This year’s Championships was held on the unused Morden Par3 golf course to the west of Swindon and presented by the local Cotswold Veldrijden club. The rolling course had many off camber turns to catch out the riders as the course cut up towards the end of racing. The course switched back and forth in the large grassed arena which provided fantastic views of most of the action to entertain the riders and spectators alike. Parts of the course were in the shade remained frosty from the sub zero temperatures which the other categories had to endure throughout the day.

Race Results for Round 11 and Southern Area Championships are available   HERE

All queries about results should be emailed to the timing company     blacksheepsportsltd@gmail.com

Photo Gallery by Graham Robins  HERE

Race Report by Graham Robins

Alexander Forrester (Zepnat.com) had to wait fifteen years since his last Wessex League race wins but he picked the right one today by also picking up the South of England champs in the process. The 38year old rider from Southampton took full advantage of a slip by Joe Griffiths (TORQ Performance) within sight of the finish line to pull out a 3seconds margin after an hour’s full on racing.

As the senior race got underway the sun had started to dip low in the sky and it began to get cold again, this was due to a racing incident in the previous race which caused an half an hour delay. But once the race got underway it was Sam Allen (PedalOn) along with Joe Griffiths who were making the early advantage. Next up were the usual front runners from the Wessex League, Adrian Lansley (PedalOn), Michael Cotty (Cannondale Racing) and Forrester. Closing out the early front runners was Western League rider Christopher Rothwell (Ride 24/7.

After a couple of laps Lansley had managed to pass the leading group and he along with Griffiths began to ease away. Rothwell was quick to react to the attack and the two leaders quickly became a trio. Forrester had distanced himself from Cotty and Allen and soon he had the leaders in his sights. With just over five laps to go Forrester and Griffiths took full advantage of a tangle between Lansley and Rothwell on one of the many downhill off camber turns and while these two picked themselves up from the floor a gap had now appeared.

Lansley tried to get back onto the leaders wheels but he soon ran out of ‘matches to burn’ and settled back into fourth place. James Hyde (Renvale RT) was fifth followed by Cotty, Thomas Sewell (Cotswold Veldrijden), Scott Chalmers, Sam Allen and Gavin Howell (Team Milton Keynes) closing out the top ten.

In the closing laps with the two leaders now clear by over 15secs to Rothwell were content to ride carefully as to not loose contact with their bike. With course now getting very slippery there were riders slipping off on all sort of bends. It looked like most of the top ten had seen the mud at least once throughout the race.

At the bell there was little distance between Forrester and Griffiths and the only rider managing to pick up places was James Hyde who had picked off Cotty and Sewell in fifth but a good distance to Rothwell and Lansley. So within sight of the finish it looked like coming down to a sprint between Forrester and Griffiths but the Bristol based rider ‘decided’ to part company momentarily with his bike and this was all all Alex needed as he soloed across the line with three seconds in hand.

below:  Griffiths, Forrester and Rothwell

 

In the vet 50+ race there was a tussle at the front throughout its entire duration and friends Steven Davies (Hargroves Cycles) and Richard Cross (Stroud Valley Velos) locked together. Behind the two leaders were Gary Barlow (Reading CC) and Kevin Holloway (GS Vecchi) with the latter managing to pass in the closing stages of the race. At the bell Davies managed to gain a 2secs advantage on the infield section and this was his winning margin at the chequered flag. Holloway completed the podium but he end up 1min 35secs down on the winner.

 

In the vet40+ race Dan Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden) continued his fine season long form and after a second place at last week’s National Trophy race in Ipswich he was never challenged after the initial couple of laps. Behind Guest were Crispin Doyle (Hargroves Cycles) and Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) who was riding his correct age category in these championships as he is a usual in the senior races for the rest of the season.

With just a couple of laps to go Guest held a lead of 22secs from Doyle and Norfolk while Mike Simpson (Beeline Bicycles RT) who had been an earlier contender for a podium placing begin to slip away. Picking his way up the leader board was Western rider Peter Kench (Ride 24/7) and his endurance paid off in the closing stages as he managed to catch and pass both Doyle and Simpson to take the final step on the podium.

The women’s race was a mixture of juniors, seniors and vets all in the one race. Making and early start and maintaining the lead from whistle to chequered flag was junior and Oxfordshire based rider Emily Wadsworth (Beeline-Gener8) who along with fellow junior Kara Perryman (Hargroves Cycles) were too strong for the chasers. Leading in the senior race was Sarah Barber (North Hants RC) but she was behind vet rider Harriet Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden). Next up were Susan Parker (North Hants RC) and Laura Greenhalgh (Les Filles RT).

At the midpoint of the race Emily held a 31secs lead over Perryman with Barber, Parker and Greenhalgh together at 1min 31secs with Guest now at 1min 25secs, Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden) taking time away from organising was the second vet and Jessica Connor some way back was third vet.

The only change to the leader board in the closing stages saw Greenhalgh getting past Parker and Barber to claim the win in the senior race.

Provisional Results

Seniors

1^st Alexander Forrester Zepnat.com 59mins 59secs

2^nd Joe Griffiths TORQ Performance @3secs

3^rd Christopher Rothwell Ride 24/7 @15secs

4^th Adrian Lansley PedalOn

5^th James Hyde Renvale RT

6^th Michael Cotty Cannondale Racing

7^th Thomas Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden

8^th Scott Chalmers Andy Cook Racing

9^th Sam Allen PedalOn

10^th Gavin Howell Team Milton Keynes

Women

1^st Emily Wadsworth Beeline gener8 and 1^st Junior

2^nd Kara Perryman Hargroves Cycles and 2^nd Junior

3^rd Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles RT and 1^st Senior

4^th Sarah Barber North Hants RC and 2^nd Senior

5^th Susan Parker North Hants RC and 3^rd Senior

6^th Harriet Guest Cotswold Veldrijden and 1^st Vet

7^th Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden and 2^nd Vet

8^th Lauren Cracknell PedalOn

9^th Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com

10^th Jessica Connor Cotswold Veldrijden and 3^rd Vet

Vet 40+

1^st Dan Guest Cotswold Veldrijden 45mins 28secs

2^nd Jamie Norfolk PedalOn @1min 12secs

3^rd Peter Kench Ride 24/7 @1min 23secs

4^th Crispin Doyle Hargroves Cycles @1min 39secs

5^th Mike Simpson Beeline Bicycles RT @1min 51secs

Vet 50+

1^st Steven Davies Hargroves Cycles 43mins 54secs

2^nd Richard Cross Stroud Valley Velos @2secs

3^rd Kevin Holloway GS Vecchi @1min 35secs

4^th Gary Barlow Reading CC

5^th Robin Delve Mid Devon CC

 

 

 

 

 

Junior s

1^st Charlie Cooper Hargroves Cycles

2^nd Edward Gronbech Oxford City RC

3^rd Archie Scott Cotswold Veldrijden

4^th Evan Carter Team Corley Cycles

5^th Liam Sewell Cotswold Veldrijden

Youths

Male

1^st Harry Birchell Southfork Racing.co.uk

2^nd Barney Clacy Hargroves Cycles

3^rd Tom Couzens Zappi’s Racing Club

Female U14’s

1^st Mille Couzens Zappi’s Racing Club

2^nd Anna Wadsworth Beeline Bicycles RT

3^rd Madeline Cooper Eden Veranda Racing

Female U16’s

1^st Amy Perryman Solent Pirates

2^nd Alderney Baker Matrix Fitness

3^rd Amy Cantello Solent Pirates

 

 

 

 

 

 

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