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Location: Central Park, Mayflower Sports Centre, Plymouth
Event: 18 December 2011
Report: Roy Wyle Smith
Icy conditions greeted the early races of the fourth annual Certini Cross held at Central Park Plymouth.
Race winner Tim ‘Silver Fox’ Fey
The slippery conditions couldn’t stop the Birchill brothers from storming away from the other U12 competitors, with Harry Birchill (MDCC) just managing to pull away from his U10 category brother Freddie Birchill (MDCC) on the last lap.
Next up in the youth race the full lap circuit strung the riders out with Joel Kelly (MDCC) also taking the win over his younger brother Will Kelly (MDCC).
The main race of the day proved to be a greater test of skill and bike reliability as the frequent heavy showers added to the already slippery and muddy conditions. As the race started several riders came off at the first bend which put some of the favourites further back then they would have preferred. It was senior rider Matt Loake (Southfork Racing) who established himself at the front on lap one, with vet riders Stuart Pickering (Cyclelogic) and Tim Fey (Elite Velo) in hot pursuit.
On the second lap it was Loake and Fey who opened up a gap other the rest of the chasers. The pair swapped the lead throughout the nine lap event with vet Fey eventually getting the better of Loake to take the win over senior rider Loake. Hot on their tails were senior riders John Peters (CSSH) and World Record Holder Vin Cox (Cyclocross.com). The vets top three finished up with Stuart Pickering taking second and Rich Taylor (Exeter Wheelers) third.
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.
