Chmiel has weekend to remember

Glenys Chmiel had a weekend to remember last weekend after she won two of the four West Coast Team Teal Ladies Challenge races at Westport and Reefton. 

As part of the Team Teal Campaign (where every female driver wears teal coloured pants from 1st February to 15th March to raise funds and awareness for Ovarian Cancer), the West Coast venues put on four ladies only races over the two days of racing. 

For Glenys it was a trip to a couple of race tracks she hadn't driven at before to support a charity that all the females in the harness industry are getting behind.

"I was talked into going by my good friend Sam Ottley who helped me get the drive on Kensington Bill and Aimee Edmonds got me the drive on Sods Law," said Glenys.

The first Team Teal race saw Glenys pick up some valuable points in the challenge as she finished third with the Jim and James Geddes trained Sods Law. Her luck continued with a dominant win in the second race aboard the Robert Dunn trained Kensington Bill.

"I was confident on the first day with the pacer, we had a good draw and I knew it would be ready," Glenys explained. 

Glenys went into the second day of the challenge leading the points but followed closely by Kim Butt who had secured a second and a third at Wesport.

Sods Law was held up in the run home at Reefton but Kensington Bill once again powered home to claim the second success for Glenys, "On the second day I thought we would have a good show but knew we were going to have to work at some stage from the draw". 

Although Glenys enjoyed her trip away and being back in the winning circle she has no plans to return to regular driving at this stage; although she has picked up two drives in the ladies races at Banks Peninsula on Sunday.

"I have no real plans to go back driving, my kids come first and there are a lot of talented drivers out there and some younger ones coming through that need a crack at it."

"It was a great honour to be a part of such a tremendous campaign and I couldn't have asked for a better result. I had a great weekend away with wonderful hospitality from both Clubs and would like to thank them as well as the sponsors and of course the Dunns and Geddes' for putting me on, " said Glenys.

Kim Butt held onto her valuable points with a second at Reefton and finished the challenge in second place with Sam Ottley coming in third and Kerryn Tomlinson picked up fourth place.

"Team Teal is a great campaign that is getting behind a cause that has and will effect many of us. It has been awesome to see the support from everyone - the clubs, trainers, the public. It is an honour to be a small part of that. Finishing second in the Team Teal challenge was a huge thrill; Glenys showed us all how it is done," laughed Kim. "A huge thanks to the clubs for putting it on and for donating the prizes and the great hospitality both clubs provided us throughout the weekend."