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Location: Oxford Spires Academy, Cowley, near Oxford
Event: 17 September 2011
Report: Graham Robins
The Wessex Cyclo-Cross League got underway at the newly named Oxford Spires Academy near Cowley on Saturday, with the Bikezone Cycles 'Cross.
The course was spread out over a couple of football pitches and a very technical wooded section. Although the course was dry we did have a couple of small showers which managed to catch out a few riders who were willing to push on.
In the senior race, last season's league winner Michael Cotty, fresh back from filming cycling videos abroad, took up his position at the front of the grid with a strong presence of Hargroves riders and Lee Williams (Team Wiggle), the Welsh National Mountain Bike Champion who had won the Notts and Derby League event the previous weekend.
Michael had also coerced a couple of road riders across to the cross discipline, and the race also included Justin Hoy (Felt Racing) riding a mountain bike and riding on the unfamiliar grass instead of his favoured tarmac.
The race soon split into two small groups at the front. The first contained Lee Williams, Steve James and Luke Gray (Hargroves Cycles), while the second group was a little way and behind contained Michael Cotty, Dan Lewis (RAF CC) Crispin Doyle (Swindon RC) and Matt MacDonald (Stevens UK /Hargroves).
The leading group of three stayed together for almost the entire race until Luke Gray dropped back with a couple of laps to go.
This left Lee and Steve to take the bell running in tandem, but Steve attacked on the final lap and arrived into the finishing technical section first to solo to a win.
Lee Williams finished seven seconds down and was full of praise for the winner, saying he was "just too strong on the last lap".
Steve James (Hargroves Cycles) celebrates winning the senior race. Pic: Graham Robins.
The women's race was won by Claire Smith (Swindon RC) who finished well clear of Nina French (Wight Mountain). In fact Wight Mountain women finished 2nd 3rd and 4th with Nicky Volley finishing 6th.
The combined Veterans/Women/Junior race was very well supported by 66 riders with a large entry from the newly boosted Wight Mountain team coming across from the Isle of Wight.
The team had brought in Sean Williams, the winner of last season's veterans category, and a couple of women new to cyclo-cross. And the team will soon be added to by two other riders who were unable to race today.
The race started with the two junior Hargroves riders - Matt Hargroves and new acquisition Matt Woods who rode for Swindon RC last season - making all the early speed, with Sean Williams just hanging on with Mike Groves (Stevens UK/Hargroves) a little way behind him.
The two leaders were well matched and stayed together throughout the race although Woods did drop his chain at one point but managed to make up time to pick up the leader before too long.
Sean was now dropping away from the younger leaders but not losing ground to Groves in their own race. Others close to the front were Will Girvan (North Hants RC), Pete Smith (Team Jewson) and Dave McMullen now riding in Team GWR colours this season.
The youth race was convincingly won by Harvey Lowe (Hargroves Cycles) from Robbie Bolwell (Wight Mountain).
Harvey was involved in a crash at the start of the race but managed to get back on and then lap the whole field before taking the winning spoils.
The under-12 race was once again very well supported and only goes to prove that cyclo-cross in the Wessex area has a long future.
There were 28 young riders on the start line, some regular riders and a few new ones. They all rode a smaller course and completed nine laps finishing just before the first large shower of the day.
The next round of the Wessex League is on Sunday, October 2, at Lydiard Park in Swindon.
Results:
Seniors:
1 Steve James Hargroves Cycles 54:59:00
2 Lee Williams Team Wiggle 55:06:00
3 Luke Gray Hargroves Cycles 55:50:00
4 Michael Cotty Wheelbase/cannondale 56:40:00
5 Dan Lewis RAF CC 56:44:00
6 Crispin Doyle Swindon RC 56:45:00
7 Matt Macdonald Stevens UK 57:50:00
8 Andrew Baum Cwmcarn 58:17:00
9 Matt Steven VC 10 58:46:00
10 Peter Kench GWR Team 59:45:00
11 Dan Smith GWR Team 01:00:36
12 Jamie Norfolk Pedalon 01:00:41
13 James Cotty Wheelbase/cannondale 01:00:56
14 Nick Onslow Pedalon 01:00:59
15 Phil Gough Red Kite Cycles At 1 Lap(s).
16 Jason Blann Team Rose Blann At 1 Lap(s).
17 Adam Morris ACU At 1 Lap(s).
18 Steve Golla High Wycombe At 1 Lap(s).
19 Jamie Shearer Andover Whs At 1 Lap(s).
20 Frank Lebon Giant At 1 Lap(s).
21 Andy Powell Hargroves Cycles At 1 Lap(s).
22 Elst Manuel Spartaan CC At 1 Lap(s).
23 Justin Hoy Felt At 1 Lap(s).
24 Mike Holborow Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s).
25 Harry Bulstrode Wheelbase/cannondale At 1 Lap(s).
26 Michael Raven Not Known At 1 Lap(s).
27 Michael Warner Wheelbase/cannondale At 1 Lap(s).
28 Jason Painton Ride on Air At 1 Lap(s).
29 Gavin Spiggs Aw cycles At 1 Lap(s).
30 Ian Dow Ride on Air At 1 Lap(s).
31 Simon Smith Adeo Cadence At 1 Lap(s).
32 Jay Bradley Not Known At 1 Lap(s).
33 Vit Javorik Not Known At 1 Lap(s).
34 Julian Mann Stevens UK At 2 Lap(s).
35 Neil Dayus Southampton RC At 2 Lap(s).
36 Berni Charlick CC Basingstoke At 2 Lap(s).
37 Malcolm Rose Oxonian CC At 2 Lap(s).
38 Greg Mook Didcot Phoenix CC At 3 Lap(s).
39 Andre Pollard Not Known At 3 Lap(s).
40 Petein Sven Spartaan CC At 3 Lap(s).
Women:
1 Claire Smith (Swindon RC)
2 Nina French (Wight Mountain)
3 Karen Murphy (Wight Mountain)
4 Sarah Woods (Wight Mountain)
5 Hazel Jowett (Chapel Tri Stars)
6 Nicky Volley (Wight Mountain)
Veterans/Women/Juniors:
1 Matt Hargroves Hargroves Cycles 41:19:00 Jn
2 Matt Woods Hargroves Cycles 41:19:00 Jn
3 Sean Williams Wight Mountain 43:20:00 40
4 Mike Groves Stevens UK 43:40:00 40
5 Bill Girvan NHRC 45:43:00 50
6 Pete Smith Team Jewson 45:53:00 55
7 Dave Mcmullen Team GWR 47:09:00 60
8 David Phillips Swindon RC 47:42:00 50
9 Jason Hawkins Coventry RC 45:50:00 40
10 Dave Wadsworth Beeline Cycles 45:53:00 45
11 Kevin Blann Team Rose Blann 46:14:00 45
12 Pete Hutchinson Swindon RC 40
13 Lee Edmonds Welland Valley 45
14 Steve Proud Mike Vaughan 50
15 Steve Taylor Sherwood 50
16 William Macke AW Cycles Jn
17 Keith Sheridan Hargroves Cycles 45
18 Duncan Mellish Team Zappis 40
19 Joe Broadhead Summit Jn
20 Scott ????? Swindon RC 40
21 Andy Smith Swindon RC 45
22 Ray Robson Team Rose Blann 50
23 Jordan Wade Poole Whs Jn
24 Gareth Dridge Southdown Velo 40
25 Stuart Gough Portswood 60
26 David Hobbs Corinium 40
27 W Buchanan Ride on Air 40
28 Tony Turner Oxonian CC 40
29 Chris Smith Team MK 40
30 Leon Mander Chapel Tristars At 1 Lap(s). Jn
31 Peter Bolke Not Known At 1 Lap(s). 45
32 Ashley Reles Wheelers At 1 Lap(s). 45
33 Chris Cook PB Science At 1 Lap(s). 65
34 Jeremy Mulkern Aylesbury At 1 Lap(s). 50
35 Gareth Walker Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 40
36 Steve Dines Wight Mountain At 1 Lap(s). 55
37 Richard Bremner NHRC At 1 Lap(s). 45
38 Andy Pond Not Known At 1 Lap(s). 40
39 Mat Rowley Oxonian CC At 1 Lap(s). 65
40 Claire Smith Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 40
41 Geoff Booker Oxonian CC At 1 Lap(s). 60
42 Anthony Dyment NHRC At 1 Lap(s). 45
43 Darren Chappell Behind The Bikeshed At 1 Lap(s). 40
44 Simon Meadwell Bournemouth Jubilee At 1 Lap(s). 40
45 Simon North Summit At 1 Lap(s). 50
46 N Adnitt Andover Whs At 1 Lap(s). 50
47 S Hodgson Not Known At 1 Lap(s). Jn
48 Phil Sherbert NHRC At 1 Lap(s). 50
49 Mitch Purvis Didcot Phoenix CC At 1 Lap(s). 45
50 Keith Allam Not Known At 1 Lap(s).
51 Colin Bates Reading CC At 1 Lap(s). 45
52 Phil Chinn Fareham Whs At 1 Lap(s). 45
53 Nina French Wight Mountain At 1 Lap(s). 45
54 Clive Seabrook Abingdon Vale At 1 Lap(s). 40
55 Karen Murphy Wight Mountain At 1 Lap(s).
56 Tony Jackson Not Known At 2 Lap(s). 50
57 D Corrigan Pedalon At 2 Lap(s). 40
58 Steve Warwick Mountain Mania At 2 Lap(s). 45
59 Sarah Woods W Wight Mountain At 2 Lap(s). 40
60 Dave Wade Poole Whs At 2 Lap(s). 55
61 Hazel Jowett Chapel Tristars At 2 Lap(s). Jn
62 Jo Gundle Aylesbury At 2 Lap(s). 45
63 Nicky Volley Wight Mountain At 2 Lap(s). 40
64 Laura Holborow Swindon RC At 3 Lap(s).
65 John Burrow Poole Whs At 3 Lap(s). 50
66 Pete Martin Team Zappis At 3 Lap(s). 50
Youth:
1 Harvey Lowe (Hargroves Cycles)
2 Robbie Bolwell (Wight Mountain) @ 1 lap
3 Jack Saunders (unattached)
4 Tom Sewell (Swindon RC)
5 Zoe Sheehan (Swindon RC)
6 Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC)
Under-12s:
1 Sophie Taylor W BCDS 11:56 14
2 Oscar Ingham Chapel tristars 12:00 12
3 Jay Allen Palmer Park Velo 12:02 10
4 Conor Hutchinson Swindon RC 12:50 10
5 Matthew Thornton Oxonian CC 12:53 12
6 Harry Dridge Southdown Velo 13:03 10
7 D Dawson IVA 13:05 10
8 Ryan Hodkyns Poole Whs 13:15 10
9 Anna Wadsworth W Beeline 13:20 10
10 Natalie Moore W Swindon RC 13:30 10
11 Harvey Jackson Team Zappis 14:11 10
12 Maddie Wadsworth W Beeline At 1 Lap(s). 10
13 Ellis Jones Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 10
14 Seren Jones W Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 12
15 Tyler Smith Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 10
16 Harrison Phillips Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 10
17 Hayden Gray Not Known At 1 Lap(s). 10
18 Ben Wright Oxford City RC At 1 Lap(s). 10
19 Kieran Rose Oxonian CC At 1 Lap(s). 10
20 Isabel Phillips W Swindon RC At 1 Lap(s). 10
21 Mack Mellish Team Zappis At 1 Lap(s). 10
22 Izzy Buckingham W Not Known At 1 Lap(s). 10
23 Oliver Thornton Oxonian CC At 2 Lap(s). 10
24 Alex Long PB Science At 2 Lap(s). 10
25 Lui Buckingham Not Known At 2 Lap(s). 10
26 Lewis Jones Swindon RC At 2 Lap(s). 10
27 Jayden Blann Team Rose Blann At 2 Lap(s). 10
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
