South West Games: Ballroom dancing joins mountain bikes on busy schedule

THE raw power of drag racing, the bush setting of mountain bike racing and the grace of ballroom dancing produced an eclectic mix of activities on the final weekend of the Go For Your Life South West Games.Nature also played its part, with rain and strong winds leading to the cancellation of scheduled junior golf and kayak competitions in Warrnambool.Drag racing in south Portland was hindered by morning showers on Saturday, delaying the start by 90 minutes then causing another brief interruption before the program ran unhindered.South Coast Drag Racing Association (SCDRA) president Jeff Fitzgerald said the threatening weather reduced spectator and competitor numbers for the Dash For Cash meeting.Stephen Crook, of Thomastown, and Neil Hendry, of Sunbury, met in the final of the 200-metre dial-your-own event at South Coast Raceway.Crook, behind the wheel of a V8-powered Mitsubishi Lancer, drove home with the $1000 prizemoney despite red lighting the start. Hendry also jumped the start in his V8-powered Subaru but as the first to infringe relinquished the title.Dean Cleary, of Portland, won the consolation bracket in his Torana hatch, with Trevor Norman, of Naracoorte, successful in the bikes category.Fitzgerald said it was the second time the SCDRA had run a competition as part of the games.He said the added exposure it provided increased community awareness that the sport was run in a safe, controlled environment.The natural beauty of Mount Clay state forest provided a tranquil backdrop for mountain bike racing when it debuted at the games yesterday.A cross-country race held jointly by the fledgling Warrnambool and Portland clubs attracted 30 competitors in expert, sport and grommet categories.Warrnambool competitors Darren Harris and Belinda Hartwich won the top men's and women's grades, contested over four laps of a 7.5km circuit.Warrnambool Mountain Bike Club president Darren Shiell said participating in the games helped promote the sport of mountain bike racing.Other winners were Jason Hill, of Warrnambool, and Irene Whennen, of Portland, in men's and women's sport classes. Branden Eichler, of Portland won the grommets' race.Other weekend events included ballroom dancing, hockey, croquet, netball, little athletics, small bore shooting, volleyball, mini-moto and cycling.