Published: 15 May 2007
A mixed bag of activity at the AW Cycles track league held at Palmer Park on Monday, where we had the Regional Pursuit Championship as well as a "Sunrise" Keirin event.
Perhaps the pursuit competition or the last weeks inclement weather had an effect on it but numbers were down a little on the usual 50-60 riders who turn up but as always, the youths were out in force, and they always put on a great show.
The seniors opened their evening with a warm up 10 lap Hare & Hounds event with the Senior A's group catching the B's with 4 laps to go and after some mad attacking had the field strung out. It was David Jack who made the last lap attack and was just pipped on the line by Sam Serruya.
- Gary Kristensen wins the Regional Pursuit Championship 2007
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
To the serious event of the evening, the Regional Pursuit competition, and with qualifying heats leading to a ride off for the top two placings, it was all on.
The first heat saw Gary Kristiansen MBE blast round the track to set the fastest qualifying time of the night, and in fact, of the evening. Local favourite Tim Bedingfield, who is having a great season, put in a good time and held second until the final heat where Steve Legg pipped him by 2 seconds to book his place in the final.
The final saw Kristiansen take an early lead and steadily built on it by a second a lap to win by a comfortable margin, with Legg pleased that he made the final.
- David Jack leads out the sprint in the Sunrise Keirin
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
"Sunrise Keirin" - not something that would immediately spring to the forefront of your mind as a bicycle race, but it is and what a painful event it can be. The Derny (specialist track cycling motorbike) tows the group of riders round for 5 ½ of the 6 laps, raising the pace incrementally until they are riding at close to 40 miles per hour. He then pulls off the track on the back straight leaving them to drag race to the finish. Nasty is all I can say.
With the heats deciding the final placings earlier in the evening, it was set to be a fast and furious night as the Senior A final had three very fast finishers and one unknown. Sam Sturgeon, Ian Greenstreet and Sam Serruya plus the unknown being Tristan Natolie. As the pace picked up it was clear that the rider who was immediately behind the Derny had an advantage and as they came round for the bell the race blew completely apart, with only Sam Sturgeon able to hold onto the Derny and he stayed away to win comfortable from Greentstreet with Natolie taking third.
The Senior B's race had a much closer finish but Gavin Spiers took the win. The Senior Womens race was the most exciting as the pace increased to over 33 mph, the rider immediately behind the Derny was not able to keep pace and with 2 laps to go, this meant that the whole field slowed. The Derny driver accelerated away and they were left to race at a more tactical speed. It was Dani King who jumped first down the back straight but Janet Birkmyre was on the inside, saw the move and accelerated, which made King have to ride further out and when Birkmyre really put the hammer down, she opened up half a bike length lead which she held all the way to the line.
The AW Cycles 20km event was shortened to 20 laps, due to the extra time taken for the pursuits, and it was a small field who contested this event as the evening cooled down but this didn't detract from the aggressive and tactical racing that took place.
Sam Sturgeon was the main aggressor, attacking from the gun to string out the field. Several attacks from youth Stephen Bradbury were also repelled and it was only when some of the power riders started putting on the pace did the field really get blown apart.
Steve Legg, fresh from doing the pursuit final, stayed at the back until he was ready to go and when he did, mayhem ensued, with David Jack, Ian Greenstreet and Sam Sturgeon aware of his talent for winding up the big gear and blasting off the front, chased furiously. Several times it looked as though these riders would get a gap and stay away but each time, someone would sit up. This caused the pace to slow and enabled the field to come back together.
With 4 laps to go Sam Sturgeon, Stephen Bradbury and one other unidentified youth rider escaped off the front and with the laps counting down there were no serious chasers as riders were saving themselves for the final flurry to the line. This left the 3 attackers to keep their lead as they were all working well together and they kept their leading gap. Sam Sturgeon taking the win. Great ride from the two youth riders too, especially Under 14's rider Stephen Bradbury.
- Youth Block Handicap May 2007
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
Earlier the racing was started by the youths and they began their evening with a traditional 6 lap block handicap event which has small groups of different ages placed around the track, youngest (under 10-12 yr olds) with the greatest advantage, oldest (Under 16's) starting ¾'s of a lap down. Four fairly regular winners at the league,( U16 Girls) Harriet Owen, (U16) Matt Gittings, (U14) Stephen Bradbury & (U12's) Daniel Maslin, proved too strong for their competition on the night, winning their age categories.
- Under 14 Boys' Keirin May 2007
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The youths were given little time to recover as they were thrown into a 3 lap "Sunrise Keirin". Matt Gittings (U16) continued his good form winning again with Cameron Swarbrick showing some great speed to win the under 14's whilst Daniel Maslin took the Under 12's. 13 year old Harriet Owen continued her good form too by winning the Under 16 girls event.
The youth Points Race had (U16) - Matt Gittings , (U14) Stephen Bradbury, (U12) Daniel Maslin & (U16 Girls) Harriet Owen winning their events again but the final race of the youths night, the 10 lap Scratch Race had a few surprises with Ed Wyatt proving the best in the Under 16's, George Withers winning the U10-12's and Stephen Bradbury taking a clean sweep of his events in the under 14's.