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Report: Castle Combe Easter Classic

Event: 22nd April 2011
Promoted by: Chippenham Wheelers
Venue: Castle Combe Motor Racing Circuit, Somerset
Report: Andy Cook, Chippenham Wheelers
Event Details

What a fantastic day's racing with huge numbers participating and large crowds being treated to exciting racing in sweltering temperatures. Castle Combe circuit being an old airfield is one of those places that is either freezing cold or very occasionally weather as experienced this year. Long forgotten was the torrential rain from last year as riders of all ages turned up from far and wide to compete.

Many years of organising events at the circuit has led to a great team effort and a number of small changes that helped with the efficient running of the meeting. Most notably separate races for each of the youth categories. With increased numbers this helps mostly with judging but also the safety of the riders particularly as we like to encourage the younger ages to race round the pit lane keeping them in sight of their parents and encouraging them to handle their bikes on the tight corners! Separate signing-on away from the Tavern being held in the Strawford centre also helped with the smooth running of the event and Sue Andrews and her team of club helpers efficiently ran that aspect of the day. The other improvement was creating a traffic free zone between the entrance to the circuit, the Tavern and the Strawford centre which allowed enough space to operate a very slick Youth and Junior gear check area with a great team led by John Else.

With so many riders Pete Bradford's camera was essential for most races to check the accuracy of the results provided by the judges and commissaires.

Overall there were 440 riders signed on to race across all categories which led to increased prizes on the day across all events. The U8's got the meeting off to a great start riding five laps of the pit lane and then the U10's completed 10 laps of the same technical circuit prior to the U12's riding 4 laps of the main circuit. The U14's rode 5 laps and the U16's 6 laps of the large circuit. The first aid vehicle was called into action as one of the girls in the U16 event touched a wheel and came a cropper landing rather heavily on her face. A quick visit to hospital to check everything was OK apart from the usual scrapes and bruises.

The first of the senior races was the 4th cat event where 117 riders lined up to do battle over 13 laps of the circuit for a race distance of 24 miles. Despite the large numbers there were very few major incidents in the event and a large bunch finish ensued.

The third cat race run over the more usual 17 laps for 31 miles attracted the largest field of the day at 150 riders. Despite there being several strong ex International riders on the comeback trail many of the skirmishes off the front came to nothing primarily due to the lack of any strong wind and the size of the field. In the end the judges were greeted with a heaving bunch of well over 100 riders sprinting up the slight drag to the finish where the promoting clubs local rider Simon Snowden managed to hang on for the win to go with his win at the Pittards Road Race recently.

The last race of the day was run over 24 laps and had team managers requesting areas to hand up bottles the weather was so warm! A break established itself containing most of the main protagonists but when Hugh Wilson from Wilier stopped for a mechanical from the break Ben Luckwell, the team captain got his boys all to the front and closed down the break with around 3 laps remaining. At the line Ian Rees managed to win the sprint by the closest of margins from the other very strong and dominant team Qoroz in the shape of Ben Stockdale.

A number of riders didn't pick their prize money after the event. Please get in touch if you think you may be one of those riders!

A huge thank you to everyone that helped ensure the day ran so smoothly not least the BC South officials.

Overall a very successful days racing which was so ably organised by a true traditional cycling club all pulling together to cover the various tasks on the day. All proceeds will be used by the club to further develop their strong Youth section and develop further champions for the future.

The Castle Combe Summer series begins on Thursday 5th May with a new format to the racing with separate races for each category and a new website to ensure results, and the overall positions widely circulated.

RESULTS

UNDER 8

1 Joshua Tarling
2 Bevan Smith
3 Ayrton Smith
4 Ashley Cole
5 Awen Roberts 1st Girl
6 Evelyn Higgins-Worrall 2nd Girl
7 Marshal Thompson

UNDER 10

1 Owain Roberts
2 Huw Higgins-Worrall
3 Ryan Phillips
4 Mitchell Cole
5 Lance Hutchison
6 James Jones
7 Dyfan Roberts
8 Lauren Booth 1st Girl
9 David Meyer
10 Isabelle Bennett 2nd Girl
11 Euan Taylor
12 Ollie Gann

UNDER 12

1 Jessica Roberts 1st Girl
2 Rhys Britten
3 Ryan White
4 Charles Page
5 Iuen Best
6 Megan James 2nd Girl
7 Sam Tillett
8 Louis Rose-Davies
9 William Crofts
10 Elizabeth Bennett 3rd Girl
11 Emily Tillett
12 James Tillett
13 Sophie Taylor
14 Pfeiffer Georgi
15 Alex Hall
16 Ryan Longman
17 Joseph Rees
18 Joe Mckimm
19 Sophie Williams
20 Harry Sheenan
21 William Matthews
22 Harry Truelove
23 Dominic Cork
24 Jonny Woods
25 Ben Sluman
26 Jamie Kimber
27 Conor Hutchinson

UNDER 14

1 Dylan Cordukes
2 James Ellmore
3 Thomas Lane
4 Megan Barker 1st girl
5 Emily Haycox 2nd Girl
6 Ffion James 3rd Girl
7 Ashley Hutchison
8 Bethany Taylor
9 Brendan Drewett
10 Jed Webber
11 Cameron Thompson
12 Peter Kibble
13= Harry Lock
Sam Rees
15 Lewis Revill
16 Taylor Rowe
17 Tom Sewell
18 Scott Pearce
19 T Best
20 Jake Davies
21 Will Lambert
22 Will Austin
23 Nicole Pollock
24 Emily Hall
25 Ieuan Lambert
26 Nathan Jowett

UNDER 16

1 Matt Woods
2 Matt Hargroves
3 Matthew Cross
4 Owen Thomas
5 Tristan Robbins
6 Joe Crolla
7 Mitch Webber
8 Scott Davies
9 Joseph Wiltshire
10 Dan Coleman
11 Josh Ansell
12 Shaun carter
13 Adele Martin 1st Girl
14 Luke Davies
15 Laura Clode 2nd Girl
16 James Mckimm
17 Ellie Gilham 3rd Girl
18 Leon Mander
19 Liam Collins-Jones
20 Ellie Coster
21 Robin Winchcombe
22 Alex Sheenan
23 Katie Matalli
24 Hannah Gibbs
25 Hazel Jowett

4th CAT

1 Mike Swinford
2 Andrew Griffith
3 Andrew Hayes
4 Paul Carson
5 Charles Coleman
6 Daniel Carr
7 Darren Gardner
8 George Harper
9 Sean Townsend
10 Finn Spicer

3RD CAT

1 Simon Snowdon
2 Chris Yates
3 Kyle Abrahams
4 Will Robbins
5 Andy Hoskins
6 Rob Lyne
7 Jon Yates
8 Jonathan Bister
9 Neil Rutter
10 Sam Larkham

E/1/2

1 Ian Rees
2 Ben Stockdale
3 Justin Hoy
4 Phil Gough
5 Neil Cooper
6 Blake Pond
7 Nick Pilborough
8 Jason Flooks
9 Lee Davis
10 Glyndwr Griffiths
11 Mark Ottaway
12 Ben Luckwell
13 James Lewis
14 Adam Bright
15 Tim Elverson
16 Davis Saunder