ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA CYCLING FEDERATION

Antigua and Barbuda National Cycling team had a commendable performance at the 2011 Caribbean Cycling Championships held in Montego Bay, Jamaica over the weekend.
 

Antigua and Barbuda field a 5 member team at the 2011 Caribbean Cycling Championships, the team consisted of Pan Am Game’s qualifier, Robert Marsh, OECS and National Champion, Jyme Bridges, National Female Champion, Tamiko Butler, Omari King and Clint Henry who replaced National Time Trial Champion, Marvin Spencer who was unable to travel because of work commitment.
 

Two members rode Saturday’s Individual Time Trial; Robert Marsh participated in the Men’s 20 mile event and Tamiko Butler rode the female’s 12 mile event. Ms. Butler was the 3^rd person to set on the course at the start of the 2011 Caribbean Cycling Championships, an event she was focusing on since she rode in her first event in Guadeloupe last year. Tamiko’s strong will and determination all paid off at the end of her 12 mile run when she produced the best time of the women’s event to win the female 12 mile Individual Time Trial. Tamiko won and earned the title of 2011 Female Caribbean Cycling Champion after producing a time of 25:36, 3 seconds ahead of the most decorated Caribbean Female Cyclist, Sue Brown of USVI. Sue placed 2^nd in a time of 25:39. Bronze went to race favourite Shalini Zabahneh of our adopted Caribbean island of Belize.
 

Confirmation coming out of the Pan American Cycling Confederation, dated 21^st September confirmation that Antigua’s Tamiko Butler earned a wildcard spot to participate in 2011 Pan American Games to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, October 13-30th. Ms. Butler is presently in Trinidad and Tobago to participate in a race this weekend in Trinidad and then move on to compete in the Caribbean’s bigger stage race, the Tobago Cycling Classic. Tamiko will contest the 4 stage female event and is due to return on the island on 4^th October.
 

Robert Marsh continues to better his time every year he attends these major events.  Marsh produced career best over the 20 mile distance of 42:03 averaging speeds of 27 mph!
Unfortunately, Marsh time was good enough to land him in 7^th place. Commendable performance goes out to Martinique’s aspiring PRO rider, Willy Rousseau. Rousseau won his 3^rd consecutive Caribbean Time Trial title in a time of 39:00. Silver went to Curacao’s Quentin Winkel in a time of 40:28 whilst Bronze went to Efren Ortega Rivera of Puerto Rico in a time 41:13.
 

Sunday’s Road Race started with the female setting off to 2 laps before the males started, however the females raced 7 laps to complete 49 miles of in the 2011 CCC. The female road race did not go the way it was predicted, most of the riders stayed together bringing the race down to a group sprint. Tamiko Butler started the sprint from little over 100m but couldn’t manage to maintain the lead across the line. Shalini Zabahneh of Belize powered her way home to win her first ever Caribbean title after her fourth year of competing. Shalini was closely followed by Jamaican, Dahlia Palmer who got Silver. Veteran Track cyclist, Esther Miller-Rosemont edged Tamiko Butler over the line to collect the Bronze medal.
 

The 2011 Caribbean Cycling Road event started with 20 nations represented. Over 70 rides started the 72 mile event however, a race at this level will certainly displace the fire powered of each nations. Several breaks were established but most of them were closed down but the 7^th lap was the answer to the event when Martinique’s Cedric Eustache and Puerto Rico’s Efren Ortega Rivera broke away from the group the two kept the lead to the finish of the race when the group closed in on the leading two in the last lap as close as 100m but not enough to affect the chances of the two. The two sprinted with Martinique came out the victor. Cedric Eustache of Martinique earned the title of 2011 Caribbean Cycling Champion with Efren Ortega Rivera of Puerto Rico collecting Silver.
The Bronze medal went to Damien Chevalier of French St. Martin. Jyme Bridges was the best of the Antiguans placing. Still a lot of controversy over the official results but as it stands now Jyme Bridges recorded as placing 11^th. Robert Marsh placed 18^th Omari King placing 36^th. Clint Henry did not finish after falling in a pile up during the first lap. He still manages to complete 7 laps of the 10 lap race.