High spirits this week with James Solly’s 24th Birthday bringing some cheers to the hallowed surroundings of Herne Hill. Fast racing over the last 4 weeks have seen the popularity of the track league grow and grow. This brought a few new faces to our league namely John McClelland who changed the dynamics of the racing and gave league leader Bryan Taylor more to think about in his pursuit of glory!
Week five saw a slight change to the normal programme. Jason Cattermole has really put the zest back into the racing with a varying programme and seeing a good response from the riders.
This week saw a course du points, (the idea being, not winning the race necessarily but putting points in the bank which count towards your overall standings — the maximum being 4 points.) And a shorter 6 laps scratch, which seems to really mix up the racing and see riders the regular, more predictable riders, actually do something out of the norm!
Our local super youths again started the evening with quick racing. Top of the results again saw Tristan Labert and Freddie Wright claiming victories in Points and Scratch. Rachel Jary and Charlotte Cole-Hossain showed all the boys they have what it takes to get great results in the Scratch event with a 2nd and a 3rd and in the Win and Out. Isaac Brown and Freddie Argent pushed all the way to the line in the handicap sprint to get 3rd and 4th. Arben Zilci and Chris Mcgovern fought hard again – as they do each week to earn points with a 2nd for Arben and two 4th places for Chris.
Racing started slightly earlier this week making for a few late starters in the relaxed warm-up race. Symon Lewis just joined in time to be able to race gaining a 2nd place just behind Bryan Taylor and just in front of Jason Cattermole and Yasuyuki. Handicap sprints this week saw only the first two going through to the final so it was very hard for the handicapped riders to get into the final. The final saw a victory for Symon Lewis from last to first in one lap. Michael Cooper did a fine job to hold on for 2nd with Chris Cole not far behind.
Both A and B devils this week saw much more tactical riding, improving the racing making it more exciting and fun. The A devil didn’t work out for Lewis being boxed at the finish line gaining no points at all, while Cattermole, Cook and Solly rode very well to claim points.
Elliot Philips, still a youth, rode a perfect devil to up-stage all senior riders who got beaten by him. He claimed a solid 3rd.
Course du points threw up 8 different point winners in the B event with only Kier Apperly and Tony Allen taking 2 points each. The A race saw only 5 points winners with Taylor and Lewis taking the maximum 4 points each with Solly on 2 points – also Jules Birks and Iain Cook taking 1 point each.
After last weeks lapping the field from Solly, Lewis and Taylor, this week put pressure on the riders to gain an advantage. Early on in the 20k saw Jake Martin, Jules Birks and Simon Warren in a break looking strong all trying to take claim the generous lap leaders prize for the race. Taylor, McClelland and Lewis saw the danger and laid down the law to eventually bring them back. This set the speed for the entire race and riders were being shelled out rapidly! A bunch was formed from the wreckage and the speed remained high. Cook and Lewis claimed a prime each and in the closing stages before Taylor made a huge break for it. Solly chased and the race was on. Taylor held on for the win with Lewis just missing out as Solly held on just for 2nd place.
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