thursday, june 27, 2013
guyanatimesGY.com
“Wheat Up” cycling meet hits seawall bandstand on Caricom Day
RBC President Brian Allen (third left) receives Namilco’s sponsorship cheque from Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod. Other staff members of Namilco, including Assistant Managing Director Autamaram Lakeram (centre), share the moment (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)
W
ith the aim of attracting more spectators to cycling, the Roraima Bikers Club (RBC) will use a different format for this year’s “Wheat Up” cycling event set for Monday in observance of Caricom Day. Unlike previous years, the 10th annual Caricom Day race will take place around the seawall bandstand circuit with the RBC hosting the 12-race programme, commencing at 09:00h. The previous nine editions of the race were held on the East Bank
Demerara public road, moving off from the National Milling Company (Namilco) at Agricola, proceeded to Soesdyke, Linden Highway, before returning to the point of origin for the finish. Next Monday, the riders will compete in various categories, including the 1214 juveniles (three laps), Junior/Category Four (five laps), Category 1-3 (five laps), Veterans Over and Under-50 (five laps each), Win and Out Open (eight laps), Team Time Trials (three laps), Mountain Bikes Open (five laps) and
BMX 6-10 (two laps) and 10-14 years (two laps). The female riders will also compete in a five-lap event. The feature race will be the “Wheat Up” 30lap Open, which has a top prize of $30,000 and a trophy, an increase from last year. The champion will also receive a year’s supply of “Wheat Up” from the Namilco. Speaking at the official launch of the event on Wednesday morning in Namilco’s boardroom, president of the RBC, Brian Allen, said the event this year is geared at attracting
more spectators, hence the sea wall bandstand as the venue. Allen argued that “for too long spectators have been deprived of quality cycling”, and it is against this backdrop that the format of this year’s event has been changed. Finance Controller at Namilco, Fitzroy McLeod, lauded Allen and his team at the RBC for its innovation, noting that it will create an avenue for the sport to be showcased. McLeod used the opportunity to invite families to witness the event, which he said will be very competitive, since Namilco has upped the prize money this year. While the top six finishers in the main race will receive cash prizes, the top three to the finish line in the other events will also be rewarded with cash and trophies. A total of 15 prime prizes will be at stake during the main race, with the runnerup collecting $25,000, third $15,000, fourth $7000, fifth $6000 and sixth $4000. All the cash prizes are being accompanied by trophies. Over $260,000 in cash and trophies will be distributed at the end of the day’s activities. Also present at Wednesday’s launch were other staff of Namilco, including Assistant Managing Director, Autamaram Lakeram. (Avenash Ramzan)
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Digicel Schools Football…
Vryman’s Erven whip Manchester Secondary 13-1
V
ryman’s Erven Secondary sent a strong message to the other schools in the Region Six zone by dishing out a 13-1 thrashing on Manchester Secondary in the third annual Digicel Schools Football Championship. Stephen Boucher slammed home six goals to lead Vryman’s Erven’s victory charge, with his teammates offering solid support. Boucher got into the act long after his teammates had given Vryman’s Erven a solid platform. He scored all of his goals in the second half, finding the back of the nets in the 60th, 70th, 74th, 81st, 83rd and 85th minutes. Akeem Haynes (5th and 37th), Kevin Little (30th and
39th), Ojay Green (26th), Bouris Griffith (48th) and Ray Hinds (88th) were the other players to score. Garfield Browne’s 69th minute strike was the only spark for Manchester Secondary. In other results, Annandale Secondary outplayed the Institute of Business Education 5-0; Craig Secondary defeated St Cuthbert’s 3-1 and Patentia Secondary got the better of La Grange 5-2. A total of 147 schools from all 10 regions of Guyana started the knockout competition, which is Guyana’s premier school football tournament, last Friday at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.
Smythfield Rockers qualify for final of Mackeson basketball tournament
S
mythfield Rockers kept their unbeaten record in the Mackeson Top Six basketball tournament when they brushed aside Rose Hall Town Jammers 61-41 on Sunday at the Vryman’s Ervin Court in New Amsterdam. Smythfield had some anxious moments at the start as they led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter and 18-24 at the half. By the end of the third quarter Michael Bowen had 10 points and
Jamal Felix, along with Andre Shako had seven points each as their team took a six-point lead. Bowen eventually hit a game high 24 points and received support from Shako, 14, and Felix, 13. The Rockers are now assured of a place in the final while the Jammers with two matches to play have no chance of meeting there. At stake in the ANSA McAlsponsored tournament is $80,000 for the winners.
PYO launches Walter Rodney Memorial tapeball competition T
he Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), the youth arm of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, will soon bowl off an inaugural male and female 10-over tapeball competition in memory of the late political activist and historian, Dr Walter Rodney. The male aspect will feature approximately 36 teams battling in a fourround competition, starting with a regional playoff followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The female version will involve four teams and will be run alongside the male tournament. Action in what is being called the “PYO Championship League” will bowl off on June 29 and conclude with the male and female finals on September 1 at the Guyana National Stadium Parking Lot, Providence, East Bank Demerara. Six teams from six districts/regions will compete in the playoffs of the male competition. The Region Four “A” (East Bank Demerara) zone will
Let’s play! Members of the PYO display the massive trophies that will be up for grabs at the upcoming competition (Photo: Carl Croker)
start on June 29, while the Region Four B (East Coast Demerara) zone will commence on July 14. Action in Regions Two, Three and Five will also bowl off on July 14, while the Region Six zone will get underway on June 30. On the distaff side, one team each from Regions Two, Three, Four and Five
and Six combined will begin battle on August 21. The teams for both aspects of the competition have been drawn from the PYO and other youth groups across the various regions. The winner of each district/region will be presented with a branded PYO cricket bat, compliments of
the PYO National Steering Committee. The overall champions of the two categories will be presented with the coveted Walter Rodney Cup. In giving a basic overview of the tournament, the PYO said it is built on the foundation of the immortal ideologies/concepts of former great leaders of
Guyana, including the late Rodney, hence the tournament being named in his honour. “Of the many Guyanese heroes, our organisation still to date preaches the ideals of Dr Walter Rodney as we recruit youths of all classes, colours and creeds into our prestigious 61-year-old organisation.
In memory of this great individual our organisation’s sports committee thought it best to host a national cricket competition titled the ‘PYO Championship League: In memory of Dr Walter Rodney’ where PYO teams from across the regions will vie for the coveted Walter Rodney Cup,” a PYO statement read.