Mark and Kate Winnen will ride in honour of Kate’s father Graham Woodrup.
PORT Fairy cyclist Kate Winnen hopes she can honour the memory of her late father with victory in the Graham Woodrup Memorial road race.
Winnen and her husband, Mark, will contest the 78km handicap race tomorrow which forms the second leg of a South West Series double header this weekend.
Woodrup died at 46 after a car struck him while he was training at Tower Hill in 1992. This year is the 20th anniversary of his death.
Winnen said her father left an impressive legacy on cycling and the Port Fairy town.
“I’d say especially with the Murray to Moyne, he started the Murray to Moyne, that was a real achievement, plus all the smaller stuff he did,” she said.
“It’s ridden in his memory now. It’s a great testament because of him and the money it raises.
“As far as the racing goes, he’s one of the founding members of the Port Fairy Cycling Club.
“A lot of the traditions he set up we still adhere to today — different races and social events.”
Winnen said Woodrup had a motto to help increase interest in cycling: “Everyone can ride a bike”.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what background you’re from, everyone can ride a bike and should ride a bike,” she said.
“He was good at encouraging people to ride. A lot of social cyclists say they only started because of Woody.”
The weekend’s Stan McPhee Memorial and Graham Woodrup Memorial are the ninth and 10th on the South West Series calendar.
Winnen placed third in the Casterton 40, run by the Hamilton Cycling Club, last weekend and enters this weekend in good form.
She will bypass today’s race but said she would be up for every challenge tomorrow.
Winnen said the exposed course around Port Fairy would make riding tough for outmarkers.
“I’d love to win, absolutely,” she said.
“I’ve had top 10 finishes over the years and Mark had one fastest time that I know of.
“I finished third at Casterton last weekend so I’m hoping good form will continue.
“My biggest handicap is two little kids, a six-year-old and a four-year-old.
“Training is limited these days.”
