Bendigo's Wattle Racing wins 24 hour Wonthaggi Human Powered Grand Prix

The group overcame a headlight failure, a broken horn, two tyre punctures, fogging windscreens, and five rollovers to win the race. 

"Look, there was definitely a point where we thought it wasn't going to work," team member Nigel Preston said. "But we thought we just needed to hang in there. 

"The nature of the 24 hour race is that it's not over until it's over."

The riders - led by team captain Jordan Lucas and including Reece Harris, Rhys Bartlett, Sam Buckell, Josh Clarke, Brodie Gooding and Brenton Hassett - each took turns to pedal their aerodynamic vehicle around the 1.4 kilometre course in Wonthaggi.

Read more: Racers take to Bendigo streets for HPV and EEV Grand Prix

Supported by their pit crew Jason Treloar and Todd Svanosio, the team completed 882 kilometres in the 24 hours. It was 8.4 kilometres further than second placed Trisled Hornet from team Peninsula Human Power.

Mr Preston said the Bendigo team were trailing for most of the race. 

"We were a fair way down, about 20 minutes behind the leader because of the issues we were having with the vehicle," he said.

"But then first place had their own problems with a front wheel failure and we were able to get in front.  

"So we got our bad luck out of the way early in the race and then we had a good last six hours."

Wattle Racing started its human powered vehicle team in 2015 and acts as a pathway for young people who participated in the Energy Breakthrough program.

That program provides opportunities for students, teachers and local industry groups to design and create an environmentally friendly human powered vehicle. 

Following Wattle Racing's success in Wonthaggi, Mr Preston said the team now has its sights set on a six hour race in Mount Gambier this weekend.

There are also another eight races planned for the remainder of the year. 

"It definitely becomes a bit of a sprint going from doing a 24 hour race to a six hour race," Mr Preston said. "Instead of every rider having three goes of riding for one hour, everyone only does one hour.

"There's also a lot of repairs needed for the vehicle, especially a few new parts which we are chasing some sponsorship for."

Schools from Bendigo competing at last weekend's Wonthaggi Grand Prix also performed well across the board. 

Bendigo Senior Secondary College finished first in the secondary college section, while Eaglehawk Secondary College won outright in the junior secondary and middle secondary open divisions.

Maiden Gully Primary School also took out the junior secondary mixed division, while Golden Square Primary School placed in the junior secondary division. 

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