Location:Liveridge Hill, Henley-in-Arden
Event: 8 September 2013
Report: Ben Goddard/Snowdon Sports
Photos: Richard Goddard
Gareth Whittall (Clay Cross Road Team) stormed to his first victory of the season in round one of the West Midlands Cyclo-Cross League at Henley-in-Arden.
A highly technical course was the choice for round one, with man-made banks which proved to be hazardous for many.
Whittall, aged 31 and from Nottingham, had no such trouble as he stormed around the shorter than usual course taking the senior win ahead of Peter Banham, from Wolverhampton in second and 19-year-old Joe Fox who took third.
Run at the same time as the seniors, the veterans 40-50 category race was won by 43-year-old Darren Atkins from Kenilworth ahead of Phil Blacker, from Bromsgrove, and in third place was George Rowlands (Mid Shropshire Wheelers).
Earlier on in the morning the Veterans 50+ tackled the same course and Andy Webb, from Kenilworth, was victorious from Kevin Payton.
The women’s race was won by 16-year-old Isla Short who also won the junior women’s category. Second lady was Ceris Styler, from Worcester, and taking third was Martine Verweij (Team Jewson).
Ran at the same time as the veteran 50+ and women, the junior event was won by Jack Ravencroft of Birmingham. Solihull CC team-mate Preslav Dimitrov was second and taking third was Anthony Nieave.
Taking his second win in as many weeks in the under-16 event was Ewan Grivell-Mellor who lost contact with second place Harry Yates in the early laps but clawed his way back to take a fine win.
In the under-14 category run at the same time as the under-16 race Lewis Askey (Lichfield City CC) was the victor with Lucy Nelson (Solihull CC) taking the youth girls event.
Taking the under-12 race was Luke Simonds (Stratford CC) and the under-12 girls winner was Lucy Nelson (Solihull CC).
Results:
Senior:
1 Gareth Whittall (Clay Cross RT)
2 Peter Banhan (Fred Williams Cycles)
3 Joe Fox (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling)
4 Philip Hinch (Brotherton Cycles)
5 Tom Payton (Isla Bikes)
6 Jeremy Hicks (Rugby Velo)
7 Andrew Tamplin (Base2Race Cycles)
8 Colin Miller (Coventry RC)
9 Alexander Billington (Bromsgrove Olympic)
10 Stephen Vanes (unattached)
Vets 40-50:
1 Darren Atkins (unattached)
2 Phil Blacker (Team Jewson
3 George Rowlands (Mid Shropshire Whls)
Vets 50+:
1 Andy Webb (Kenilworth Whls CC)
2 Kevin Payton (Stourbridge CC)
3 Peter Busby (Team Jewson)
Women
1 Isla Short (WXC World Racing)
2 Ceris Styler (Halesowen A&CC)
3 Martine Verweij (Team Jewson)
Junior:
1 Jack Ravenscroft (Solihull CC)
2 Preslav Dimitrov (Solihull CC)
3 Anthony Nieave
Under 16:
1 Ewan Grivell-Mellor (Mid Shropshire Whls)
2 Harry Yates (Lichfield City CC)
3 Lewis Kilworth (unattached)
Under 14:
1 Lewis Askey (Lichfield City CC)
2 Jacob Knight (Solihull CC)
3 Toby Barnes (Lichfield City CC)
Youth girls:
1 Lucy Nelson (Solihull CC)
2 Ellie Russell (Mid Shropshire Whls)
3 Gabriella Homer (Wolverhampton Whls)
Under 12 boys:
1 Luke Simonds (Stratford CC)
2 Daniel Barnes (Lichfield City CC)
3 Skip Asnelson (unattached)
Under 12 girls:
1 Lucy Nelson (Solihull CC)
2 Rachel Mayhew (Solihull CC)
3 Millie Russel (unattached)
Under 10 male:
1 Ben Askey (Lichfield City CC)
2 Christian Stevens (Solihull CC)
3 Benjamin Parr (Solihull CC)
Under 10 female:
1 Cerys Simmonds (Stratford CC)
2 Evelyn Black (unattched)
3 Fay Garner (Welland Valley CC)
Under 8 male:
1 Charlie Colseton-shields (unattached)
2 Spencer Corder (unattached)
3 Rudy Kilworth (unattached)
Under 8 female:
1 Ella Tandy (Soihull CC)
2 Grace Styler (Halesowen A&CC)
3 Harriet Tinsley (Stratford CC)
Please credit www.britishcycling.org.uk and link back if you use any of our race results.
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.
