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1st CDNW Youth League - Victoria Park Southport

Event: 12th March 2011, Victoria Park, Southport, Merseyside
Report by John Cullaigh | Results

Though dry, the overnight rain and the cold, windy and overcast morning rendered Victoria Park a greasy and difficult circuit to ride for the first CDNW Youth League last Saturday. This impacted tellingly on the three critical corners to the south, west and northerly extremities of the circuit within the park, where all 140 riders learnt quickly in their practise laps to slow down or go down.

Each age group rode two races, a short and relatively snappy one, followed by a much longer one, with girls' categories A and B separated out to race together due to high numbers. Action was continuous for 3.5 hours and the day was very well organised from start to finish.

In the U8's Matthew Baptista (Eastlands Velo), Benjamin Peatfield (Bolton Hot Wheelers CC) and Mia Johnson (Salt Ayre Cog Set) finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively in each race. In their longer race these three riders stretched the field and fought hard in the long 150 metre finishing straight. It will be interesting to follow their fortunes in this series.

In the U10's Border City Wheelers produced a strong showing as Matthew Eggleston and Anna Armstrong finished overall 1st and 3rd. Both riders looked strong, focussed and rationed their effort intelligently throughout the longer race, where George Elliott (Liverpool Century) finished 2nd with a very strong sprint to get 2nd overall.

Border City Wheelers again dominated the placings in the U12's. Joseph Armstrong won both the short and the long race and worked well with teammate Simon Haylett - 2nd overall - with some very impressive attacks along the westerly straight between the south and west corners and some powerful sprint finishing. However, Haylett was beaten into 3rd place in the longer race by Solomon Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos-On Sea CC) in a tight sprint finish. Brad Dransfield (Midlands Youth Squad) finished overall 3rd with some equally strong and confident riding.

Salt Ayre Cog Set dominated the placings in the U14 boys with Fabian Brennan finishing 1st overall and John Didsbury 3rd. Reece Wood (Aire Valley Racing Team) finished 2nd overall and put on an impressive show of intelligent riding as he paced himself in the lead group of riders throughout the 20 laps of the second race. This category looks set to be very competitive and the next race of the seeries, at Clayton Vale on 16th April, should not disappoint.

If there was a prize for the most co-operative riding then it would surely have gone to the breakaway group of six riders in the girls' U14 and U16 combined race. These were, in order, Melissa Lowther (Planet X), Abby Parkinson (Aire Valley Racing Team), Lauren O'Brien (Wakefield Junior Tri Club), Eleanor Dickinson (Beacon Wheelers), Zoe Armstrong (Nickson Cycles) and India Penrice (Holme Valley Wheelers). From the outset in their longer race these young women broke away and provided an almost textbook example of through-and-off with two clear and constantly shifting lanes of riders as each shared the lead. As the group entered the final straight Mel Lowther emerged the strongest and held on for 1st position, with Abby Parkinson and Lauren O'Brien close 2nd and 3rd.

In the final race of the day old rivals and regional compatriots Ollie Wood (Aire Valley Racing Team)finished overall winner, Jacob Scott (Planet X) 2nd, and Jake Womersley (Aire Valley Racing Team) 3rd, played cat and mouse for 30 laps with the pace changing regularly as every couple of laps first one, then the other launched an attack along the westerly straight. (Chris Lawless would have been in with them but did not race due his injuries from coming off twice on the same corner in the earlier 6 lap race - but he should be repaired in time for Clayton Vale in April). Try as they did, the two Aire Valley riders could not shake off Jacob Scott, who rode a very confident and patient race - due, no doubt, to hearing he has been chosen to represent Britain in Belgium later in the season. This category is brimming with talent and promises great competition in the coming months. Watch this space...

Very well done CDNW and Southport CC for providing another excellent day's racing.