A fantastic start to this year’s Welwyn Track League with just under 60 seniors plus 36 Youth riders on a fine but chilly evening. Despite the absence of a few of last year’s top riders the racing was full on with some new names among the winners especially in the Youth events.
The two Glendene riders – Ed Bird and Jim Lewis – were on good form in the Senior events. Ed Bird won the opening 10 lap scratch and the 10 lap Block Handicap for odd numbered riders while Jim Lewis won the Senior Devil from clubmate Ed Bird and was second the in even numbers Block handicap, won by Rob Cox (Cambridge). Jim Lewis also picked up places in the 10 lap scratch and Devil.
There was a strong contingent of Welwyn Juniors and promoted Youth A riders in the Senior B League. Gavin Atkins (Hemel Hempstead) won the 10 lap B scratch and was second to Alan Gallowsay (CC Luton) in a competitive 10 lap Points race
In the senior 10 Mile a number of small groups attempted to escape throughout the 35 lap race but were all pulled back within a few laps leaving around 30 riders to dispute the finish – George Olive put in hard attack in the back straight in the final lap and just held off Jim Lewis winning by half a wheel.
The large Youth contingent– the highest ever for the Track League – were split into three categories and produced some cracking racing especially in the handicap events.
Welwyn’s Ollie Plumley notched up two wins in the Youth A group while Archie Wishart (Welwyn) and Ollie Fensom (Spalding) dominated Youth B.
Newcomer Marcus Burnett (Icknield) won two of the Youth C events as did Matt Ellis (Spalding) who held off the chasing group to win the final 4 lap handicap as the field closed up in the final lap
Kristian Woolfe riding for Kingscliffe Flyers made a creditable debut in the Youth A group and won the combined 4 lap handicap for Groups A and B with a well timed finishing burst starting in the scratch group to take his first ever track victory
A positive and exciting start to the track season at Welwyn
