IT was raced in conditions where the toughest prevail, and Wagga Cycling Club's Carrington Oke's determination was rewarded with victory in the under-11s race at a rain-soaked junior state criterium championship in Sydney on the weekend.
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The ten-year-old finally prevailed in her long-running battle with local rider Ronia Warszwaska, outsprinting her Southern Cross Club rival to win the under-11s division.
It was the start of a memorable day for Wagga riders, with Bronte Stewart (Illawarra Cycling Club) backing up last week's win in similar wet conditions at the Hunter Junior Tour's road race with victory in the under-17s.
Stewart's Illawarra clubmate and main threat Sarah Cliff failed to overcome the conditions and withdrew midway through the race.
Oke said the conditions were arguably the toughest she's faced, but she was focused on staying tough.
"We got really soaked and that's probably the wettest I've got because when we were riding downhill our breaks were hard to control with heaps of water, and going uphill was really slippery," she said.
"A lot of riders pulled out because it was really cold and they probably haven't ridden in rain that much. I just kept saying 'don't pull out, don't pull out', as this is the race I wanted to be good at.
"When I put the brakes on my wheel kept clicking because of the water but I just cared about the race.
"Dad (Wagga Cycling Club coach Cameron Oke) and I were aiming for me to win. We were talking about how the other girl (Warszwaska) was winning all the time and it was her home track, so it was nice to win there."
Carrington's younger brother Archer took out the under nine boys country division title, while Rhys Thomas claimed bronze in the under-13 boys.
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