BILLY’S FOOD MART FRIARS HILL CHALLENGE Friday 20th July 2012
 The popular Billy’s Food Mart Friars Hill Challenge was greeted with guests from Guyana on Sunday 15th July. This was the last race to mark the end of the first half of the season.The 2012 Billy’s Food Mart Friars Hill Challenge was graced with the presence of three members of the Guyana’s National Junior and Senior cycling squad, Raynauth Jeffery, Paul De Nobrega and Walter Grant-Stuart. The three contested the overall race which allows the riders to face the race challenge, Friars Hill, twelve times.
The race was mostly lead by Robert Marsh, Jyme Bridges, Godfrey Pollydore and Paul De Nobrega. Several successful attempts to catch the lead group were made by Marvin Spencer, Andre Simon and Walter Grant-Stuart but the rapid pace up Friars Hill from the leading four was too fast for the chasers who constantly got tailed off. The cycling fraternity was pleasantly amazed by the ability and talent of Walter, one of the better riders of the day, and noticed that he well one-handed. Walter Grant-Stuart is an amputee with the loss of his right hand above the elbow. Yet he is an outstanding rider who won the 2011 John T. Memorial race in Anguilla.
Sunday’s race was a bit too much for Walter as he placed 6th overall. However, his junior teammate was the star of the show as he won the overall race. Raynauth Jeffery of the Guyana junior national team won the race after attacking the group of elite riders in the 10th lap, creating a lead and stay away to win the race by over a minute over his closest rival. Jeffery won the 2012 Friars Hill Challenge in a time of 2:07.08. Second place was a sprint showdown between Jyme Bridges of the Rattles Club and Godfrey Pollydore. Jyme Bridges edged Pollydore to place 2nd, beating Pollydore in a sprint for the first time for the season. Pollydore had to settle for 3rd, with a time of 2:08.25. Robert Marsh, Paul De Nobrega and Walter Grant-Stuart were 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.
 Walton Francis of the Rattlers Club was the best in the B-Class. Walton won the 10-lap race in a time of 1:51.16. Tesheed Gordon was the 2nd person to finish the B-Class category. The young Rattler placed 2nd in a time of 1:51.28 ahead of Ashley Rhodes who was 3rd in a time of 2:00.50. Mervin Gore and St Claire Williams were 4th and 5threspectively.
Paul De Nobrega was the best Junior of the day Paul out-sprinted his teammate Raynauth Jeffery and took the Junior’s class. De Nobrega won the 8-lap race in a time of 1:25.55 ahead of his teammate who went on to win the overall race. Raynauth Jeffery placed 2nd in a time of 1:25.55.339, beating the Antiguan junior Tristan Matthew and Jaleel Cannonier who was 4th and 5th respectively. The juniors will meet again in the Dominican Republic when they faceoff at the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships in August.
Lindsay Duffy was the best of the females. Duffy won the 4-lap female race in a time of 53:59, ahead of Kevinia Francis of Road Runners Cycling Club who was 2nd in a time of 56:15. Wendy Tittle placed 3rd in a time of 1:01.18. Joel Phillip continues to dominate the Cadet Class. He won the 6-lap event in a time of 1:11.26 ahead of Nigel Fabian who was 2nd in a time of 1:14.22.
Conroy Thomas was the best of the Sports Class as he won the 4-lap race in time of 51:00. Dexter Simmons was 2nd in a time of 52:35. Both riders are showing vast improvement and will be awarded promotion to B-Class when the season resumes on 11thAugust.
TheBilly’s Food Mart Friars Hill Challenge was sponsored by Food Brokerage Services and their products Tempo Water and Busti Fruit Drink.
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