04/10/2026
Nick Mason Memorial Crit – Race 2
A Day of Speed, Spirit and the Race for the Line
The morning dawned beneath skies of blue,
A perfect day for riders to pursue.
The bikes were polished, sparkling bright,
Chains gleaming clean in the morning light.
Cassettes pristine, each detail just right,
As riders gathered, eager to fight.
Around the Airport Industrial Estate course,
The cones stood ready, no remorse.
And volunteers, with dedication and care,
Created a course that was safe and fair.
Their quiet work, both seen and unseen,
Set the scene for racing clean.
A Grade
At half past seven, the flag came down,
And five strong riders raced from the line.
Aaron, Warren, Adam, Jake and Phil,
Were ready to test their strength and will.
The pace was high from the very start,
With every rider playing their part.
Warren and Aaron attacked with flair,
And every move was answered there.
No rider was given the chance to escape,
As the bunch responded to every break.
The attacks came thick, the pace stayed high,
With no one able to slip away and fly.
Within ten minutes, the first prime was called,
And the racing became even more involved.
With two hundred metres left to go,
Waz and Adam surged for the prime in a show.
Waz got there first in a spirited sprint,
With Adam just behind in the contest.
Phil later launched a determined attack,
But the peloton brought him quickly back.
Then came the final lap, the finish in sight,
And the pace lifted with all of its might.
Two hundred metres — the sprint was on,
Three riders charging towards the line.
Shoulder to shoulder, wheel beside wheel,
The final metres had the crowd on its heels.
Just a tyre's width separated the three
As they sprinted for victory.
Waz took first, Adam second, Aaron third —
A thrilling finish, every effort heard!
A terrific A Grade battle from start to end,
With attacks and counterattacks around every bend.
B Grade
B Grade brought a strong field to the line,
Tony, Samuel, Tim and Richard in fine form.
Brendan and Dave were ready to race,
And together they lifted the pace.
At times they matched A Grade's speed,
Showing plenty of strength and speed.
Then came the prime, and Brendan attacked,
Opening a gap the bunch could not match.
One hundred and fifty metres clear,
Brendan powered on without fear.
He took the prime in convincing style,
Before the field came back together after a while.
As the final lap began to unfold,
The pace eased slightly before the final hold.
Then, with two hundred metres left to race,
Samuel launched from the bunch with pace.
He drove hard towards the finish line,
Holding his speed and timing it fine.
Samuel took the win in impressive style,
With Dave close behind by just a little while.
Samuel first, Dave second, Brendan third —
A strong B Grade race from start to finish.
C Grade
Boston, Alex, Fraser, Kaliki and Archie too
Formed a determined C Grade crew.
They rode with courage, they rode with pride,
And before the prime, the bunch split wide.
Archie was strong and led the way,
Taking the prime honours on the day.
The groups remained separated as the laps rolled by,
With every rider continuing to try.
Then came the final lap and the race for the line,
With Archie holding his advantage just fine.
He crossed the finish first on the day,
With Fraser and Boston not far away.
Archie first, Fraser second, Boston third —
A fantastic ride from every rider in the field.
And a special mention must surely be made
Of Kaliki, who never backed away.
With strength and determination all the way,
She earned the honour of Fastest Lady on the day.
Our Junior Rider
Then came Byron, our junior star,
Showing just how determined young riders are.
With courage and vigour, he took to the track,
Giving everything and never holding back.
He recorded a strong lap time throughout his race,
And crossed the finish line with determination and grace.
Byron took the win and once again showed
The wonderful manners that he always bestowed.
Well done, Byron — what a ride!
Your determination shone with pride.
A fantastic young rider, both on and off the track,
And a wonderful young man to have in our pack.
Thank You
As Race Two comes to an end,
We thank every rider, volunteer and friend.
To everyone who helped make the day,
Your contribution helped lead the way.
For every cone, every marshal and helping hand,
For making the course safe and well planned,
For every cheer, every smile and every bit of support,
You helped make the day everything it ought.
The bikes will be cleaned, the memories remain,
And soon we'll gather to race once again.
Two weeks from now, we'll return to the track,
For the final race — and there's no holding back!
Until then, keep the wheels turning true,
Keep chasing the wind in all that you do.
Ride with courage, ride with pride,
And enjoy the journey, the racing and the ride.
Nick Mason Memorial Crit Series — Race 2 complete.
The final battle awaits in two weeks!
