You don’t have to touch the brakes at all.” said Daniel from Australia Made. Steve Rowe from RaceTime Computing said that Trisled had been at the circuit on the opening day and believed that 1000 km in 24 hours was possible. Meanwhile the ability to train and practice in a car-free environment is another advantage. “We’ve been training here for the past three weekends. It’s a fantastic course although I did have a bit of an incident at the hairpin.” Said Brenton Pearman from Tru-Blu. “I went in a bit too fast and overconfident and rolled it over…We’ve fixed it up and we’re happy now.” Their patch ups certainly seemed to do the trick with consistent racing throughout the trial seeing them claim their first overall win. And now for the HPV Racing…   The primary school teams enjoyed a chance to have unlimited riders – often pitting every lap throughout the 3.5 hr trial. Nathan Raynor, former Energy Breakthrough participant from Padua College, was track announcer for the primary school race. Beaconsfield Primary School’s ‘The Incredibles’ completed 120 laps of the shortest circuit closest to pit lane – around 600 metres. [Full race results from RaceTime Computing] As noted by RaceTime Computing, a high number of individual fastest laps in the Primary school event were completed on the final lap when teams kept racing through to the finish line. - Click for larger images - As light rain fell on the start line and the field of 34 vehicles assembled in the Secondary and Community event, there was a real sense of Formula One race strategy in pit lane: “We’re hoping to beat the Secondary College (Berwick SC) - it’d be our first time.” Daniel from Australia Made said. “We know they’re going for half hour stints and if we ride full hour stints each then we’d have half as many pitstops – in theory.” As they rolled out, Event Manager John Perrin announced “I’ve been informed that we have ordered good weather, however it’s not due until tomorrow.” Although the cold and windy conditions didn’t override the relaxed and encouraging spirit of the event. Unfortunately for Australia Made, Berwick Secondary College’s Firetruck took off from the standing start and only Tru-Blu could really go with them. After the first lap (below top), Tru-Blu and Firetruck were together, with a short gap back to Reloaded (Weeroona) and Australia Made and then the same distance again back to Rocky (Weeroona) and Firebird (Berwick). As Firetruck came in for it’s first pit stop after around 35 minutes of racing, Tru-Blu was in a position to reclaim the lead, but the red machine managed to pit and rejoin the race with a 200 metre lead - as can be seen in the photo above. But as the race progressed, Weeroona’s Reloaded took the lead on lap 47, before Tru-Blu claimed the lead and held it to the line from lap 60 onwards. Two formal All Girls categories were also run for the first time, with St Margaret's College 'Something Blonde' winning the Years 9-12 category by just two laps over Weeroona College's 'Fill'. The Years 7 & 8 category featured only Toorak College's Joker, although they managed a respectable 55 laps. Wonthaggi Secondary College also heralded their return to Human Powered racing (away from the Wonthaggi HPVGP at least) with a number of vehicles. One of their vehicles was rumoured to have climbed a two metre high banking before plunging down a descent into a barbed wire fence. “It was pretty amazing. Luckily he was in an enclosed vehicle as the wire smashed his roof and stopped just in front of his chin. It could have caused some real damage.” John Perrin said. “This circuit is legally designed for a vehicle to travel at 80km/h. If you saw the embankment he cleared – you’d never imagine a vehicle clearing it.” Although amazed by the freak turn of events, the organisers placed barriers at the space shortly after the incident. Weeroona College Bendigo, who had four vehicles at the event, were competitive and in the wars throughout the race. Having taken overall line honours at the 2005 Maroondah MEGT Grand Prix in 2005 [Read Maroondah Race Report] and finishing high in the order in Maryborough in recent times, the college is definitely attracting more attention from its rivals. On the start line, the rider for Tru-Blu asked: “Is Weeroona’s Reloaded here?” The answer was yes, and the team held the race lead for a total of 12 laps before a number of technical problems and crashes saw them finish fifth overall on 92 laps. Weeroona’s Rocky ran strongly early on and despite being blatantly rolled by ‘Blatantly Pink’ on the entry to the hairpin - they finished one lap ahead of XLR8. A few laps earlier, Bee Bee (also from Weeroona) had been shunted on the same corner by the same vehicle, although Bee Bee had also managed to get itself bogged after exiting the track with poor visibility on a sweeper. Bee Bee continued on to win the Junior Secondary Class by 17 laps. At least the college's all girl ensemble 'Fill' stayed relatively trouble free throughout the 5 hour trial to finish second in it's class and 12th overall with 78 laps. Australian Made is heading to the first 6hour event this coming weekend in Adelaide. (May 20-21) They've changed tack away from Berwick Secondary College's wider bodied composite canopies. "We've dropped between 12 and 19 kilos from the old design. Today is really a test to see how it goes and how our riders feel in it." A team member said. There was plenty of flex in the canopy, which was only mounted in two places and featured glad wrap for a windscreen, but it was after all only a test. The team finished ninth overall and should perform well in the first of the Australian HPV Super Series events. As the facilities improve and interest in the event grows, a 24 hour race may be in the pipeline - although there are many benefits to a shorter race. "We can rock up and leave in one day, there is no need for camping and we don't miss any work or school." said one competitor. It's a great event and one that can only grow from the incredible enthusiasm. About Casey-Fields As mentioned in an earlier news story, the Casey Fields precinct is a major undertaking between the Victorian State Government and the City of Casey. The area will be developed over an eight year period, with football, rugby, soccer, tennis, athletics and netball all accommodated alongside cycling. The construction of the cycling circuit has been brought forward and can now be enjoyed by HPV teams and cyclists alike. “We’ve got this track around 5 years ahead of schedule and so there is plenty of potential here as things improve.” Event Public Relations Officer, Clare De Kok said. “The power, water and sewage actually finish about 200 metres away. Eventually there will be a pavilion here identical to the netball pavilion, but with a viewing deck on top. It’s going to be fantastic in a few years time.”     Photos and article written by Nigel Preston. Bendigo Youth Racing and RACV Energy Breakthrough Planning Committee. Final Results: [Courtesy of RaceTime Computing & Casey-Cardinia Cycling Club] Junior Secondary Grade 5 Weeroona SC - Bee Bee 84 Laps Berwick PS - Team D 99 Laps Padua College - Chucky 73 Upper Beac PS - Pegasus 97 Wonthaggi SC - Junior Wizard 67 Berwick PS - Team C 72 Beasconsfield PS - Orphans 66     Berwick SC - Firepower 65 Grade 6   Berwick SC - Firebug 61 Beaconsfield PS - Incredibles 120 Laps Upper Beac PS - Eye Of The Storm 60 Upper Beac PS - Eye Of The Storm 118 Westernport SC - Joey 55 Upper Beac PS - Desert Storm 109 Emerson -Team 1 46 Berwick PS - Team A 104 Narre Warren South - Dragon Fly 2 39 Berwick PS - Team B 99   Maramba PS - Speed Demon 97 Senior Secondary Beaconsfield PS - Catwoman 95 Berwick SC - Firetruck 100 laps Emerson - Team 2 75 Weeroona SC - Rocky 94 Toorak College - Red Devil 74 Padua - XLR8 93 Narre Warren South - Dragon Fly 67 Weeroona SC - Reloaded 92     Berwick SC - Firestorm 91 Secondary 9-12 Girls Wonthaggi - Open Wizard 77 St Margarets - Something Blonde 80 Laps Berwick SC - Firebird 77 Weeroona SC - Fill 78 Wonthaggi SC - Senior Wizard 70 Wonthaggi SC - Girls Wizard 68 Woodleigh Phoenix 64 Toorak College - Streaker 63 Narre Warren S - Thunder Dragon 59 St Margarets - My Other Sisters Blonde 57 Emerson Team 3 52     Drouin SC - Open Circuit 51 Secondary 7-8 Girls   Boronia Heights SC - Phase Iv 50 Toorak College - Joker 55 Laps   Community Fastest Lap of the Race: Secondary (1600m) Tru Blu 102 laps Berwick SC - Firetruck 2:14.6 (APPROX 42 km/hr) Blatantly Pink 90 laps Deakin University - Phantom 3 89 laps Fastest Lap of the Race: Primary (600m) Australian Made 86 laps Upper Beac - Skin Off 77 laps Beaconsfield PS - Incredibles 1:29.96 (note that several faster times were recorded on last lap with no pit change)

Links:
- Results (Courtesy of RaceTime Computing)
- Entry List (Courtesy of RaceTime Computing)
- Casey Cardinia Cycling Club Website
- Curriculum Resource: HPV Major Service