The 32nd City of Melbourne Titles - a Victory for Karting?


by Mark Wicks 15 August 2016
   

With over 250 entrants, the 2016 City of Melbourne Titles was one of the largest standalone karting events seen in Australia for several years.

With the new-generation engines now firmly entrenched as the standard for asphalt karting in this country, there were some big numbers in cadet, junior and senior classes.

Equally impressive was the sheer number of people who came from interstate to take on the locals. Has the sport finally turned the corner and heading upwards again?

city of melb
Above: TaG Light was a large and high quality field. National Champ Brad Jenner dives into turn 1 ahead of Dave Sera (96), Zac Soutar (11), Jason Pringle (58) and Wayne Bourke (89)
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

Even the weather was largely co-operative, with a fantastic sunny Sunday for the pre-final and finals - though I hear multiple drivers burned out a set of wets in a damp early-morning heat 2.

While it was great to see a healthy entry, the meeting showed that with all the trailers, trucks and tent annexes modern karters now use to go racing, this number of entries will be about the maximum for some tracks. The Go Kart Club of Victoria did a great job of fitting everyone in to the venue, but it did see competitors pitting all the way up the straight to the top of the hill, and two rows deep in some places. While a bit of a walk, it is a great view from up there!

Biggest on-track winner of the weekend was Leigh Nicolaou. The rapid Victorian raced in Heavy and Light divisions of KA3 Senior, taking victory in both. In fact, the only race loss he had all weekend was in heat 2 of Light, finishing second to James Sera.

  • Further images from this event are available via Ben Roehlen at Pace Images - visit the Pace Images Facebook page HERE
  • Full results on CMS HERE

city of melb
Above: Brad Marsh bicycles in TaG Light
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

Top 5 - 32nd annual City of Melbourne Titles

KA3 Senior Heavy: 1 Leigh Nicolaou, 2 Bryce Woollard, 3 Jace Lindstrom, 4 Glenn Riddell, 5 Remo Luciani
KA3 Senior Masters: 1 Peter I’Neill, 2 Johnathan Males, 3 Phil Smith, 4 Stephen O’Hare
TaG 125 Restricted Light: 1 Brett Jenkin, 2 Banjamin McMellan, 3 Matthew De Stefano, 4 John Pringle, 5 Zach Morris
KA4 Junior Heavy: 1 Benito Montalbano, 2 Jack Martin, 3 Nathan Skelton, 4 Benjamin D’Alia, 5 Lukas Janev
Cadet 9: 1 Harry Arnett, 2 Alex Ninivic, 3 Toby Dvorak, 4 Costa Toparis, 5 Jesse Lacey
KA3 Senior Light: 1 Leigh Nicolau, 2 Cody Donald, 3Benjamen Delaney, 4 Wayne Bourke, 5 Jack Bell
TaG 125 Heavy: 1 Zane Wyatt, 2 Hamish Ribarits, 3 Max Carter, 4 Benjamin Walter, 5 Scott King
KA3 Junior: 1 Oscar Piastri, 2 Domenic Romeo, 3 Angelo Mouzouris, 4 Broc Feeney, 5 Benjamin Bargwanna
Cadet 12: 1 Fletcher Harris, 2 Kai Allen, 3 James Wharton, 4 Kobi Williams, 5 Hugh Barter
TaG 125 Masters: 1 Steven Riddell, 2 Stephen Simpson, 3 Phil Smith, 4 Stephane Majman, 5 Ross Harrod
TaG 125 Restricted Super Heavy: 1 Dale Paterson, 2 Andrew Hayes, 3 Aldo Distefano, 4Sarah Burt, 5 Billy Askew
TaG 125 Light: 1 Bradley Jenner, 2 David Sera, 3 Daniel Rochford, 4 Ben Harders, 5 Tyler Howard
TaG 125 Restricted Light: 1 Brayden Flood, 2 Michael Clemente, 3 George El Sheikh, 4 Louis Rutledge, 5 Hirotaka Chong
KA4 Junior Light: 1 Jay Hanson, 2 Cooper Webster, 3 Angelo Mouzouris, 4 Sean Larkin, 5 Cody Burcher

city of melbourne titles
Above: Remii Luciani and her crew filmed the event for a karting promo DVD. She took heaps of orders and we'll let you know when production is done.
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melb
Above: SA's Benjamen Delaney had an excellent meeting, on the podium in KA3 Senior Light
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: Blake Purdie (SA) ahead of Angus Giffin (Vic), Cadet 12
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

 

city of melbourne titles
Above: Karters pitting the full length of the main straight made for a great view
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: TaG Light pre-final, Daniel Rochford loses the rear - that dragging bumper the culprit?
pics - Mark Wicks
city of melbourne titles

city of melbourne titles
Above: Tasmanians hard at work
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melb
Above: Back in Australia after competing in Europe, Oscar Piastri leads Domenic Romeo and Angelo Mouzouris in a 22-strong KA3 Junior field
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: Thumbs up from Jarred Veale, TaG Light, ahead of Adam Garwood (TAS, 42) and Elly Morrow (25)
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melbourne titles
Above: While there were lots of the 'professional' level teams and drivers racing at Todd Rd, it was encouraging to see a number of P-platers having a crack at a big event. There were three in Junior Light - Reef McCarthy, Thomas Dixon and Johnny Hill. McCarthy (above, #61) was the highest placed of the trio in the final
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: One very shiny trailer
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Brad Jenner was too good for the TaG Light field
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Massive Junior Nationa... err, KA4 Junior Light field. Here, Angelo Mouzouris (85) sits on pole for the pre-final alongside Sean Larkin (88)
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Ryan Jenkins TaG R Light
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Jenson Button helmeted George El-Sheikh was 3rd in TaG R Light final
pic - Mark Wicks

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Above: KA4 Junior Light winner Jay Hanson with a gap over 2nd placed Cooper Webster
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melbourne titles
Above: TaG Restricted Light winner Brayden Flood was the class of the field, lapping nearly 4 tenths faster than anyone else, winning the final by over 5s and undefeated in all the preliminary races.
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melb
Above: The Cadet 12 podium - winner Fletcher Harris leads Kai Allen and James Whorton
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melbourne titles
Above: Cooper Webster leads Joshua Smith in the Junior Light pre-final. Webster ended the day 2nd, whereas Smith, who won the pre-final, unfortunately ended the day 26th
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Jace Lindstrom, Remo Luciani and Glenn Riddell battle in KA3 Senior Heavy
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Johnathan Males, 2nd KA3 Senior Masters
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: No more go for Stepehn O'Hare in the KA4 Masters final
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Aaron Jackson, KA3 Senior Heavy
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Leigh Nicolaou won two classes, KA3 Senior Light & Heavy
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Formula K's Jace Lindstrom
pic - Mark Wicks

 

city of melbourne titles
Above: TaG Restricted Heavy winner Brett Jenkin came out on top of an entertaining final, beating Benjamin McMellan by less than a tenth
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: NSW's Benito Montalbano was unchallenged in KA4 Junior Heavy, qualifying fastest and winning every race.
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Harry Arnett was shaping up for a clean sweep of the Cadet 9 class, until the first corner of the final where a scuffle dropped him to 3rd and saw Alex Ninovic jump out to a significant lead. Arnett then put in a relentless chase, first catching and getting by Toby Dvorak, then chipping away at Ninovic's lead until three laps from home when he got through and went on to win. Dvorak won a sprited battle for third with NSW's Costa Toparis and Jesse Lacey
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Matthew De Stefano, 3rd TaG Restricted Heavy
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Toby Dvorak up on the wheel, Cadet 9
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: The battle for KA3 Senior Light podium places passes by South Australian Jason Bowyer's kart, which was out after a turn 1 prang
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Trolley traffic jam is good for the sport, no?
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Starting up the back after falling off and DNFing the pre-final, James Sera drove it hard in the KA3 Senior Light final, taking fastest lap and 6th at the flag
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melb
Above: Rusty Ponting on a damp track, Cadet 9
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: Up and out for Jai Stephenson in the KA4 Junior Light final
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: Dale Paterson got up to win the TaG 125 Restricted Super Heavy final
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: Zane Wyatt will take the TaG 125 Heavy trophy back to Tassie
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

city of melb
Above: TaG 125 Masters take the start, Steven Riddell (6) going on to win ahead of Stephen Simpson (2), Phil Smith (4) and Stephane Majman (9)
pic - Ben Roehlen, Pace Images

Sometimes ya just need dad's arm around ya. Ruby Gibson DNF'd the Cadet 9 pre-final having earlier qualified P2 and carding a couple of seconds in the heats.
Above: Sometimes ya just need dad's arm around ya. Ruby Gibson DNF'd the Cadet 9 pre-final having earlier qualified P2 and carding a couple of seconds in the heats.
pic - Mark Wicks

city of melbourne titles
Above: Tasmania's Johnathon McDonald
pic - Mark Wicks

 

 

 

 

 

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