Forbes Burnham Memorial...Orville Hinds crowned new champ; John & Fernandes are junior & veteran winners

Forbes Burnham Memorial…Orville Hinds crowned new champ; John & Fernandes are junior & veteran winners

Feb 23, 2015 Sports

Team Evolution’s Orville Hinds rode a strategic race to take the overall top spot despite not winning any of the two stages when the annual Forbes Burnham Memorial two-stage cycle road race was held yesterday.

Riders on the East Bank of Demerara, overall winner Orville Hinds is at the back of the pack.

Hinds‘ winning time was Three Hours 45 Minutes 54 Seconds which earned him the top spot ahead of Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club’s Shaquelle Agard (3hrs 45m 57secs), Paul De Nobrega (3hrs 46m) of Team Alanis, Michael Anthony (3hrs 46m 1sec) of Club Evolution, Akeem Arthur (3hrs 46m 40secs) of Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club and Robin Persaud (3hrs 46m 41secs) of Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club closing out the top six overall positions.
The top junior riders were team Coco’s Jamal John (3hrs 47m 44secs) ahead of United Cycle Club’s Raphael Leung (3hrs 48m 40s) and Linden Bauxite Flyers CC’s Jornel Yearwood who clocked 3h 50m 2s.
Stephen Fernandes of Club Evolution emerged as the top veteran in 3h 47m 44s to win from Carlton Wheelers CC’s Jaikarran Sukhai (3h 48m 39s) and club mate Junior Niles (3h 48m 43s).
The exciting event which pedaled off in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden to Homestretch Avenue in the City saw Shaquelle Agard pedaling to victory in Two Hours 45 Minutes 32 Seconds. He was pursued to the finish line by Hinds, De Nobrega and Anthony who credited with the same time as Agard.
Robin Persaud and Akeem Arthur were 4th and 5th in Three Hours 46 Minutes 15 Seconds.
Claiming the second stage was Roraima Bikers Club standout Alonzo Greaves in just under an hour followed by Hinds, Christopher Holder (Team Coco’s), Arthur, Warren Mc Kay (Roraima Bikers Club) and Persaud.
Hinds’ overall time bettered that of last year’s overall winner Raynauth Jeffrey (3h 52m 43s) who himself did not win any of the two stages but did enough, like Hinds, to cop the overall accolade.
The respective stage winners were all rewarded by the Burnham Foundation Committee for their sterling efforts and were complimented by Mr. Vincent Alexander of the Burnham Foundation for making the race another success.
Before the riders were sent on their way in Linden they observed a minute’s silence in memory of the late George Emerson, a former GCF and RBC Vice President who made an indelible mark in the sport in Guyana and Linden.
Regional Chairman Mr. Solomon Sharma offered brief remarks before the riders pedaled off.