SA State Series – Race 5 – Bennetts

Ah yes, good old Bennetts, push ups all around! This is a race that favors the fit both up and on the way down.
Ah yes, good old Bennetts, push ups all around! This is a race that favors the fit both up and on the way down.

Race 5 of the South Australian StateA�Series saw riders return to Bennetts, famous for itsA�two ride gaps, pine trees and push ups! The weather was a bit hit and miss leading into the event but for the weekend it was mainly fine. It seemed like half of the club was in Whistler, as half of the Australian riding community seems to do at this time of the eyar, so numbers were down on the average but that didn’t matter everyone was still keen!

Those road gaps! A staple of Bennetts and the area where the crowd generally gathers to watch.
Those road gaps! A staple of Bennetts and the area where the crowd generally gathers to watch.

Seeding for Under 19’s showed that Matt Taylor was the rider to beat, some 6.5 seconds clear of second place. In Elite Men Cam Ryan was fastest by 2.5 seconds but there were some new names in the top five so it was going to be interesting come race time.

Benetts rarely sees riders out of the pine forest, which is great for camera types to sniper shots between the branches such as this!
Benetts rarely sees riders out of the pine forest, which is great for camera types to sniper shots between the branches such as this!

The track hasn’t really changed, it rarely does, so riders knew what they were in for. Realistically it is generally a one line run but there were a few areas riders could make up some time.

Where to pick up those critical seconds?
Where to pick up those critical seconds?
Jumping both road gaps, successfully, does help carry speed, critical on this track where being slowed down in one section will carry on for the sections after it.
Jumping both road gaps, successfully, does help carry speed, critical on this track where being slowed down in one section will carry on for the sections after it.

Finals came and once all the riders had done their 2 and a bit minute run it was Matt Taylor who took the Under 19 victory, his time of 2.14.01 would haveA�got him second placeA�in Elite! Conor Clancy was second and James Chambers third. Elite Women and Simone Cameron took the win ahead of Natarlie Hobby. Elite Men saw a slight reshuffle of the seeding results, Will Rischbieth took the win ahead of Cam Ryan, Luke Reynolds, Sullivan Fleming and Steve Gebert.

Kieran Jenkins on the gas for 11th.
Kieran Jenkins on the gas for 11th.
There's a good reason the tree is in focus here, for some riders it was a full moon during their run...
There’s a good reason the tree is in focus here, for some riders it was a full moon during their run…
Braaappp! Bit of slide action was spotted on the weekend! Luke Reynolds charges for third.
Braaappp! Bit of slide action was spotted on the weekend! Luke Reynolds charges for third.

The next race heads to Fox, for another classic race no doubt.

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