Despite the forecast for heavy rain throughout the day the morning started dry and we only had a slight shower in the middle of the senior race which didn’t come to anything. Another large entry saw riders coming back after a Christmas break from league duties looking to add to their points tally as the season draws to an end.

Results are available   HERE

Please email any queries about results to the chip timing company Black Sheep     blacksheepsportsltd@gmail.com

Photo Gallery by Graham Robins  HERE

Race Report by Graham Robins

Alexander Forrester riding for Zepnat.com mastered to muddy conditions at Southampton Sports Centre to win the penultimate race in this season’s league. The tricky slippery conditions caused riders across all the races to select different lines and in some parts of the course riders preferred to dismount and run some sections.

First to make light of the mud at the start was Sam Allen (PedalOn) who pulled a slight gap but the course cut up quickly and riders were indebted to their pit crews as bike changes were needed on each lap and in some cases every half lap for those lucky enough to have a power washer.

The opening lap saw four riders, Forrester, Allen, Joe Hickerton (Spokes BPC Racing) and Bruce Dalton (Kinesis) pulling away from the rest but the order changed for a couple of laps until order was locked in. It was lap three before Forrester wrestled the lead away from Hickerton and Allen whilst Dalton soon found himself loosing time to the leaders.

By mid race Forrester lead by 12secs from Allen, followed by Hickerton another handful of seconds later and Dalton now over a minute adrift, closing out the top places were Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) and Dave Spencer (VC Venta).

With just over a lap to go Forrester’s lead was enough for him to pit for a clean bike just to make sure there were to be no problems to rob him of the win. Allen finished 20secs adrift with Hickerton coming in 51secs down on the winner.

The combined women’s race was won by Helen Pattinson (Hargroves Ridley Montezumas) (photo right) winning for the first time in the new colours after riding the last couple of season under the Solent Pirates banner. Helen was riding well behind junior and team mate Kara Perryman for most of the race until she found a way past the younger rider with a couple of laps to go. Behind the two leaders was at good tussle between a third Hargroves rider Ella Freeman and senior riders Jennifer Forrester (Zepnat.com) and Susan Parker (NHRC). Also mixing it at the front was Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden).

The women’s race finished with Pattinson taking the overall win, Parker claiming the senior category and Perryman the junior points.

Tim Costello (GS Vecchi) was the winner of the vet50+ race, having pulled away on the first lap the West Sussex based rider never looked back. In the early laps Costello’s team mate Kevin Holloway was close at hand but it was Chris Hutchings (VC Venta) who found conditions to his liking. Also finding a liking for the muddy conditions was Gary Barlow (Reading CC) who also passed Holloway.

Dan Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden) made light work of the mud in the combined vet40+ and junior race winning by 30secs from junior Callum Macleod (PPV) with his nearest rival in his age group coming from team mate Graham Rogerson. The first three laps saw Guest lead Rogerson with three juniors Macleod, Will Cooper (Hargroves), Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) and Archie Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden) all locked together before Macleod passed Rogerson but was not close enough to reel in Guest who’s winning margin was 30secs.

Provisional Results

Seniors

1^st Alexander Forrester Zepnat.com 59mins 26secs

2^nd Sam Allen PedalOn @20secs

3^rd Joe Hickerton Spokes BPC Racing @51secs

4^th Bruce Dalton Kinesisuk

5^th Jamie Norfolk PedalOn

6^th David Spencer VC Venta

7^th James Sanford Army CC

8^th Tom Budden Sotonia CC

10^th Karl Norfolk PedalOn

Women Seniors

1^st Susan Parker NHRC 54mins 16secs

2^nd Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com

3^rd Lauren Cracknell PedalOn

Vets

1^st Helen Pattinson Hargroves Ridley Montezumas

2^nd Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden

3^rd Harriet Guest Cotswold Veldrijden

Junior

1^st Kara Perryman Hargroves Ridley Montezumas

2^nd Ella Freeman Hargroves Ridley Montezumas

Vet50+

1^st Tim Costello GS Vecchi

2^nd Chris Hutchings VC Venta @9secs

3^rd Gary Barlow Reading CC @37secs

4^th Kevin Holloway GS Vecchi

5^th Mike Williams Fareham Wheelers

Vet40+

1^st Dan Guest Cotswold Veldrijden 36mins 01secs

2^nd Graham Rogerson Cotswold Veldrijden

3^rd Tim Jones Cowley Road Condors

Juniors

1^st Callum Macleod PPV

2^nd Will Cooper Hargroves Ridley Montezumas

3^rd Edward Gronbech Oxford city RC