Where are they now
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Where are they now?
August 1, 2013 Today we continue our lead up to the 2013 Collie to Donnybrook event by catching up with Brad Hall. Brad Hall has been a regular fixture on the national and international professional racing circuits for the past few years. Hall has completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sport Science and he established Hall Cycle Training in 2011 with a number of successful riders coming from his stable. Hall has also twice won fastest time in the Collie to Donnybrook in 2005 & again in 2011 when he recorded the 3rd fastest time ever recorded in the race (2h 23min 18sec) How did your cycling days begin? Out of a triathlon injury from a triathlon career that spanned 1 year! The Collie to Donnybrook brings back special memories for past riders. What are your fondest memories of racing the Collie to Donnybrook race? Having a hard working group of riders working hard toward the final, the speed into the finish coming off Mumballup climb is awesome. Funniest moment? Henry Morley putting me in the gutter for the sprint final two years ago. Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? Eddie Hollands and Hilton McMurdo From what I can gather you must be a busy man these days? I am still trying to race and run a successful coaching and training service for cyclists. What are you doing these days outside of cycling? My life revolves around two wheels! And can we expect to see you back at the Collie to Donnybrook again in 2013? All going well I hope to ride the event, it is a cracker!
Where are they now?
July 31, 2013 It was the winter of '69 when Wayne Lally rode to victory and recorded the fastest time on the day (2h 43min 31sec) in the Collie to Donnybrook and Return Classic. Wayne provides an interesting insight into his life and what lead him to take up the position of President of West Coast Masters Cycling Council How did you begin racing bikes? I started racing with the Northam Amateur C.C. in 1957 as a16 yo. Track racing was my specialty and I won many state championships over the next 10 years to be awarded W.A. Champion of Champions for 1968. My friends in Midland (pro) C.C. persuaded me to join W.A. League of Wheelmen and concentrate on the more lucrative (???) road racing seasons, although track was still a good side line. Where did life take you when you finished your career? At the end of 1979 I retired, after 22 years continual racing on the track in summer and road each winter. We moved to Tasmania and bought a small farm, I thought I would never put my leg over a bike again! But in 1994 family reasons saw us back in Perth and enjoying bike riding. Since then I have competed at many National Masters Championships and twice ridden the World Masters Championships. Unfortunately in 2011, I suffered a cardiac arrest and can longer race. As I am now a retired person I have taken the position of President of West Coast Masters Cycling Council and finding that most rewarding.
Where are they now? July 30, 2013
Where are they now?
Where are they now?
July 29, 2013 In the latest edition we speak with Collie local Ross Davis who also shared some photos of his Uncle "Pika" Davis winning the Melbourne to Warrnambool Race in 1956. The fastest rider on the day and in the presentation photo is Russell Mockridge. How many times did you compete in the Collie to Donnybrook? I think about 5. I rode them back in the 70’s so my memory is a bit ague these days One year I was winning and thought I had it won. Just on the outskirts of Collie I got near Saunders Bridge and my chain came off and then one of the Oliver’s past me and went onto win I won the sub juniors twice How did your cycling days begin? The rest of my family road as well and at our school we had a local come down and convince us to join the club. The big influence was my uncle Bob “Pika” Davis who actually won the Collie to Donnybrook in '55 and the Melbourne to Warrnambool back in 1956. I have his trophy from the Warrnambool win sitting at home. He went from Collie to Melbourne for a bet an ended up winning the race. Russell Mockridge was the fastest time that day. Unfortunately "Pika" was tragically taken in a shooting accident in the 70's The Collie to Donnybrook brings back special memories for past riders. What are your fondest memories of racing the Collie to Donnybrook race? The cold and wet weather, especially the hail stones. It was always like that but we liked it that way. Funniest moment? Not at the Collie to Donnybrook but I remember when my head stem came offat the start of the race at the Collie velodrome. It was in front of a pretty good crowd as well. Another time was at the pub. We had roller competitions and one night at the Club Hotel I blew a tyre on the rollers! Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? I raced against Steele Bishop and I beat him a couple of times and got to stand on the dais with him in 3rd and myself in 1st. That was a pretty good feeling. The best track rider I saw was Gordon Johnson who was a world sprint champion in his time Are you involved in cycling these days? No. I go for the occasional ride around Collie and try to get to the Lowry and Collie to Donnybrook events each year if I am not working. What are you doing these days outside of cycling? Watching V8’s, the footy and I go camping and fishing as much as I can. I still stay up late and watch the cycling on TV and I work out at one of the local coal mines operating 793 haul trucks. Below: Ross Davis
  Russell Mockridge & "Pika" Davis
Where are they now?
July 29, 2013 Today we catch up with one of the most recognisable personalities in cycling: Eddy Hollands. Eddy Hollands won the 75th edition of the 104 km Collie to Donnybrook and Return Cycle Classic. Starting from scratch Hollands broke away shortly after the race came together, leading home 1996 winner Chris Brown by 22 seconds. In third place was Paul O'Neill closely followed by Dave Townson, Scott Suckling and Ric Steele. Hollands broke away going up the last of the climbs for a solo victory. How did your cycling days begin? I started when I was 8yrs old in Wagin when I was introduced by a family friend. The Collie to Donnybrook brings back special memories for past riders. What are your fondest memories of racing the Collie to Donnybrook race? Of course winning with the help of my close friend Chris Brown. Funniest moment? The party we used have after on the Saturday nights. Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? Henk Vogels Where is your cycling at 13 years on from the win? Yes, I am old enough now to race masters and also open. I still race on the Asian circuit when the chance arises and I also now have my own racing team: Eddy Hollands Bicycle Services Racing Team. What are you doing these days outside of cycling? Run my own Mobile Bicycle Services Business, called Eddy Hollands Bicycle Services Will you be racing the Collie to Donnybrook Classic in 2013? See you there in August!
Where are they now? In 2009 Perth rider Russell Brooks was finally able to win the Collie to Donnybrook. We took some time to ask Russell a few questions.
What year did you win the Collie to Donnybrook? 2009 – I think
How did your cycling days begin? Riding a mtb
The Collie to Donnybrook brings back special memories for past riders. What are your fondest memories of racing the Collie to Donnybrook race? Finally winning the race after years of trying
Funniest moment? John Smith's handicapping each year!
Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? Matt Illingworth
Are you involved in cycling these days? Just time trials and some races when they fit in with Sunday junior football
What are you doing these days outside of cycling? Building houses. My business is based in Balcatta: Brooks Construction
Eddie Hunt won the 1962 Collie to Donnybrook & Return Classic. We take a moment to ask a Eddie a few questions about his career and where he is these days. He remembered his cycling days like it was yesterday!
What year did you win the Collie to Donnybrook? 1962
How did your cycling days begin? When Eddie married his good wife Dorothy Lloyd, he was taken in by her three big brothers Bill, Ralph and George who all cycled for the Belmont Wheelers.
The Collie to Donnybrook brings back special memories for past riders. What are your fondest memories of racing the Collie to Donnybrook race? The prestige of wining such a race. With the winnings Eddie & his wife Dot were able to buy a car.
Funniest moment? When all the back riders in the 1962 race thought they had caught the front riders but no one saw little Eddie Hunt ahead.
Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? Barry Waddell, the Oliver's & Sucklings.
Are you involved in cycling these days? No not riding but follow it. I come to the Collie to Donnybrook every year and watch the big races such as the Tour de France as a priority. A few years ago we went to the Australian Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
What are you doing these days outside of cycling? Enjoying retirement and the grand kids. Drive around WA a lot.
Welcome to this months ‘Where are they now?’ with one of our past locals who dedicated over two decades of her life to supporting local racing in bygone eras. Jessie Flower not only was known for her riding ability but also for the many Friday nights in the kiosk at the track volunteering her time. This month Jessie recalls some of her fondest memories.
How were you involved in cycling? I rode socially like many others in town particularly back in the fifties and sixties when that was a common form of transport. At times I would compete to fill in or because someone had convinced me to do so but my real passion was the social occasions. The Friday nights at the track and the Collie to Donnybrook cabarets were big events back in the day. I spent many hours cooking, cleaning and volunteering my time. They were great days and I met many great people! How did your cycling days begin? I came from a cycling family and had a number of brothers that I followed on two wheels. Eventually I just fell into the club and it became part of life at the time. My brothers raced for a while and races in the local streets were common and competitive. What are your fondest memories in cycling? The friendships! Collie was a terrific social town and sporting events were a big event even if you weren’t racing you would still come down to watch your friends compete. Many of my lifelong friend were made from the cycling club and the kiosk on Friday nights became somewhat of a social event themselves. Counselling sessions, advice, you name it we gave it with your drink and food on a Friday night. At times I think we consumed more alcohol when we were preparing the food than the guys at the bar. Funniest cycling moment: It wasn’t actually in the event. A rider had come down from Perth for a race at the track. The girls in the kiosk watched him warm up for about 2 hours and trying to impress us he said he was here to give the local boys a lesson. After explaining his tactics to us and brimming in confidence he went to roll out onto the track for the start of his race however he lost balance at the gate fell and broke his collarbone. So in the end the poor bloke didn’t even make it onto the track and we ended up having to take him to hospital. Unfortunately he didn’t see the funny side of it. Who is the best rider you have raced against or have seen? There were many good local riders in that era. They worked hard, trained hard and played hard. In the case of the women Evelyn Logue was one of a kind and hard to beat when I did race. Are you involved in cycling these days? I haven’t been anywhere near a race or social event for years now but I still stay up and watch the grand tours on TV. I still think of the fond memories, it was a way of life then. The Collie Velodrome brings back special memories for past riders. What are your reflections of the velodrome days? I hope they get the grants and government support they have ben chasing for some time as it would be sad to see the track go to waste and it’s the only outside velodrome in WA. It’s a big deal for many people past and present and it was and I am sure still would be terrific for the town What are you doing these days outside of cycling? Living in Perth in a nursing home but I still regularly visit Collie and we always make a special trip down on Collie to Donnybrook day and also for the Lowry.
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