Published: 26 June 2007
If last weeks weather was seasonably correct, this weeks dark skies and rain warnings weren't a deterrent for all those who turned up for the AW Cycles Track league at Palmer Park this Monday.
With the Central Divisons Team Pursuit Championship being held this evening it was no surprise to see lots of fancy wheels, helmets and bikes arrive in track centre, with AW Cycles showing up in force to defend their title. Their competition would come from last years runners up Twickenham CC as well as local lads Reading CC and a team from Hemel Hempstead too.
- The three-man team from Twickenham catches Reading CC's foursome in the team pursuit
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
There were four heats of pursuits held to determine to two fastest finalists and it was great to see a womens team and three youth teams entered, with some really good times from the youngsters. In fact, in the first heat Palmer Park Velo A squad finished with the fourth fastest time of the day with Hillingdon Slipstreamers fifth and taking the scalp of the Reading CC senior squad who, in the second heat were caught and passed by the boys from Twickenham CC. It has to be said that the Reading squad is made up of predominantly vets who, with fulltime jobs, have a full time job of keeping their sons and daughters on the track too! Twickenham went on to qualify second fastest. In the third heat the Palmer Park B youth squad of Under 12's did a number on the ladies squad to win by just under a second whilst in the fourth and final heat, AW Cycles set a blistering pace to lap their opposite numbers, the team from Hemel Hempstead, and go on to qualify fastest.
- Title winners, AW Cycles, contesting a heat of the Regional Team Pursuit Champs
- Photograph courtesy of DGS Cycling Photography
With a short break before the finals it gave the clouds a chance to sneak up and start to empty their drizzley loads onto the track and as the teams were held up on the start line, their were a few protests as to the safety of the riders. But start they did and pretty soon it was clear that the AW Cycles boys were not going to be beaten as, although they started a bit ragged, their big guns Tim Bedingfield, Alex Peterson, Roger Woodford and John Tuckett (all 1st or 2nd cat riders) soon got into their stride and started eating up the track. The Twickenham boys who had only three on the start line, struggled to maintain their good early pace and as they said later, there was a little slipping and sliding from the rain soaked track, but it was when they lost their third man with 4 laps to go that it really was all over. The boys from AW cycles were very pleased to retain their championship but were less happy to do it in the rain.
In between the pursuiting there was the track leagues regular A's, B's and Womens Sprint Competition with heats and their winners through to the finals.
The Womens final was a 6 up affair and although a steady pace was set it for a time it th pace really picked up when Carrie Bedingfield put her foot on the gas and set off for the line with 200 metres to go. Reigning World Masters 40+ sprint champion Janet Birkmyre was waiting to pounce and as they hit the home straight it was Birkmyre who showed a much greater turn of speed to win comfortably whilst Bedingfield held on to second.
The Mens B final was a extremely close with Eddy Sobieralski opening up from 200 out and holding off a charging Rob Drinkwater to win by less than half a wheel.
- Chris Bradbury leads out the sprint
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The Mens A race was a cagey affair with David Jack holding Chris Bradbury and Sam Sturgeon on the fence for a time and then upped the pace down the back straight to keep control. Bradbury, in a smaller gear, accelerated over top of Jack with 250 to go and opening a gap of 10 metres, charged into the last bend, but Jack and Sturgeon were not letting him get away and wound it up. As they came off the bend it was Jack, who had passed Bradbury and then held off Sturgeon, took the win by a clear bike length.
- Michael Wilmot wins a shortened and depleted Endurance race
- Photograph courtesy of DGS Cycling Photography
With the inclement weather causing the racing to be shortened or events cancelled the AW Cycles sponsored 20 km race was shortened to 10 km as the rain began in earnest. A first lap attack from Sam Sturgeon caught a few napping but soon he was chased down by Ian Greenstreet, Sandy King, John Warnock and Michael Wilmot. When they sat up it was another King, Rob from Reading CC who went on the charge, opening up almost half a lap before the regular top placings men were to react but when they did it was soon to be over and after 5 laps away, King was back in the fold.
Then another blistering attack from the pack and it was U16 Youth National circuit champion Sandy King, who took off at pace and when he gained 200 metres he was joined by another junior rider, Michael Wilmot, and these two set off determinedly and alas, for the others, they were never to be seen again and with the bell lap, they began their final efforts. Wilmot is known for his fast finish and he took the endurance event by a bike length from King with Ian Greenstreet taking third, John Warnock the best of the B riders and Carrie Bedingfield the only female finisher as the rain swept across the track in waves.
- The final few riders in the Under 12 devil
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
Lets not forget that the youths had their usual round of Devils, Block handicaps, Hare & hounds plus a one lap TT, but with numbers depleted due to the bad weather the fields were much smaller. Good racing continued regardless as Stephen Bradbury won 3 events being chased all the time by John Paul who won the TT and was looking resplendant on his new Pinarello carbon bike. (very cool) Daniel Maslin continued his winning ways also winning 3 events on the night with George Withers halting his chance of 4 from 4 by winning the Hare & hounds.
James Hobbs took 4 events in the Under 16's whilst Rosie Serruya was completely dominant in the girls events winning all of her four events, chased stubbornly by Holly Swarbrick and Martha McAllister-Hewlings every time.