GORDON Mackinlay is a mechanic by trade, but giving his late brother George's bike a service this week was a more special job than most.
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After Holbrook sporting identity George died aged 58 after a battle with bowel cancer in December, Gordon will pay tribute by riding his bike in this Sunday's Holbrook Triathlon.
Mackinlay played over 200 Aussie Rules matches for the Holbrook Brookers, was a gifted cricketer and loved everything about fitness, especially triathlon.
"He was an exceptionally fit bloke. That's why it was such a surprise when he got sick," Gordon said.
"I'll be riding George's bike this weekend. I'll park my nice new one and ride his old banger. It's a pretty special bike to us.
"That's one thing about George, he never went for the flashest gear, he was just pure determination and being bloody fit."
George was a big part of the Holbrook Triathlon committee and all his surviving siblings - George, Louise, Annie, Jane and Robbie - will all compete this year.
"Annie is going to do her first one and Louise was an amateur world champion triathlete," George said.
"It was tough enough last year when he wasn't there (due to ankle surgery) and we didn't realise what was to come the next 12 months.
"This year we'll be doing it for George, that's for sure."
A trophy in George's name, a teacher at Culcairn's Billabong High School for 17 years, will be awarded to the first local finisher on Sunday, a tradition which will continue.
"Even in hospital in Melbourne last year (after ankle surgery) he kept a pretty close eye on it through a laptop and mobile phone. The race was pretty special to him," Gordon said.
The main race, the penultimate stage of the Riverina Tri Series, will begin at 9.30am and is contested over a 1.2km run-16km bike-200m swim-3.5km run format.
The mini tri kicks off proceedings at 8am, followed by the junior and enticer tri at 8.30am.
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