Bowditch adds bronze as Bermudian wins again

ANN BOWDITCH picked up Guernsey's last medal of the 2005 NatWest Island Games. The Sarnian went into the town criterium event, the traditional finale to the Games, as defending champion having won around her home streets of St Peter Port.

As in the time trial, she lost her crown to outstanding Bermudian Lynn Patchett and had to settle for bronze in the sprint finish.

The half-mile circuit included a long start-finish straight down King Harald Street in the centre of Lerwick combined with some tight turns and a couple of chicanes around the back of the lap. It took approximately 100sec. for the women riders to complete.

The Bermudians started in explosive fashion and quickly a lead group of six emerged for the 30min. plus four laps race.

Bowditch was the only competitor in that group who had no team-mates to work with, as the Bermudian trio were joined by her and two Isle of Man riders.

Therefore, the Sarnian tactically stayed within the group rather than taking up the pace herself and was always ready to react to any potential breaks.

With the initial 30 minutes just about to expire, Bowditch hit the front suddenly for the first time and the leading six became slightly strung out.

The lead would alter a few more times over the closing laps between Patchett and Isle of Man's Claire Moore with Bowditch in close attendance, but come the final sprint, the Bermudian was just too strong although a crash coming out of the final turn which took out two riders, affected the result.

Moore just beat Bowditch to the line for silver with all three medallists given the same time of 37min. 23.2sec.

Sonia Dean, the other Guernsey competitor, was classified ninth.

The men's race around the same circuit was held over the longer duration of 45 minutes and four laps with Tobyn Horton Guernsey's outstanding performer.

Mark Kelly of the Isle of Man made an early break and managed to maintain his lead to take gold although the large pack behind worked well as a unit to close right up to him on the line.

Horton was one of that bunch and looked comfortable being there, emphasising his undoubted potential.

He lost out for a medal in the final sprint, coming ninth as the top five registered the same time of 50-49.4 with the next four all on 3.7sec. behind.

'I enjoyed that,' said Horton immediately after the race.

'It was certainly fast for the first few laps and I had a bit of a task keeping with it but slowly I got into my rhythm and settled into the pack.

'Unfortunately, I did not really know it was the finish coming up and wondered why they were upping the pace.

'Then I heard it was the final corner coming up over the loud speaker and it was a bit late then.

'Overall, I am very happy with my first Games.'

Guernsey's other competitors Stuart Le Tissier and Chris Le Page finished at one lap down in 16th and 17th respectively out of 23 finishers from 44 starters.