Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club

24/09/2026

Last Saturday Race for 2026 will be a Memorial Handicap which will incorporate some of the Club's premium Handicaps in one race.

1st Place - Murray Walker Memorial
Fastest Time - Walker Walpole Memorial
First Female - Suzie Hadley Memorial
First Junior - Bob Markwell Memorial

****** PRIZEMONEY ******

Entries Open - https://www.buncheur.com/newcastle-hunter-cc-nhcc-hez-road-race-18-12-1

For the newer riders that may not have ridden a Handicap.

In handicap races faster groups of riders are given a later starting time than slower ones (a handicap) so that in theory (if the handicapper gets it right) everybody gets to the end of the race around the same time with a chance of winning. The winning time is the lowest result of actual time less the handicap.
Particular terms are used for handicap events Eg. the slowest group is referred to as Limit, and goes first, followed at intervals by other groups and lastly by the fastest group, called Scratch.
The best way to approach a handicap race is for everyone to work together to keep your group ahead of the one behind and catch the one ahead and place your bunch to the front of the race (on time) so one of you can try and win it.
In a handicap event there is a clear expectation that everyone should rotate and do a turn on the front. You should not attack your own bunch for most of the race as this disrupts the flow and slows things down. You should be working with them, not against them. But feel free to attack inside the last few kilometres, and as a group you can attack any other bunch at any time.
Unlike a Graded Scratch Race if you do get caught by the group behind you can join that group, if you can stay with them. First over the line wins and recognition given to the fastest time ( normally from the Scratch Group).

22/09/2026

Save the date.
Details to follow via email.

20/09/2026

On 17,18 and 19 September 2026 eleven NHCC and Hunter region riders particpated in the AusCycling Junior and Masters Road National Championships in the Sunshine Coast, with a strong showing on the podiums.

I was only able to observe the junior events, the standout achievements were:
- the convincing Time Trial win by Lincoln Johns. Whilst Lincoln just missed the podium in the Crit and Road Race, he did a mountain of work in the front of the pack in both those races and still manged 4th in both disciplines, and impressive achievement for his first year of junior road racing!
- 2nd place of Boston Gilanders in a very competitive sprint finish in the Road Race.

Unfortunately Ruby was brought down in a bunch crash in the Womens U17 road race, but once her mangled bike was straightened out (thank you to the NSW State team mechanic) she went on to finish the race. Boston had a mechanical in the Crit race resulting in a DNF, however given his current form might have been a serious contender for a podium in that race as well.

Below is a summary of the results (apologies if I have missed anyone)

Time Trial:
U15 Mens - 1st - Lincoln Johns (also representing NSW State Team)
U17 Men - 43 - Boston Gilanders
U17 Womens - 25th - Ruby Sauvage
Men Masters 5 3rd - Ben Neppl

Criterium:
U15 Mens - 4th Lincoln Johns
U17 Womens - 9th - Ruby Sauvage (representing NSW State Team)
Mens Masters 2 - 4th - Michael Picken
Mens Masters 4 - 11th Luke Kendall
Mens Masters 5 - 4th - Ben Neppl
Mens Masters 7 - 18th - Gerry Grimes

Road Race:
U15 Mens - 4th - Lincoln Johns
U17 Womens - 20th - Ruby Sauvage
U17 Mens - 2nd - Boston Gilanders
Men Masters 2 - 2nd - Michael Picken
Mens Masters 4 -9th Luke Kendall
Mens Masters 5 - 30th - Ben Neppl
Mens Masters 7 - 18th - Gerry Grimes

19/09/2026

Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club
Graded Scratch races - HEZ 19/09/2026

Race report and results

Forty-two riders raced hard in hot and windy conditions, participating in graded scratch races hosted by the Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club at HEZ. My thanks go to commissaire Chris Groves; first aid officer James Crew and Lauretta Mellows on desk and race lap counting duties. Kia and ICombined360 services provided traffic control, ensuring safe racing conditions.

I was good to see family and friends supporting the racers. Michael and Lincoln Hitchcock made the trip up from Sydney. Jarrad Pearse of the Parklife cycling club raced in A grade. Five Central Coast cycling club members made the trip up. Nicky Western of Scone brought her friend Mev Sedgwick. It was Mev’s very first race and she trounced the men, winning D grade.

The heat and westerly wind made attempts at breakaway difficult. This didn’t stop Derrin Lee from having a two lap dig in B grade. Ross Murdoch was also seen attacking the D grade bunch up the pinch. In C grade Brayden Everett rode away from the bunch in the last lap winning convincingly and surely paving his way into B grade. Juniors Caine Platt and Hamish Kirkman made it tough for Matt Moore in the B grade kick to the line. In A Grade, Maxi Amidy edged out Ryan Edward in an impressive sprint tussle.
Juniors Jett and Harrison rode tenaciously. Well done.

Our next race is a handicap and the last 2pm race for this year. Hopefully the weather will be kinder for racing. See you all there.
Arthur Snow
Club President.

Formal results
A Grade: 1st Maxi Amidy, 2nd Ryan Edwards, 3rd Simon Ball
B Grade: 1st Matt Moore, 2nd Caine Platt, 3rd Hamish Kirkman
C Grade: 1st Brayden Everett, 2nd Dan Hanly, 3rd Arthur Snow
D Grade: 1st Mev Sedgwick, 2nd Ethan Graber, 3rd Warwick Nichols
Juniors: Jett Craig and Harrison Lim

17/09/2026

A good contingent of our members and friends that have entered in the 2026 AusCycling Masters & Junior Road National Championships this weekend on the Sunshine Coast.

Gerry Grimes
Ruby Sauvage
Boston Gillanders
Bredan Kelana
Luke Kendall
Graham Lewis
Sam Fritz
Michael Pickin
Ben Neppl
Lincoln Johns
Hayden Trevor

Good luck to you all and your supporters.
Sorry if I missed someone.

17/09/2026

Racing Saturday HEZ 2.00pm

Weather forecast is 30 degrees but hopefully not as windy as last race.

Entries Open
https://www.buncheur.com/newcastle-hunter-cc-nhcc-hez-road-race-18-12

09/09/2026

07/09/2026

Looking for something to do with the family. Pedalfest is on 18th to 20th September. https://pedalfest.org.au/
Unfortunately NHCC won't be part of it this year but hopefully next year will see Criterium Racing return to the streets of Dungog.

05/09/2026

Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club
Graded Scratch races HEZ 05/09/2026

Race report and results

My sincere thanks go to our volunteers for making our race meet a great success. On the desk we had Lauretta Mellows ably assisted by Ash Johns. Chris Groves took on the commissaire's role. Alison Lee, a registered nurse, volunteered for the first time to be our first aid officer. Many thanks. (She also proved handy on the camera.)

Fifty-two riders fronted for our first Spring race. The weather was more like late summer than Spring with the temperature gauge above 30 degree and a searing forceful dry westerly making racing conditions truly horrible. Hydration management was the key, and I would like to thank all the riders for racing with due care.

With Michael Picken taking a bye, the President’s A grade Spring Classic saw the riders conserve and converse until the last frantic kick to the line. Special mention goes to Matt Johns who attacked off the front and made the bunch work hard to chase him down. In the end it came down to a bunch sprint and Maxi Amidy had the power in his legs to take the first prize envelope. My thanks go to Margaret Conroy from the Griffith Cycling club who decided to take on the A grade men.

Felix Buda continued his run of winning form in the B grade race. It was good to see Stephen Jamieson and Russell Menzies returning to racing. The last lap proved decision when Gibson Herusalem launched a stinging attack from the roundabout, followed by a blistering sprint by junior Hayden Trevor up the last pinch. The bunch fragmented and the front four went on to compete for the places. With two wins from two races, the handicappers must be looking at Felix very closely.

That old warrior Bryan Atkins was all smiles for his C grade win. Niki Weston made the trip from Scone to race with us. The C grade bunch was the biggest bunch which is very pleasing. If you have not raced for a while join in the C grade Fun.

In D grade Warwick Nichols track racing with the Townsend Veterans proved the difference in the sprint to the line.

Finally, Harrison Lim completed his junior event and was handsomely rewarded for his efforts.

Thanks everyone for racing with the Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club. We race again in two weeks. See you all there.

Arthur Snow
Club President.

Results
A Grade: 1st Max Amidy, Joshua Lincoln 3rd Ryan Edwards, FW: Margaret Conroy
B Grade: 1st Felix Buda, 2nd Russell Menzies, 3rd Derrin Lee, FW: Ruby Sauvage.
C grade: 1st Bryan Atkins, 2nd Lincoln Hitchcock, 3rd Harry Schumaker, FW: Niki Weston
D grade: 1st Warwick Nichols, 2nd and FW Nadine Platt, 3rd Ben Platt
Juniors: Harrison Lim.

04/09/2026

Todays A grade scratch race becomes the President's A grade Spring Classic if ten or more riders front the line.