March, 2012 | Craig Sheppard Photographer

2012 Aviva 70.3

2 years ago when I shot this event there was not much of a crowd and access to good locations, especially for the swim exit, was fairly easy. 2012 was a totally different story. I got there early to get a good spot for the swim but to my surprise the place was rammed. There were people every where and the majority had cameras. The guy next to me said this was just his hobby – I was dying to have a go with his 400mm f/2.8 lens attached to his Canon 1Ds Mk III. Probably 25k worth of kit! I later found out that there was a photography competition and money up for grabs, hence the hoards of happy snappers. It wasn’t until the cycle leg had started that the crowds thinned and spots became available, by this time I’d made my way up the road to find a better vantage point. Being a fairly straight course these were limited, but I did manage to find a spot which provided lots of entertainment with lots of crashes due to a tight bend just after a drinks station. That might be a topic for a later blog. It was a long hot day and I headed home not long after the Pro’s finished. You can see more images here.

Cannasia-Cannondale Race OCBC Criterium

As usual it was fast and furious racing in the Open Mens Criterium. The Cannasia-Cannondale guys had a huge job ahead as most of them started from the rear of the pack and inexperienced riders ahead were dropping wheels like flies as the pace was high right from the starting horn. After a few laps three riders made it to the lead group while the remainder of the team were spread out through the chasing groups. As the pace quickened and the light disappeared both racing and photography got harder especially due to the wet conditions and low light levels. Despite the conditions my ‘camera for the day’ the Canon 1D Mark IV was faultless and I was pretty pleased with the results and the experience would help me in the upcoming Pro Criterium later in the day. You can read the Cannasia-Cannondale race report here.

OCBC Professional Criterium 2012

Once again it was that time of year when OCBC Bank put on the OCBC Singapore Cycle 2012. The main highlight for me was the Professional Criterium Race which attracts some of the best cyclists in the world to compete for a hefty prize purse. This year Robbie McEwen from Green Edge Cycling was one of the favorites and he didn’t disappoint. With a masterful display of riding he won the sprint and took home the cash. It was a difficult evening for photography with the light conditions and the early rain but I had a great time and got to see some real pros race here in Singapore.

Cannasia Cannondale race Sepang Criterium 2012

After a great experience at last years race the Cannasia-Cannondale Team decided to make the 3hr journey from Singapore up to Sepang again in 2012 for the Sepang Criterium. With a few of the guys going really well and super motivated we were excited and looking forward to the racing. The start line was full with about 200 riders but this time there were a couple of Pro teams on the line. The boys had their work cut out for them racing against these guys. Within the first few laps the selection was made and the remainder of the riders were left to chase the break and settle for the minor places. Overall the team rode really well for the first race of the season albeit the punctures and the heat.