The NSW Penny Farthing Championships will be held in Wagga for the second time after proving a huge success last year.

Wagga cyclists Adrian Hamilton and Steve McMullen will join about 15 competitors from across the country who are travelling to Wagga to take part in the championships.

Hamilton finished second at last year’s championships but has played down his chances of going one better on Saturday night.

“We’ve got James Fowler coming from Sydney and Tim Nash from Melbourne and they’ve both been riding a long time,” Hamilton said.

“You don’t race them to win a medal necessarily, it’s just good fun. We just love riding and it gets us on the bike.”

Fowler, the defending champion, and Nash are considered two of Australia’s best penny farthing cyclists.

Hamilton is also emerging into the top bracket.

He travelled to Tasmania early this year for the National Penny Farthing Championships and finished third on the track, and second in the road race.

Hamilton insists the event is another big attraction for Wagga.

“For Wagga, we get people asking about the penny farthings all of the time,” he said.

“It’s getting a bit more serious. Cycling Australia have got on board legitimately for nationals in the next couple of years as well.

“It’s fun, it’s a good spectacle and something else. Wagga offers a lot these days and the fact we’ve got the cycling facility being approved now, it’s only going to get bigger hopefully.”

While Hamilton will be in contention for the title, McMullen considers himself purely a ‘participant’.

He attempted competing on a penny farthing for the first time last year and loved it.

“I participated. I wouldn’t say I competed,” McMullen said with a laugh.

“It’s just a novelty. It’s bit of a spectacle. I think I’ll go pretty much the same.

“Last year there were two distinct groups, the competitors and the participants. It’s just fun being out there and getting a big cheer from the crowd. It was amazing last year as they finished, we were over that side, a full half lap behind them and the crowd just went crazy. It was really good.”

McMullen took up cycling four years ago with his daughter and thoroughly enjoys the sport.

He will take part in the Golden Wheel Carnival track events as well over the weekend.

“I got one and had a go and really enjoy it,” he said.

“It’s a great bunch of people, a good club and it’s good fun.”

The penny farthings will start from 4pm on Saturday, while carnival racing kicks off at 9am.

READ MORE