Venue: Panther Cable Water Ski Park in Penrith 

The Panther Cable Water Ski Park in Penrith will attract large crowds of interested spectators for the 5 km Road Race and Cycling. Both events are to be held in the centre of the city. 

Format: 20 km road race.

Cycling will be held early Saturday morning to accommodate athletes who also wish to compete in Athletics. 

Story by TransWeb volunteer reporters Maureen and Robert Fox 
 
 

Although the temperature was cool, with light winds and bright skies, the XI World Transplant Games cycling competition soon became very heated -- figuratively and literally.  The cycling venue was near the Panther Cable Water Ski Park in Penrith near the foothills of the Blue Mountains, and running parallel to the Tench Reserve Park and the Nepean River. Seventy-nine cyclists, 63 men and 16 women, competed in the Saturday, October 4, 1997 event which featured a 20k flat course, attacking magpies and a few rough spots.

The women (adult, senior and veterans), and the men super veterans were the first racers of the day.  Positioning and final places for the women's races were established on the first lap with Camilla Monck from Great Britain blasting off at the start, never looking back, and finishing far ahead of the remainder of the pack.  Monck finished first place overall, and won the gold medal in the women's senior race while Margaret Koppejan (Netherlands) finished second overall and won the silver medal.  Jeanne Prince (U.S.A.) was the gold medal winner in the veteran's women and finished third place overall. 
  
Prince reported that while in practice sessions an aberrant magpie actually attacked her, perching on her helmet as she rode down the road, and attempting to peck through her helmet.  Local triathlon club members indicate they have the same problem with this particular bird.  Reports are that a magpie warden was stationed at the critical point to ward off any attacks during the race. 

A pack of four cyclists led throughout the men's super veterans race.  Vencenzo Rizzi (Italy) took the lead on the second lap and held on to edge out Antonio Segundo De Las Heras (Spain) for the gold medal followed closely by  Allen Strickland (U.S.A.) who took the bronze.  All three medalists were heart transplant recipients. 

De Las Heras felt "the course hard because it was very windy". He hopes that the Games show society in general the message of solidarity and what the benefits of organ donation and the gift of life can mean for thousands of people.  Antonio, 56 years of age, received his heart four years ago. 
 

Gold medal winner Rizzi received his heart transplant seven years ago.  An avid cyclist as a youth, he had to stop riding due to heart disease.  Two years following transplant, he was back training on his bike, and has since won five medals at the World Transplant Games.  Vencenzo said that although the unexpected medal was nice, the important aspect of the games was the camaraderie. Rizzi is very happy to be in Australia and hopes to come again with his wife so she can see "this wonderful country".

The men's adult race was the most hotly contested of the day.  After the first lap, six riders comprised the front pack, led by Stefan Yencha (U.S.A.).  At the turn of the second lap Yencha remained in the lead followed closely by Rebouillat (France), Companaro (Italy), and Verzeleti (Italy) as well as Stewart (Australia).  With 400 meters remaining, the sprint began.  In a finish determined by centimeters, Sergio Verzeleti (Italy) surged ahead for the win.  Yencha (U.S.A.) barely edged out Giuseppe Campanaro (Italy) for the silver medal, with Cyril Rebouillat finishing in the fourth place position. 

The men's senior race was dominated by three cyclists, Fiske, Aulestia and Prenner.  Separated by only a meter throughout the race, these three worked their way up from the second starting group to finish in the top 13 overall.  The gold medal was won by Olav Fikse (Norway) who outsprinted silver medalist Aitor Aulestia (Spain) and bronze medalist Michael Prenner (Austria) in the final 100 meters. 

The race for the gold in the men's veteran division involved a pack of four riders who rode together for the entire 20k.  The final 50 meter sprint to the finish line and gold medal was won by Marcel Portrat of France.  Michele Russo of Italy who had been in fourth place throughout the race found a reservoir of strength to win the silver medal.  Roger Joosen of Belgium was awarded the bronze medal followed closely by Freddy Hirsoux also of Belgium. 

Even though rough spots on the road and head winds made for a challenging course, the competitors were complimentary of the race, its administrators, and  the support staff.  The cycling venue for the XI World Transplant Games brought together individuals for a friendly yet highly competitive race and all are looking forward to rematches at Tilburg.