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Dolan Juvenile 3-Week Series - Round 1

Event: 26th March 2011, Victoria Park, Southport |
Report: John Cullaigh

The first round in this series of three meetings was an excellent opener and produced some fine performances from some very determined youngsters. Conditions were dry and good to go, notwithstanding the cold and sharp head wind on the short northerly straight. Each category raced twice: the first a scratch race, and the second a shorter handicap.

The first race of the day was for 5 laps and combined the U10's and U8's girls and boys. Within two laps the field had split into three clear groups of riders, with the lead group opening up a steadily growing lead. First home in the U8 boys was local boy Joe Stewart (Southport CC) with a fine display of disciplined riding and a strong sprint finish. Second was Matt Baptista (Eastlands Velo) and Ben Peatfield (Bolton Hot Wheels) was third.

The 3-lap handicap that followed produced some exciting and determined racing, with all riders seriously focussed on improving their previous performances. But at the finish it was the first three riders from the earlier race who fought it out in the final 150 metres and produced a spectacular sprint finish. This time Matt Baptista got the win ahead of Ben Peatfield and Joe Stewart.

Jess Morris turned in an excellent solo performance in the U8 girls, winning both the scratch and handicap.

In the U10s the breakaway group of eight riders played cat and mouse after establishing their comfortable lead, and this was dominated by three riders who provided a blistering sprint finish. Kieran Morris (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) got the win, George Elliot (Liverpool Century) 2nd, and Matthew Eggstone (Border City Wheelers) 3rd. And in the 4 lap handicap it was the same three riders who excited the crowd in an exhilarating sprint to the line over the last 150 metres. This time Elliot got the win, with Eggstone and Morris in second and third.

Also in at the finish in this strong field was Anna Armstrong with a very focussed and intelligent race in both events - 4th in the scratch and 5th in the handicap - giving her 1st place in both events in the girls U10s.

The U12's raced a 10 lap scratch and 7 lap handicap and all riders produced some sterling performances. In the scratch once again there was an early breakaway from a group of eight or nine riders who then proceeded to play cat and mouse as they concentrated on preserving themselves for the last lap. In another exciting sprint finish Joe Armstrong (Border City Wheelers) got the win with Kim Baptista (Free Agent BMX. Com) in 2nd but 1st girl home, with teammates Lewis Hartley and Sam Rathbone (Eastlands Velo) 3rd and 4th. Second and third in the girls were Hermione Cullaigh (Holme Valley Wheelers) and Georgia Savory (CS Pendle). The 7 lap handicap did not disappoint with all riders seriously determined to improve their previous positions and it was a double victory for Joe Armstrong as he repeated his very strong sprint finish to take the race from Andy Hatherway (Bolton Hot Wheels) and Matthew Braybrooke (Eastlands Velo). Kim Baptista again turned in a very strong performance and finished first in the girls, with Georgia Savory 2nd and Hermione Cullaigh 3rd.

The 15 lap scratch race for the U14s saw the field soon stretched as a breakaway group of six or seven riders established a good lead. The pace was very good and clearly many riders in this category are beginning to think more strategically about conserving energy for the final lap and sprint. As the group rounded the last bend before the 150 metre sprint to the line Fabian Brennan (Salt Ayre Cogset), Alex Braybrooke (Velocity 3in1), John Didsbury (Salt Ayre Cogset) and Ryan McGillick (Mossley RT) all looked strong and ready to push for the finish. Each gave their all and it was Brennan who got the win, with Braybrooke 3nd, Didsbury 3rd and McGillick 4th.

The 10 lap handicap that followed was a thrilling re-match that saw Brennan win again, but the rest of the party was spoiled by super performances from Matt Walls (Velocity 3in1) and Alex Foster (Border City Wheelers) who got 2nd and 3rd, pushing John Didsbury into 4th.

Amira Mellor (Holme Valley Wheelers) delivered a superb ride to win the girls U14s. In the scratch she did not get off to a good start and had to battle her way through no-mans-land for the middle 8 laps before getting alongside Henrietta Colbourne (Border City Wheelers) at which point both riders worked well together until the final lap. Colbourne got 2nd , Caitlin Flynn (Salt Ayre Cogset) finished 3rd and Louise Colyer (Birkenhead N.E. CC) finished 4th. Similarly, in the handicap Mellor and Colbourne put in very strong performances to finish 1st and second again, with 3rd and 4th going to Martha Gill (Bolton Hot Wheels) and Caitlin Flynn.

The U16's scratch produced the performance of the day from Chris Lawless (Maxgear RT) who, along with Jacob Ragan (Team Wallis) went off the front immediately and with a few laps established an amazing lead. Lawless maintained his pace to win by only yards short of a full lap, but Ragan was less fortunate and was soon reeled back by a chase group of nine riders including Jack Sadler (Herbalife/W), Fabio Close (Velo City RT), Gabriel Cullaigh (Holme Valley Wheelers), Matt Flynn ( Salt Ayre Cogset), Will Thomas (Velocity RT), Luc Hall (Kuota), Charlie Tanfield (Velo 29) and Robert Richardson (Bolton Hot Wheels) all very strong riders. At the bell it was Fabio Close who quickened the pace and led the pack for 100 metres before Sadler, Cullaigh and Flynn took it in turns to stay on his wheel. At the final bend Close still looked the better bet as all four riders dug deep to finish. Sadler overtook Close just yards from the finish to get 2nd, with Cullaigh and Flynn less than a metre behind for 4th and 5th.

Despite a lengthy delay at the start of the 12 lap handicap this group of riders provided a fantastic finale to the day's racing. Unfortunately Chris Lawless' handicap proved rather too much for him (food for thought on how handicaps are ascribed and how far ahead a rider should finish in a scratch to be flowed by a handicap!) and he finished outside the placings. Similarly the first six or seven riders from the scratch had a lot of work to do to catch up, but catch up they did in a thrilling last couple of laps. Again, it was Fabio Close who took the ride to the rest of the field in the final lap with a superb example of attacking riding. However, at the line it was Luc Hall who finished 1st, with Fabio 2nd, Matt Flynn 3rd and Joe Davison (Ferryhill Wheelers) 4th.

Amy Gomall (CS Pendle) finished 1st in both the girls scratch and handicap with a fine display of intelligent riding, pacing herself beautifully for a very strong finish in both races.

The rest of the series looks an excellent prospect as no doubt competitors will get fitter as the season proceeds.
Well done and thanks to all riders for a thrilling day's racing and sincere thanks to Ken Beck and his team of very able volunteers from Southport CC for organising the event and making the circuit fit for purpose.