Allnutt wins Around Brunner

Shorty Allnutt stepped up from winning last year’s Around Brunner recreational event to beat a strong elite field in the Around Brunner cycle race, the final round of the National Points Series, on the West Coast today.

The Hokitika rider was in a successful break at the 60 kilometre mark with Scott McDonnell (Kelford Cycling Team) and Garry Pierce (Thule Cycling team) and after dropping Pierce with 30 kilometres to go, worked well with McDonnell to narrowly avoid getting caught in the finishing straight to win in three hours and 16 minutes.

“I’m really stocked to win this event after stepping up from the other grade,” Allnutt said.

‘’We worked really well together and managed to hold the chasers off. I just kept my head down and didn’t give up. I felt strong all day and it worked out.”

There were a number of attacks in the early stages of the race as the Benchmark Cycling Team tried to break the field up and work over defending champion Sam Horgan from the Subway – Avanti Cycling team.

Allan Williams (Warmup Cycling Team) was prominent as he covered the attacks, and with Horgan sticking on his wheel the bunch was pulled back together each time.

The race winning break was made as the field turned off and headed inland towards Lake Brunner.

The chasing bunch took some time to get themselves organised and it was only within the last 10 kilometres urgency appeared as they realised they may had left the chase too late.

With 10 kilometres to go Horgan attacked but failed to make it across to the leaders and it was left to Williams to lead the chasing bunch home over the final 1000 metres to finish a well deserved third four seconds behind Allnutt and McDonnell.

Daniel Barry (Benchmark), Ross McLennan from Nelson and Mark Prutton (Team John Bull Cycles) rounded out the top six in the elite race.

Josie Giddens (Cycle Surgery/Lowe & Associates) continued her recent good form to win the woman’s elite race coming in only seven seconds after Allnutt and leading home Amie Burns (Benchmark) and Cathy Hamer (Hokitika Cycling).

Last year’s elite female winner Nicola Anderson (Benchmark) finished ten minutes back and Jeannie Kuhajek (Star & Garter Tasman Cycling Team) had her chances spoiled after crashing in the final few kilometres.

Gidden’s leaves New Zealand with her first overseas cycling contract in a few weeks and said the event was a part of her build up for riding with her new team.

“I had some help from a few of the boys as I knew as long as I stayed near the front I knew I’d be ok in a sprint. I really enjoyed the race.”

Michael Jones from Thames won the recreational event in a large bunch sprint finish from Alden Stamper and Rob Wilson in three hours and 30 minutes.

First female home was Rebecca Hensley from Christchurch ten seconds after Jones. Hensley beat Anne Kerr and Nienke Podmore in the dash for the line as the three were the only females to stay with the leading bunch.

Provisional results - Individuals by Category

Elite men
1 Shorty Allnutt Hokitika 03:16:23
2 Scott McDonnell Christchurch 03:16:23
3 Alan Williams Christchurch 03:16:27
4 Daniel Barry Christchurch 03:16:27
5 Ross MacLennan Nelson 03:16:27
6 Mark Prutton Christchurch 03:16:28
7 Brad McFarlane Christchurch 03:16:29
8 Mike Anderson Nelson 03:16:30
9 Darcy Ellerm Norton Christchurch 03:16:30
10 Johnathon Gee Christchurch 03:16:30

Elite woman
1 Josie Giddens Springston 03:16:30
2 Aimee Burns Christchurch 03:16:40
3 Cathy Hamer Hokitika 03:18:53
4 Jeannie Kuhajek Nelson 03:21:08
5 Nicole Anderson Christchurch 03:36:00

Recreational event - men
1 Michael Jones M40-49 Thames 03:30:23
2 Alden Stamper M20-39 Nelson 03:30:23
3 Rob Wilson M40-49 Christchurch 03:30:23
4 John Phillips M40-49 Christchurch 03:30:24
5 Nigel Smith M40-49 Nelson 03:30:24
6 Richard Wearne M20-39 Christchurch 03:30:24
7 Leon Dawson M20-39 Greymouth 03:30:24
8 Mike Smart M20-39 Christchurch 03:30:24
9 Tony Lange M50-59 Christchurch 03:30:24
10 Garry Overend M50-59 Nelson 03:30:24
11 Bruce Arnott M40-49 Christchurch 03:30:24
12 Alasdair Duncan M20-39 Christchurch 03:30:25
13 Andrew Hearne M20-39 Christchurch 03:30:25
14 Paul McLachlan M50-59 Christchurch 03:30:25
15 andy bullock M20-39 chrsitchurch 03:30:25
16 Andy Lyes M40-49 Hokitika 03:30:25
17 Andy Backhouse M40-49 Greymouth 03:30:25
18 neil gillespie M40-49 hokitika 03:30:26
19 Glen Bateman M20-39 Blenheim 03:30:26
20 David Fleming M40-49 Christchurch 03:30:26

Recreational event - female
1 Rebecca Hensley F20-39 Christchurch 03:30:33
2 Anne kerr F50-59 Christchurch 03:30:43
3 Nienke Podmore F20-39 CHRISTCHURCH 03:30:52
4 Lauren Tarawhiti F20-39 Christchurch 03:36:52
5 Mary Bamford F40-49 Christchurch 03:36:55
6 Abby Ryan F20-39 Christchurch 03:38:56
7 Dawn Chalmers F20-39 Nelson 03:40:04
8 Yvonne Pfluger F20-39 Christchurch 03:40:04
9 Vicki Upton F50-59 Christchurch 03:40:08
10 Yvonne McDonald F40-49 Christchurch 03:40:09
11 Liz Geddes F40-49 ChCh 03:44:35
12 Wilhelmina Borst F40-49 Blenheim 03:44:39
13 Jacqui Nathan F20-39 Christchurch 03:44:42
14 christine van Hoppe F60-69 Nelson 03:48:35
15 Sarah Johnson F20-39 Christchurch 03:48:39
16 Mary Jones F50-59 Christchurch 03:48:50
17 Anna Thomson F40-49 Christchurch 03:51:18
18 Nadia Marinelli F20-39 Christchurch 03:51:20
19 Delwyn Bassett F50-59 Christchurch 03:54:51
20 Charlotte Breeze F20-39 Hokitika 03:55:14

for more information please contact:
John McKenzie
enthuse ltd 
m 021 384 730
t 03 384 7338