Olympia Fahie right, holds off Patlian Johnson in sprint finish

Fahie outsprints Johnson in Mother’s Day cycle race

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

 When Olympia Fahie out sprinted Patlian Johnson and Victoria Ghiorse to win Sunday’s BVI Cycling Federation Mothers Day women-only race, it prompted federation president David Thomas to say, “I thought the sprint in the Cable and Wireless Challenge was really good. But this is one of the best sprints I’ve seen for the year.”

Fahie edged Johnson at the line to finish the course from the Festival Village Site to West End and return in 1 hour, 10 minutes and 31 seconds. Johnson had the same time and Ghiorse finished in 1:10.33.

 “I knew Victoria and Patlian would have been on my tail, so that’s why I kept a steady pace and it worked out well,” Fahie explained, noting that took the lead on the way to West End because she knew the wind would be a factor coming back to Road Town.

“I’ve never sprinted before and Patlian was right behind me,” Fahie noted of the close finish. “I kept watching her wheel and Victorian kept telling me to push hard and I just kept pushing and it led me to victory.”

Johnson said she tried hard to pass Fahie. “But of course it didn’t work,” she noted. “It was a good sprint because, usually when I’m finishing, I’m all by myself. It was good to have somebody to sprint with. It was good competition.”

The shorter Expert division course was won by Stephanie Russ Penn. “Once you figured how to ride through the wind, it made a big difference because when you’re on the flat, it’s easy to accelerate and get going,” Penn said. “But it was a good morning’s ride, my first, perhaps I’ll be back.”

 Penn said she love when women compete and they are active. “I came out to support the Cycling Federation because I run all the time,” Penn said. “I might as well do a little cycling in between.”

While the numbers were smaller than last year, Thomas said he was happy to see the 12 who showed. “It was a real quality field that turned out some great racing especially in the elite division.” 

Final results: Elite Division: 1. Olympia Fahie, 1 hour, 10 minutes 31 seconds. 2. Patlian Johnson, 1:10.31. 3. Victoria Ghiorse, 1:10.33. 4. Edith Steele, 1:15.24. 5. Jackie Wilson, 1:23.06. 6. Keisha Durham, 1:31.51.

Expert: 1. Stephanie Russ Penn, 1:08.53. 2. Arlene Francis, 1:12.53. Sport/Fun Novice: 1. Michel Penn, 48.28. 2. Shakeila Burke, 1:04.27. 3. Marsha Frett, 1:04.28. 4. Kathleen Dennis, 1:05.37.