CHAMPIONS: Orange Cycle and Triathlon Club members were able to lift the Central West Inter-Club Series trophy for a fourth consecutive year on Sunday after a big finish.
ROME wasn’t built in a day and either was the Orange Cycle and Triathlon Club’s dominance of the Central West Inter-club Triathlon series.
Through a combination of weight of numbers, some star individuals and sheer hard work, the Piranhas claimed their fourth straight inter-club crown with a typically dominant display at Lake Canobolas, the club’s home turf, last Sunday.
The rewards of over half a decade’s work, Orange’s fourth series win was possibly their most dominant.
The club scored 1245 points through five rounds of the 2012-2013 season, a whopping 475 points ahead of the title race’s next best side, Mudgee.
The Red Devils, formally untouchable in the inter-club series format, ended the year in second place on 770 points while Bathurst (363), Dubbo (333) and Cowra (139), this year, were only ever going to make up the numbers.
Especially considering how consistent the Piranhas were this summer.
Remarkably, Orange claimed nine of the 12 age titles on offer in this year’s series, while a further eight competitors finished second overall.
OCTC president Steve Martin, a joint winner in the male 40-49 category alongside clubmate Tony Syme, said the Piranhas’ success was about “encouraging engagement” at the club.
“We had a push about five years ago to get more kids involved in the sport, then it brought kids’ parents in and then friends of parents... it just kept on going from there,” Martin said.
“We don’t emphasis the inter-club as much as we used to, we let people make up their own minds and when there’s guys training for ironmans and half-ironmans it’s harder to be able to do everything.
“But (the inter-club series) is a good way for people to remain involved in the club.”
Laura Auberson was the club’s most dominant individual, winning four races and finishing second in another on her way to being crowned the female 14-19 Inter-Club champion.
Kieren Syme (male 14-19), Allie Jones (female 20-29), Jess Richards (female 30-39), Matt Dean (male 30-39), Estelle Dean (female 40-49), Judy Tarleton (female 60-plus) and Phil Fuller (male 60-plus) all claimed title wins.
“All of those people, they kept on going all year,” Martin said.
“It’s not always about winning. Those guys were very consistent.”
