Shannon Lawrence kept his cool when it mattered most to capture a maiden Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race title yesterday.

Zoenique Williams won the women’s race for the first time while Justin Ferreira and Gabriella Arnold topped the junior male and female podium.

A vigilant Lawrence did well to stay clear of a crash near the finish that dashed Dominique Mayho’s bid for a third successive title.

With the 13-mile race from Somerset to Cedar Avenue shaping up to be a mad dash for the finish, the odds of Mayho becoming only the second rider behind Kris Hedges to win three Sinclair Packwood Races on the trot appeared to be promising.

Then disaster struck — twice!

The Madison-Digicel rider’s left foot became unclipped from the pedal near City Hall as he began to attack the final hill on the course.

Mayho quickly recovered and made up precious ground on leader Lawrence before he slid out turning off Church Street onto Cedar Avenue, gathering Team Tokio rider Matthew Ackland in a heap along the way.

The crash deprived race fans of what many predicted would be a sprint finish as with main rival Mayho out of contention Lawrence cruised to a comfortable win in 25min and 41sec — his first triumph in this race after many attempts.

“It feels great to win this race!” the Team Tokio rider said.

“This year I stepped it up and it is great to have this victory. I just tried to remain calm, obviously watching Dominique and Mark Hatherley and others, but just remaining calm and not allowing the adrenalin rush to get me.”

As for the defining moment of the race, Lawrence said: “Seeing Dominique’s foot come out, I was like ‘oh, no’. I said ‘let me stay clear of this in case anything happens.’

“I was in third and then I just shot forward to get first and go into that bend at Burnaby Hill and then onto Cedar Avenue.

“I said ‘oh man, finish line, let’s have it.’ And then I saw someone sliding across and I was like ‘oh no, this is not it.’ I do not like seeing crashes like that, especially riding with these guys who are your mates. It was a fast race.”

Mayho claimed responsibility for the mishap. He said: “I tried to go too fast around the corner on the inside and it was a little bump in the road that took me out.

“It is definitely disappointing because I knew nobody would beat me today. But stuff happens.”

Ackland had no ill feelings towards his rival.

“We were just coming to that bend full belt really and the road was cut up a bit,” he said. “It was really just at racing incident.

“I was on the outside and the other guys came on the inside a little bit faster and one of the guys lost it a bit and just came across and we just slid across the road.

“It was unfortunate, but that is racing for you.”

Mark Hatherly, who crossed the line in 25:44, and top male junior Ferreira, in 25:47, finished second and third.

Ferreira, 17, was delighted to live up to his pre-race expectations.

“Going into this year my main goal was to stick with the top guys,” he said. “Getting in that breakaway and getting third overall is really good. But having the junior title just makes it that much better.”

Williams blew away the rest of the field in the women’s race to claim a maiden title at the third attempt.

The 29-year old Winner’s Edge rider made the decisive break from the rest of the pack coming over Waterlot Hill and kept the hammer down before crossing the finish line in 30 minutes and fifteen seconds.

“I did a couple of attacks but I knew the last one I did I had to stick with it because I know I am strong on the hills, so I left at Waterlot and kept going,” Williams said.

“I knew that if I got over Burnt House Hill before everybody it would be a time trial from there. You always want to win May 24 and it feels good to win. It is the shortest but most prestigious race of the year and I am overwhelmed.”

Williams’s Winners Edge team-mate Nicole Mitchell finished second in 30 minutes and forty-three seconds, and Madison-Digicel rider April Galda-Joyce third in 31 minutes and forty-eight seconds.

Claiming a third junior female title in her final appearance in this event at this age level was Arnold who also lived up to her own expectations.

“I really wanted to stay up with the lead women,” she said.

“That was my main goal, to do really good with the women, and I am really happy we came out on top for the overall women.”