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2nd Annual Grenville Felix Memorial Cycle Road Race…Paul DeNobrega rules the roost as successful event staged
By Samuel Whyte
Paul DeNobrega in a time of two hours, one minute and forty seven seconds (2:01:47) took top honours from Michael Anthony in a ding down battle in a four man sprint home with Raul Leal and Stephano Husbands coming in third and fourth in a grueling battle to the finishing line to capture the Grenville Felix memorial 60-mile cycle event.
The top four finishers DeNobrega, Anthony,
Leal and Husbands during the sprint home.
The race started in front of the late Guysuco Engineer’s residence and proceeded to the Nand Persaud Rice Complex on the Corentyne before turning back to finish at the place of origin. Seasoned campaigner Orville Hinds rode home fifth in a two man battle with Shaqueel Agard who placed sixth.
The race started around 14:45 in the afternoon with some Fifty-two cyclists taking to the road in their quest to be the second person to have their name etched on the Grenville Felix lien trophy.
The event which was sponsored by Felix’s Children, Grand Children and other relatives in collaboration with The Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC) saw riders from all the major clubs in Guyana taking part. They were sent on their way by Felix’s Daughter Joan Felix-Pear and former New Amsterdam Mayor and FACC Patron Errol Alphonso.
The riders made a flying start on the way to the Rose Hall Estate, where Felix worked for a major part of his life, before turning back for their main journey.
A 13 man pack made the first break along the NO19 straight road. That group continued to power along until a four man group of Anthony, DeNobrega, Husbands and Alanzo Ambrose made a break around Alness on the upward journey. They maintained that lead until the turn back point when they were roped in by another four riders in Mark Harris, Jamal John, Akeem Wilkinson and Raul Leal.
The eight riders were eventually joined by Hinds and Agard at Adventure as the pace picked up to make it a 10 man leading pack as the cyclists pushed a blistering pace for most of the downward journey. Anthony, DeNobrega, Leal, Wilkinson and Husbands eventually broke away as they headed for home. However the heat was too much for Wilkinson as he wilted along the No19 road on the homeward journey.
Paul DeNobrega receives his prize and the Grenville Felix Memorial Lien trophy from Joan Felix as the other winners and family members and organisers share the moment.
The four cyclists who were in a tightly knitted bunch were not giving anything away as they neared the Canje turn for home. With about 300M out it was still any one race. However, DeNobrega and Anthony were surged ahead and with about 50M to go DeNobrega was able to nose ahead of Anthony for the win.
Jamal John once again was the first junior to cross the finish line as he won from Raphael Leung in second and Romello Crawford third.
Junior Niles continued his dominance among the veterans as he took top honours from Stephen Fernandes and Jaikarran Sookhai.
Top female rider Marica Dick returned to winning ways as she won well ahead of Christine Matheson and Tswana Doris. Veteran Rider Wasim Hassnu edged out another veteran Syborne Fernandez to take the award for the first rider from the FACC to finish the event.
The beginners and female cyclist rode from the Nand Persaud rice complex to the finish line.
The 10 sprint point prizes saw DeNorega, Anthony, Husbands, and Leal taking two each while there were one for Ambrose and Harris.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, daughter of the late Grenville Felix, Joan said that her father was a sport and community activist. She and the rest of family decided to do something to showcase his life on his birthday.
The event which is staged in collaboration with the Flying Ace Cycle Club was first held in 2012 and then in 2013 on his birthday. However after Felix died in late 2013 it was decided to hold the race as a memorial event. Felix was one of the first local engineers trained by GuySuCo and worked in Guyana the Caribbean and other parts of the world and was 96 when he passed away.
The Felix Family was high in praise of the work of the FACC and Coach Randolph Roberts. Roberts thanked the Felix family for their dedication and commitment and help over the years.
He also thanked the cyclists for accepting the invitation and participating in the event. He thanked the fans and supporters for turning out in their numbers and supporting the event.
The race was incident free with the police under Deputy Superintendent Bhoodnarine Persaud and Corporal Wilberg coming in for high praise.
A medical team from the New Amsterdam hospital was also on hand.
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