Pedal power: See the results of the top 50 participants of Top End Gran Fondo
Hundreds of people rose at the crack of dawn today for the 10th annual Sunbuild Top End Gran Fondo.
Northern Territory
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ALMOST 700 people rose at the crack of dawn today for the 10th annual Sunbuild Top End Gran Fondo.
Organiser manager Richard Welsh said it was the largest cohort of participants the event had ever seen.
“We have record numbers nearly 700 riders across all our distances and in the middle of a pandemic and with people across Australia locked down so for us to have so many people out there riding in a mass participation event, we’re really grateful,” Mr Welsh said.
First over the line for the Sunbuild 145km Full Fondo was Stephen Hall of Western Australia with a time of 3.28 hours.
The first local rider in the 145km race was Phillip Brownscombe of Nightcliff with a time of 3.29 hours.
It was the first Top End Gran Fondo Mr Hall had competed in and said he would be back in the future.
“We left at 6am and there was a lot of fog on the highway which was interesting and it made for really nice conditions and it made it cooler,” he said.
“The course was perfect and everyone had a really good time.”
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He said the race off the back of the Olympic road cycling competition on Saturday as well as the Tour de France several weeks ago would go a long way to inspire the next generation of cyclists.
“Most cyclists can say they were inspired by it (the Olympics), and having the Fondo on the very next day is great timing and hopefully gets some more people into the sport,” he said.
Mr Welsh said the community event was for people of all abilities, and ages with the youngest participant being just one-year-old and the eldest aged 71.
“It’s a really great community event and fundraiser for a number of local organisations and it’s great to see people getting out and being fit and healthy,” he said.
Participating in her first Top End Gran Fondo was Kate Townsend, who rode in the 25km Fleet Choice NT Fondo.
“It was incredible, I did so much better than I was expecting this was the first time I raced. I was stoked to do it in 1.04 hours,” she said.
Ms Townsend said she was inspired to train a bit more in the lead up to next year’s race.
“I’m quite fortunate that I had some tricks up my sleeve after watching the Tour de France a few weeks ago,” she said.
Darwin Family Law partner Julian Barry donated $1500 as part of his Pollie Pedal initiative at the Gran Fondo after three politicians, Labor’s Luke Gosling and Kate Worden and Country Liberal’s Joshua Burgoyne each competed in and completed the Darwin Family Law Half Fondo 60km ride.
Mr Gosling said he would be sore tomorrow after only completing one training ride before the big race.
He said it was worth it though to donate to Breast Cancer NT.
Top 50 in the 145km Sunbuild Top End Gran Fondo
Pos. Finish time Participant Speed
1 3:28:26 Stephen Danger Hall 41.74 km/h
2 3:29:10 Phillip Brownscombe 41.59 km/h
3 3:29:14 Sam Klippan 41.58 km/h
4 3:29:14 Mark Lackenby 41.58 km/h
5 3:29:14 Zach Geale 41.58 km/h
6 3:29:15 Pete Arnott 41.58 km/h
7 3:29:15 Cameron Judson 41.57 km/h
8 3:34:49 Phil Blum 40.50 km/h
9 3:43:39 Doug Stewart 38.90 km/h
10 3:43:40 Chris Brown 38.90 km/h
11 3:43:41 Paul Matthew Lee 38.89 km/h
12 3:43:42 Craig Inkster 38.89 km/h
12 3:43:42 Jarryd Page 38.89 km/h
14 3:43:43 Maris Steele 38.89 km/h
15 3:43:43 Steve Beales 38.89 km/h
16 3:43:45 Simon Forsterling 38.88 km/h
17 3:43:45 Craig Smith-Gander 38.88 km/h
18 3:43:45 Craig Baxter 38.88 km/h
19 3:43:46 Chaise Kelly-Wilson 38.88 km/h
20 3:43:46 Errol Baxter 38.88 km/h
21 3:43:48 Scott Perry 38.87 km/h
22 3:43:55 Matthew Tognini 38.85 km/h
23 3:44:16 Chris Glasby 38.79 km/h
24 3:44:17 Leon Schulz 38.79 km/h
25 3:46:17 Graeme Crossland 38.45 km/h
26 3:46:17 Dale Pearcey 38.45 km/h
27 3:46:21 Chris Blackburn 38.43 km/h
28 3:50:53 Bill Murphy 37.68 km/h
29 3:50:59 David Dann 37.66 km/h
30 3:51:09 Mark Kersemakers 37.64 km/h
31 3:52:47 Robert CooperHappy Days 37.37 km/h
32 3:53:55 Kevin Wells 37.19 km/h
33 3:55:42 Damo Loller 36.91 km/h
34 3:55:51 Bardia Bodaghi 36.89 km/h
35 3:57:20 Chris Kempton 36.66 km/h
36 3:59:46 Owen Hales 36.28 km/h
37 4:08:47 Allan Chau 34.97 km/h
38 4:11:30 Sinead Olivetta 34.59 km/h
39 4:11:30 Julian Barry 34.59 km/h
40 4:12:28 Gabriela de Oliveira 34.46 km/h
41 4:12:30 Greg Bird 34.45 km/h
42 4:12:31 Andrew Case 34.45 km/h
43 4:12:32 Mark Williamson 34.45 km/h
44 4:12:39 Nathan McGrath 34.43 km/h
45 4:13:35 Andrew Everett 34.31 km/h
46 4:13:54 Leanne Thompson 34.26 km/h
47 4:13:55 Craig Rachow 34.26 km/h
48 4:13:57 Padraic Bradley 34.26 km/h
49 4:13:58 Ben Lowe 34.26 km/h
50 4:15:39 Tom Ryan 34.03 km/h
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