Published: 21 April 2010
With excellent early season weather forecast a good field of youths signed on for the season opener and were fortunate to manage a full but rain spattered program. Even with some of the more experienced Under 16 riders moving up to the Senior competition - Harry Strudley and Cam Swarbrick to the As and George Withers and William Macke to the Bs - there was still an excellent turn out with over 20 youth riders proving strong competition in every age group from Under 8 to Under 16.
First up was a Flying 200 with Under 14 Daniel Lansley posting a very impressive time to best the field by half a second with Abi Dentus fastest girl.
Immediately following the 200s came the Hare & Hounds. With riders spread out around the track and groups working together to animate the race it was a fast and frantic affair with the younger riders battling to hold off the charging Under 14s and Under 16s. As the groups merged the canny younger riders latched onto the back to show their class towards the finish. As he was to show throughout the evening, the diminutive Max Steadman raced with great guile and strength to claim an excellent second behind Jason Pitt with Joseph Linehan taking a very creditable third. Of particular note was the endurance of Joe McGuinness who, as a first year Under 10, showed many of the older riders a clean pair of wheels to take his first, but not last, category victory of the evening.
After a brief rest to allow the adults their first chance at early season glory the youths battled it out in age category 500m sprints.
First off were the Under 8s & Under 10s with Callum Macleod taking a very comfortable win from Joe McGuinniess with Max Reed in third.
Things started to get very interesting in the Under 12s. For the most part these riders have all been coached at one or more of the DHL sprint schools, and didn't it show with tactics becoming as important as outright speed. After a cagey first 200 meters first to kick was Carl Jolly with Joseph Linehan coming off his wheel to take first in the run to the line with newcomer Sam Oliver working hard for his third.
Next up were the girls in another enthralling encounter. Led out by Toni Griffiths, Katie Metalli and Abi Dentus rode eye to eye until Abi produced the decisive kick, reminiscent of her father in his pomp, to claim victory from Katie and Toni.
The Under 14s continued the tactical theme but in the end the raw power of Daniel Lansley was too much for second placed Max Steadman and 3rd placed Reg Pay.
The Under 16s was taken by a well-timed kick from Jason Pitt with Max Brown second and John Ellis third.
The final youth race of the evening, the 10 lap Scratch, again showed the skill of these young riders. For much of the race the field worked well together in a fairly large group. But as the race picked up in pace, and younger riders were dropped then lapped, the race-craft, care and skill of the faster riders was clearly evident. Jason Pitt took an excellent second win of the evening with Daniel Lansley second and Max Steadman in third. Final rider home was the only Under 8 Euan Macleod. If ever there was an example of total commitment this was it! The rousing applause, which greeted him on completion, should remind us that sometimes it is the taking part that matters and not just the winning.