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WXCRL Nick Bateson Memorial RR
Sunday 27th June 2010; by Graham Robins;
The race, promoted by Poole Wheelers, was held on the testing hilly Holt and Wimborne Horton course. The three lap, 71.2km, event attracted over 45 entries on a very hot sunny morning. The finish line at the top of a sharp climb had to be passed four times and because of a newly installed cattle grid, was moved further down the road for the rider’s safety.
As the riders rolled away from the HQ and passed over the cattle grid for the first time, the first attack came and it wasn’t long before others tried to press on the pace of the race. With the race pace high, there were the inevitable crashes as riders tried find some space on the open road.
The first proper attack came about three quarters of the way round the first lap with the London Dynamo rider James Stratton getting away, however he was soon collected. Then on the second full lap, Craig Bellew (Team Certini) pulled away and soon managed to get himself a 40sec gap but he was collected by a fast moving bunch. The third attack of the day came from David Dalton (Fareham Wheelers), but again this did not work.
As the riders approached the top of the climb for the last time, it was Neil Dyas (Fareham Wheelers) who had the advantage but his legs that had propelled him to the top soon gave out and he was now in reverse as the pack passed him. Once over the grid, two riders started to pull out a small gap and these two contested the finish, Andrew Boyd (Weymouth CC) just managing to out sprint James Wilson (Newbury RC).
After the race Andrew collected the perpetual Nick Batson Memorial Trophy from Poole Wheelers chairman Graham Hurst, then said “it was a good race for a little guy, with lots of attacks and it was well run and well marshalled. There was no point going for it from the start so I waited for the sprint.”
Provisional Result
1. Andrew Boyd Weymouth CC
2. James Wilson Newbury RC
3. Steve Moss Bournemouth Arrow
4. Jonathan Ellis Team Certini
5. Rob Ward VC St Raphael
