Defending champion Marlon `Fishy’ Williams rode off with the feature event the 35-lap for schoolboys and novices when the 2008 National Sports Commission cycling programme organized by national cycle coach Hassan Mohammed got underway on Saturday at the inner circuit of the National Park.

Williams, who won the event last year, won in a time of one hour, 14 minutes and 27 seconds.

In second place was Kennard Lovell while Enzo Matthews was third.

Christopher Holder, Kamaladeen Baksh and Shameer Baksh occupied the next three places.

In the veterans’ under-45 years-of-age event over five laps, Linden Blackman won from Lovell and Shameer Baksh while Compton Persaud was the winner of the veterans’ over-45-years-of-age event from Aubrey Gravesande and Anthony Fariah.

Christopher Holder was the lone rider to turn up for the juvenile 10-lap event

Orlando King took the BMX boys’ 9-12 year-old event from Anthony Freeman and Tariq Baksh.

The boys’ BMX six to nine years-old event was won by Raymond Perez with Rawle Mc Lean and Sayeed Baksh second and third respectively.

Kunta Mc Kenzie won the BMX Open from Ryan Bhagwandin and Omia Mc Aulay while Crystal Blackman won the BMX girls’ event.

Mc Aulay was the winner of the BMX boys’ 12-14 years-old event from Brandon Baker and Jamie Cromwell while Kester Croal won the upright category from Richard Charles.

Trophies and gift hampers were presented to winners of the various categories by representatives of the sponsors.

Meanwhile, former top Berbice cyclist Wilbert Benjamin has donated a racing bike to promising young rider Jonathon Fagundes.

Benjamin, who now resides in Canada and owns a cycle store there, was not on hand to make the presentation which was done by Anthony Fariah on his behalf.

The cycle is valued at 1000 Canadian dollars.

The cyclists will again be in action this week-end when Mohammed stages another 11-race programme which will be sponsored by the National Sports Commission.