Location: Grange Moor, Wakefield
Event: 13 November 2011
Report: Clare Crabtree & Snowdon Sports

Tough conditions made it a testing day for all riders (Image: Clare Crabtree)

Hope Factory Racing's new signing James Sharp was the winner at the Yorkshire Go Cross event held by the Yorkshire cycling federation at Grange Moor, Wakefield. The 37-year-old from York crossed the line more than a minute ahead of his nearest rivals.

Extreme muddy conditions greeted the riders on the sport's first visit to a course which is used for motor- cross. With dense fog and drizzle all day, the course was heavy with mud which took its toll on the bikes with several riders having to retire with broken rear mechs.

Tom Bell was the early leader but Sharp soon took control within the first lap increasing his lead each lap with the gap being about 50 seconds by the middle of the race.Tom Randall came through to take second with Bell dropping to third, this is how it stayed for the duration of the race as riders had more of a battle with the mud than with each other as it became a battle of survival.

Interview with James Sharp: "I came into the race with no tactics just start at the back and see what happens I have not raced cross for two years and have just signed for Hope Factory Racing for the Road team next season and wanted to do some top end training. I enjoyed the race and the difficult conditions allowed me to brush up on my handling skills and I did not need to dismount on any of the more technical sections of the course".

In the youth race Pedalsport’s Levi Moody took a convincing win coming in 3:49 ahead of his nearest rival, going into the last lap Moody had over a four minute lead but a snapped chain and broken rear mech saw him having to run the last half of the lap.

Behind Moody positions were mainly the same throughout the race with Aire Valley’s Reece Wood and Jake Beech taking second and third, first girl Hannah Saville was one of a few that seemed to enjoy the conditions managing to work her way up from eighth on the first lap to fifth.

Aire Valley RT’s Reece Wood was first under-14 and second overall, while his team-mate Jake Beech was third, another 33 seconds back.

The under-12, under-10 and under-8 category winners were, respectively Mason Hollyman, Ava Oxley and Luca Longo.

Results:

Seniors:
1 James Sharp (Hope Factory Racing) 46:35
2 Tom Randall (Wakefield Tri Club) @ 1:12
3 Tom Bell (unattached) @ 2:15
4 John Hick (Holme Valley Wheelers)
5 Phil Hinchcliffe (Bradford RCC)
6 Darren Binks (unattached)
7 Rick Crabtree (Pedalsport CC)
8 Tom Saville (Norton Wheelers)
9 Dermot McKee (unattached)
10 Ben Cooper (Hargroves Cycles)
Veterans: John Hick. Juniors: Tom Saville. Women: Lynn Bland (Norton Wheelers).

Youth

1 Levi Moody U16
2 Reece Wood U14
3 Jake Beach U14
4 Jacob Feetham U14
5 Hannah Saville U16
6 Ben Sykes U14
7 Joe Williams U14
8 Joe Parker U14
9 Sarah Lloyd U16
10 Brendan Stock U16
11 Sophie Thackray U14
12 Connor Palliser U16
13 Thomas Humphrey U14
14 Sam Horrocks U14

Under 8 & Under 10

1 Ava Oxley U10
2 Henry Hollyman U10
3 Cameron Brandford U10
4 Jamie Asquith U10
5 Millie Yates U10
6 Nathan Page U10
7 Adam Bailey U10
8 Chloe Hinchliffe U10
9 Lucca Longo U8
10 Dylan Boyes U8
11 Alex Bailey U8
12 Jamie Museby? U8
13 Flo McQuillen? U8
14 Aaron Wize Noble? U10
15 Ruby Yates U10
16 ? Brockenridge U10
17 Elena Hicks U8
18 Oliver Hicks U8
19 Anna Basford U8
20 Mollie Kepping U8
21 Eliza ? U8
22 Ali Mahdi U8
23 David Wilcot U8
24 Archie McQuillen U8
25 Sally Asquith U8

Under 12

1 Mason Hollyman U12
2 May Horrocks U12G
3 Eva Cameron U12G
4 Louis Mason U12
5 ? Roberts U12G
6 James ? U12
7 Juliette Branford U12G
8 Ben Selby U12
9 Aaron Ward U12
10 Louis Cook U12
11 Louis Kepping U12
12 Will Bunting U12
13 Paul Asquith U12
14 Amy Hinchliffe U12G
15 Will Thackray U12
16 Ruby Boyes U12G

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.