Endurance rider Woods stamps his authority at Southern Games

2026-03-25 - 00:54

Tariq Woods of Evolution Cycling Academy captured two of the men’s Elite 1 & 2 feature events, and Liam Trepte won the other before the curtains fell on the 2026 Southern Games at Skinner Park in San Fernando on Sunday. Woods, 24, the 2022 national road race champion, was a hard man to pin back in the men’s Elite 1 & 2 Elimination race and outlasted all nine starters in the event, which is also popularly known as the ‘Devil Take the Hindmost’. True to its moniker, one by one, Woods’ challengers were eradicated from the event, which sees the last rider to cross the finish line every two laps eliminated. The last three riders standing included Woods, 2026 Pan American Elite Track Cycling Championships bronze medallist Akil Campbell, and 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games match sprint bronze medallist Danell James. Woods rode an expert final lap to hold off the challenge of his compatriots and claim the victory ahead of Campbell of PSL and James, representing Arima Wheelers. Woods later returned to capture the 6-lap Chase, this time pipping Raiders Cycle and Multisport rider Liam Trepte, with Kyle Hospedales claiming third. In the women’s elite 1 & 2 6-lap chase, Phoebe Sandy of Madonna Wheelers claimed the top spot on the rostrum. Kyra Williams of Vapour Wake Multisport placed second, with Renelle Bernard of Arima Wheelers third. Trepte, a former triathlete who has since traded in his swimming goggles for a helmet and cycling shoes, concluded the weekend’s programme with an exciting win in the elite 1 & 2 20-lap race. The two-time national individual time trial champion, with back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025, won a total of four of the prime laps and outlasted the field to cross the finish line in first place. Woods had to settle for second this time around, winning two prime laps, while Trepte’s Raides teammate and veteran Adam Alexander placed third, with Campbell fourth. The recent performances of Trinidad and Tobago’s endurance cyclists continue to validate the T&T Cycling Federation’s focus on that area. Southern Games Cycling – Results Under-7 Female Half Lap 1 Jiana Ballantyne (Team Cole Safety); 2 Egypt Ashe (Madonna Wheelers); 3 Ada Julien (Rigtech Sonics) Under-7 Male Half Lap 1 Zidon Vierra (Vapor Wake Multisport); 2 Jemuel Jacob (Vapor Wake Multisport) Under-9 Female 1 Lap 1 Salome Bayley (Madonna Wheelers); 2 Precious Sonnilal (Rigtech Sonics) Under-9 Male 1 Lap 1 Daryn Prince – (Vapor Wake Multisport); 2 Jeran Boodhoo (Madonna Wheelers); 3 Darius St John (Rigtech Sonics) Under-11 Female 2Laps 1 Abigail Titte (Rigtech Sonics); 2 Renae Titte (Vapor Wake Multisport); 3 Xhariya Alexander (Madonna Wheelers) Under-11 Male 2 Laps 1 Ryan Sheppard (Rigtech Sonics); 2 Laiq Lowell (Arima Wheelers); 3 Tyler Titte (Rigtech Sonics) Under-13 Female 2 Laps 1 Anna-Lee Titte (Rigtech Sonics); 2 Lashay Nimblett (Madonna Wheelers); 3 Jael Francis (Madonna Wheelers) Under-13 Male 2 Laps 1 Taariq Guevara (Vapor Wake Multisport); 2 Kyrie Julien (Madonna Wheelers); 3 Aedan Garcia (Arima Wheelers) Tinymites Female 3 Laps 1 Melina Lopez (Team Cole Safety); 2 Annelyse Watson (Madonna Wheelers); 3 Scarlett Thorne (Arima Wheelers) Tinymites Male 3 Laps 1 Ricardo Litte (Vapor Wake Multisport); 2 Tyler La Foucade (Hummingbirds CC); 3 Reon Sheppard (Rigtech Sonics) Juveniles Female 3 Laps 1 Rayann Sheppard (Rigtech Sonics); 2 Ella-Marie Young (Raiders); 3 Kermyah Julien (Madonna Wheelers) Juveniles Male 3 Laps 1 Elisha Greene Jr (Team Cole Safety); 2 Josiah Lewis (Arima Wheelers); 3 Jahziel Jacob (Vapor Wake Multisport) Junior Female 4 Laps 1 Kyla Hospedales (Team DPS); 2 Shamika Hoyte (Vapor Wake Multisport); 3 Cassidy Samaroo (Madonna Wheelers) Junior Male 4 Laps 1 Maurice Lopez (Team Cole Safety); 2 Zion Lucas (Team Cole Safety); 3 Elijah James (Unattached) Elite 1 & 2 Elimination 1 Tariq Woods (Evolution Cycling Academy); 2 Akil Campbell (PSL); 3 Danell James (Arima Wheelers) Masters 40-49 3 Laps 1 Royden Bacchus (Raiders Cycle & Multisport); 2 Collin Wilson (The Braves) Masters 50-59 3 Laps 1 Marlon Joseph (Team DPS); 2 Roger Malco (Raiders Cycle & Multisport); 3 Nicholas Soong (Valkyries) Masters 60-69 3 Laps 1 Joel Browne (Arima Wheelers); 2 Wayne Samuel (Hummingbirds CC); 3 Walter Paul (Rigtech Sonics) Masters 70+ 3 Laps 1 Cyril Fook (Valkyries CC); 2 Earle Gonzales (Madonna Wheelers) Elite 3 Male 3 Laps 1 Dmitri James (Raiders); 2 Sanjeev Sonnilal (Rigtech Sonics); 3 John Kiev Gyan-Sootim (Madonna Wheelers) Elite 1 & 2 Female 6 Lap 1 Phoebe Sandy (Madonna Wheelers); 2 Kyra Williams (Vapor Wake Multisport); 3 Renelle Bernard (Arima Wheelers) Elite 1 & 2 Male 6 Lap 1 Tariq Woods (Evolution Cycling Academy); 2 Liam Trepte (Raiders); 3 Kyle Hospedales (Raiders) Juveniles Female Elimination 1 Ella-Marie Young (Raiders); 2 Rayann Sheppard (Rigtech Sonics); 3 ChristapMarie Julien (Madonna Wheelers) Juveniles Male Elimination 1 Jahziel Jacob (Vapor Wake Multisport); 2 Josiah Lewis (Arima Wheelers); 3 Theon Kennedy (Valkyries) Junior Female Elimination 1 Kyla Hospedales (Team DPS); 2 Shameka Hoyte (Vapor Wake Multisport); 3 Cassidy Samaroo (Madonna Wheelers) Junior Male Elimination 1 Alexander Leung (Guyana); 2 Elijah James (Unattached); 3 Zion Lucas (Team Cole Safety) Elite 3 Male 4 Laps 1 Sanjeev Sonnilal (Rigtech Sonics); 2 John Kiev Gyan-Sootim (Madonna Wheelers) Elite 1 & 2 Male 20 Laps 1 Liam Trepter (Raiders); Tariq Woods (Evolution Cycling Academy); 3 Adam Alexander (Raiders)