Published: 25 June 2008
Someone told me once that track racing was simple, "go straight, go left, go straight go left..repeat!! until you've won or your legs have fallen off.
- Keirin heats are hotly contested
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
Monday night's racing was quick, very quick.. with riders getting in some hard training efforts prior to their upcoming national championships.
In the Keirin competition it was all out revenge for last weeks divisionals loss for some riders, particularly Neil Cooper, who ripped the Senior A boys to shreds in a back straight burst that opened up a gap of 40 metres which he held all the way to the line, with Sam Serruya and Sam Sturgeon 2nd and 3rd.
- Cooper takes a flyer in the Senior As Keirin
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The Womens Keirin also had a powerful display of riding from the front with Janet Birkmyre prising open a gap of 3 bike lengths and keeping a charging Dani King and Harriett (Baz) Owen at bay to win comfortably.
The Senior B's was perhaps the most competitive with perhaps the two most determined riders in the league, John Paul and Robbie Richardson, giving it everything. Fast finishing taxi driver Dave Dentus was in the mix too, and as they came across the line it was Paul from Dentus with a fighting Richardson 3rd, by half a wheel (which is about this much ............. well maybe a bit more).
The endurance events were full of attacking riding as usual, and perhaps the difference between this league and say Welwyn, where their races are of attrition, with the strongest rider usually coming out on top rather than the cagey, tactical riders and races we're seeing at Palmer Park league. Sure, some would say that going as fast as you can, doing your turn, etc etc is the proper thing to do, but I believe that learning to race with your brain is just as important as with your legs. History won't remember who did the most work or was the strongest, it'll remember who stood on the podium, and usually only on the top.
So, enough of the soap box and back to the action, where Chris Legg and guest rider Peter Dibben were giving everyone a belting, well, at least in the Unknown distance and Senior A Points Race. In the B's Points race it was a monumental battle between Stephen Bradbury and the aforementioned John Paul and Robbie Richardson. Paul showed early speed to get points on the board, with Richardson chasing everything, but the last few points laps were dominated by late moves from Bradbury and he took a comfortable victory with Paul and Richardson 2nd and 3rd.
- Youth Madison - Showing us how it's done
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The most fun event of the night has to be the Youth Madison, which is coordinated by Shane Benson. Ultimately he only lets riders race if they are proficient at the discipline. He combines the Youth B and C riders into pairs and they change every lap (10 in total). So, you have these Under 12/10s giving it everything with their under 14 team mates, and it is always very closely fought. Tonight's team victors were Matt Hargreaves and Harvey Watson, who combined well to beat off Dave Ellis and Frazier Carr, with George Withers and Matt Lansley third.
Final event as always, the AWCycles, was a hum-dinger again, with an early attack going from Tristan Natolie. This was brought back when a counter attack from Gavin Spiers was chased down. The next serious move was from David Jack who opened up a half lap advantage and held it at that for over 10 laps before he was joined by Sam Sturgeon. Another 5 laps later Peter Dibben joined them away but the momentum seemed to go from the attack as more and more riders realised that a small group had greater chance of success than a lone rider.
- Peter Dibben and Sam Sturgeon working together in an attack
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
With 13 laps to go the field was all back together and more attacking ensued. Chris Legg put in some digs, as did Ian Greenstreet and Rob King, but with 4 to go it was Sam Sturgeon who saw a slowing of the field and went for it again. Jack chased but with 3 to go, his earlier efforts were starting to show and he was swallowed up by the freight train that was Chris Legg in full flight. Legg caught Sturgeon but the group then pounced on Legg and as they came down to the bell Greenstreet was on the front and controlling the pace. Greenstreet opened up his bid for the line down the back straight but he was just being a lead out man for the group on his wheel, and when they hit the home straight it was Neil Cooper and John Paul who were battling all the way to the line. Cooper taking it by a bike length from Paul.
Derny races next week. See you there.
David Jack