Location: Kenilworth Common
Event: 26 December 2012
Report and photos: Matthew Smart
Boxing Day saw the 59th annual running of Coventry Road Club's cyclo-cross event on Kenilworth Common.
The wet weather made the course soft and slippery but the sandy ground had drained fairly well, meaning it wasn't quite such a mud bath as might have been expected.
As usual, large crowds turned out to watch the action and the under-12s got the action under way. The organisers had created a more difficult course than in previous years, using the climb out of the clearing before a fast descent and loop back to the finish area.
Coventry RC's own Ed Woodward made a bolt for the lead from the gun and managed to hold on to his position for the four lap race from Stratford CC's Luke Simmonds with Skip Snelson in third.
The main race started on Common Lane with the familiar sprint up the steep road climb, which featured on each of the nine laps. With defending champion Dan Booth and leading veteran and previous winner Darren Atkins not riding this year the race was opened up for some of the country’s top young riders to show their class.
Solihull CC's Jack Ravenscroft, current leader of the junior National Trophy, rode to a clear win from under-23 Joe Fox (Rapha CC), with Danny Fox third. Team Jewson's Steve Knight came in fourth and was also first veteran home.
Coventry RC was well represented and Joe Atkins came home as first rider from the promoting club in 7th while Colin Miller finished 8th. Matt Smart was 17th, Mark Farrah 28th and Dave Miller 35th after suffering a heavy fall at the bottom of the fast drop known as 'The Turret'.
Top lady was Isla Rowntree in 20th overall.
The club thanks all those who volunteered their time to help run the event on the day - marshalls, course setters, caterers, lap-scorers and special thanks to Mark Garrett who has organised the event for the past several years.
Results:
1 Jack Ravenscroft (Solihull CC)
2 Joe Fox (Rapha Condor CC)
3 Danny Fox (RST Trigon)
4 Stephen Knight (Team Jewson)
5 Matt Barrett (Run and Ride)
6 Steve Davies (Southfork Racing)
7 Joe Atkins (Coventry RC)
8 Colin Miller (Coventry RC)
9 Luke Markham (Rugby Velo)
10 Mark James (Banbury CC)
Juniors: Jack Ravenscroft. Under-23s: Joe Fox. Veterans: Steve Knight. Women: Isla Rowntree (Isla Bikes).
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.
