The Cycling Weekly sponsored Herne Hill Velodrome Track League drew to a close last week after a unique year. This was the first in over 100 years at the historic 1948 Olympic Velodrome that the racing was held under flood lights. British Cycling's Jason Cattermole summarises a great year for the London track league. 

The new lights, installed mid-season allowed for a whole extra month of racing and gave a great atmospheric feel to the later rounds. This was also the first year racing was run by the Friends of the Velodrome – bringing together all Herne Hill’s user groups.

Under their leadership, the track league saw a burgeoning volunteer force, with many riders giving up a night’s racing throughout the year to help officiate – run by riders for riders – very heartening. This was also the most popular year in recent memory. Three senior categories plus youth racing, totalled over 250 riders competing throughout the year.

With generous prize money from Cycling Weekly, and personalised numbers for next year, the top 15 men, and top 6 women was hotly contested.

Men’s Rankings

NuunYBLondon team mates Symon Lewis and Tony Lock hung on to their top two spots from last year. Iain Cook and Hisham Al-Ramah of VC Londres took 3rd and 4th respectively – Hisham being one of three U16 riders to get in the top 15 placing. Phil Watkins proved youth isn’t all important taking 5th place for the vets.

1st Symon Lewis, NuunYBLondon, 2227 pts

2nd Tony Lock, NuunYBLondon, 1340 pts

3rd Iain Cook, VC Londres, 1021 pts

4th Hisham Al-Ramah, VC Londres, 844 pts

5th Phil Watkins, 34 Nomads, 770 pts

6th Richard St Pierre, Brixton Cycles, 767.5 pts

7th Fred Wright, VC Londres, 714 pts

8th Alan Strang, Dulwich Paragon, 685 pts

9th Germain Burton, De Ver Cycles, 660 pts

10th Andrew Bradshaw, VC Londres, 638 pts

11th Dom Hill, Bec CC, 610 pts

12th Jules Birks, VC Londres, 575 pts

13th Aidan Woolven, Sutton CC, 570 pts

14th Henry Martin, VC Londres, 564 pts

15th James Connell, Brixton Cycles, 480 pts

Women’s Rankings

The women’s rankings were led by the younger riders, with VC Londres’ U14 rider Rachael Jary taking the top spot. Team mate Amy Good came second overall, with Prestige Velo’s Laura Cheeseman in third. The Brixton Cycles pairing of Niki Dukes-Kovac and Sarah Connell came in 4th and 5th overall.

1st Rachel Jary, VC Londres, 27.1 pts

2nd Amy Good, VC Londres, 22.2 pts

3rd Laura Cheeseman, Prestige Velo, 16.7 pts

4th Niki Dukes-Kovac, Brixton Cycles, 15.9 pts

5th Sarah Connell, Brixton Cycles, 15.1 pts

6th Sarah Brook, Mule Bar Girl, 13.7 pts

U12 Rankings

The U12s league was dominated by local club VC Londres. Finley Newmark won from Leo Hayter, both in their first proper years racing. Thomas Gloag and Finley Wellings came in 3rd and 4th with Megan Panton taking top girl spot for Woolwich CC.

1st Finley Newmark, VC Londres, 22.7 pts

2nd Leo Hayter, VC Londres, 15.7 pts

3rd Thomas Gloag, VC Londres, 15 pts

4th Finley Wellings, VC Londres, 14.85 pts

5th Megan Panton, Woolwich CC, 14.35 pts

6th Billy Gilbey, VC Londres, 13.7 pts

7th Alistair Canning, Redhill CC, 13.65 pts

8th Innes Harvey, VC Londres, 11.35 pts

9th India Gloag, VC Londres, 8.35 pts

10th Stanley Boyd, CC Hackney, 7.6 pts

Event Champions

Throughout the year special events were worked into the programme alongside the main staple of sprints and bunch races.

• Men’s Flying 200m Champion - 12.5 - Symon Lewis, NuunYBLondon
• Women’s Flying 200m Champion - 14.7 - Sarah Brook, Mule Bar Girl
• Match Sprint Champion - Tony Lock, NuunYBLondon
• Men’s Team Sprint Champions – 47.4 VC Londres: Andrew Bradshaw, Melvyn Akins and Hisham Al-Ramah
• Women’s Team Sprint Champions – 38.5 VC Londres: Rachel Jary and Eleanor Holden
• Men’s Team Pursuit Champions - 4.17.90 – VC Londres: Iain Cook, Henry Martin, Jules Birks, Andrew Bradshaw (Track Record)
• Women’s Team Pursuit Champions - 4.01.65 – Laura Cheeseman, Sarah Connell, Niki Dukes-Kovacs
• Men’s Kilo Champion - 1.03.53 - Henry Martin, VC Londres
• Women’s 450 Champion - 38.62 - Sarah Connell, Brixton Cycles
• Men’s Keirin Champion – Richard St Pierre, Brixton Cycles
• Pursuit Champion - 2:15.35 – James Connell, Brixton Cycles
• Derny Champion – Fred Wright, VC Londres
• Track Stand Champion – Charlotte Cole-Hossain, VC Londres

Thanks to Cycling Weekly for their generous sponsorship, helping keep grassroots cycling active. Thanks to all the regular officials who gave up their days to type results, programmes and officiate and all the other behind the scenes things that makes the racing happen. Thanks to the riders for getting behind the racing, contributing their time to help run it. See you all next March!