BMX National Series Comes To Cheddar
Round 3 National BMX Series
Cheddar, 27 April 2008
Images: Richard Robotham - Report: Dan Clifford
Event Results: Round 3 Results Series Rankings: Rider Ranking | Club Ranking | Team Ranking
Previous Rounds: Rd 1 Results | Rd 2 Results | Round 1 & 2 Report
Other Reports: Braintree Club report
Round 3 of the British Cycling National Series was held at the picturesque Cheddar facility. The weather was much better this time out and the rider attendance looked good. The flags were cracking in the warm breeze and the sweet smell of spring was in the air, birds were singing, the sky was that pale shade of blue and over the treetops you could hear the random gate sending riders off down the first straight like rats up drainpipes.
The event was hosted by the Burnham club and sponsored by Crupi/Fly Europe, with all the banners around the track, the surface neatly swept it looked fantastic. The racing, as always at Cheddar, provided some incredible excitement and entertainment for riders and spectators alike!
We were blessed with fantastic weather all weekend up until the announcement was made for finals, then the heavens opened in a monsoon-esque downpour, the Burnham crew couldn't sweep it off the track fast enough.. What would a UK national be without a bit of rain eh?!
12 & Under Cruiser provided some good battles yet again between Anthony Trower and Tom Novis, exchanging Moto wins all day long. Anthony took the win with a very fast George Hawker in 2, Tom settled for 3rd in the main event followed by Bristol's Albie Hopes.
Cruiser 13-15 again provided great racing between Alan's Bradley Minns and Gunslingers Cameron Howard. These guys are super competitive and would battle it out until the cows come home. Bradley did the business and rode a fantastic lap to take the 1 spot ahead of Cameron Howard and Michael Hawker.
Cruiser 16-29 had Elite hot shot and coaching advisor Gareth Bates take the win ahead of a very factory looking Dan Hodge. Bates was getting some cruiser practise in before the Germany Euros and looked good on the 24's. Blogger wannabe Juan Watney is consistently 3rd again and again followed by Dan Pople and the Goldcoast's Twarn and Josh Hanlon.
30-39 provided some amazing racing and heart stopping action where TJ Baldwin was concerned! Also some drama as Flemdog's concentration on the gate was broken by an official. Flem called for the race to be re-run but with the persistent rain you couldn't blame the guys for just wanting to head for home. Redline's Alan Hill took the win ahead of Euro specialist Andy Shaw, Shane Trotter and CJ butler. TJ looked strong in the Motos all day long and managed a 5th in the main event. The guy is just WFO all the time.
Cruiser 40 and over had some fantastic races all day long. Jon Moore was on the button getting Moto wins like it weren't no thing, but come main event time Ady Warden did the business, Big Daddy Groove team mate Tony Slater took the 2 spot after a great drag race down the 3rd straight, but Ady jumped through the pack and pulled a great national win! Anthony Fisher put in a strong lap for the 3 spot with Jon Moore in 4.
Ladies 25 & over had 2 extra riders for this national but Niki Spiers had it going on from the get go, she took the win just ahead of Louise Abbott, don't call it a comeback!
The 6 and under pocket rockets must go through brake blocks and tyres like nobodies business down that 1st straight! Preston's Ryan Brookes is the kid to beat with sterling performances week in week out. He was hunted to the line by Ryan O'Loughlin and Rotherham's Ben Warcup, honourable mentions go to chesterfields own rad lad Morgan Turner and Urbanair's Owen Camm with a 2nd in the B main, 2 great kids who just love to ride and have smiles for miles!
The 7 year old class was dominated by Prestons Finn Hall, with a perfect performance all day long the other kids couldn't get close. Josh Coppins put in a great ride after an off in moto 2 to secure 2nd in the main followed closely by EA Revells Josh Peters.
The 8 year old males are super competitive and always provide great action. Cheddar was no exception! Ethan Vernon has been putting in the effort and with a perfect qualification himself, he is on top form. Gideon was close at Burnham but he made it happen at Cheddar and took the win ahead of Ethan. Jamie Norris Still put in a solid ride for 3rd with Ethan Godden (666 the number of the beast!) taking 4th.
Females: In the 7-9s Emily Green took the win again ahead of the battling Blaine Ridge-Davis and Katurah Davidson. Melissa Foster put in a great ride all the way from Rotherham for the 4 spot. Shout outs to Profile's youngest superstar Darcie Taylor and Urbanair's Trinity Camm, representing the 6 & under girls in the older age group. In the 10-12 year olds Isabelle Ferrada took the win ahead of Peckham rider Shamika Shaw, Urbanair's Bethany Campbell rode super strong all day to take a great 3rd in the main! In the 13-15 year olds Ashby Gibson did the business and secured a strong win ahead of SE's Bethany Hallett and Peckhams Kia Parker.
9 Year old males provided great racing between Alans BMX rider, Kye Whyte and Profile's Harley Taylor. After a crash in Moto 1 Kye looked un-phased and went on to secure his other Motos with ease. He took the win ahead of Harley and Gunslingers' Eddie Moore who secured himself a solid 3 spot.
Male 10 year olds is one of the best classes to watch, Paddy Sharrock and Reece Brownson are just to the wire! Tom Novis is in the mix with these 2 on the regular but Paddy and Reece are exchanging positions every straight. Paddy is one of my favourite riders to watch and at Cheddar he smoothed his way down the 3rd straight to pull ahead of Reece and take the win, with Tom Novis in 3. Hanging about with PT and DC can do nothing but good I say!
Male 11 to 12 is super stacked and it's difficult to predict a winner. This weekend though Quillan Isidore did the business and took the win ahead of Alans BMX rider, Jack Clarke and James Handleigh. Jimmy Orena had been putting in a great performance all day but a move in the main cost him vital points in the title chase as he was relegated to 8th.
Male 13 to 14 is a hectic class, with some heavy hitters at the top! There were quarters this weekend at Cheddar so these guys really had to pull out the stops! Jacob Roberts had a perfect run, winning absolutely everything from the out set, with Adam Smith doing the same in his Motos. With them not meeting in the semis I was excited how they'd play it out in the main. Bradley Minns should have been in the main but the starter allowed a race to go whilst a rider was on the floor meant a re-run, and Brad had his main opportunity taken away. There were a few incidents like this all weekend. Anyway, in the final Jacob rode a perfect lap to take the win ahead of Adam who was hot on his heels all the way round awaiting an opportunity that never came. Ryan Stack rode home for a solid 3rd with Cameron Howard in 4th. An honourable mention to Jordan Perry from Bulwell who put in a great ride all day making it out of Motos and his quarter with ease only to come undone in the semi. A big crash in the B final saw him bruised and battered, but a big well done on a valiant effort!
Male 15 to 16 is a super fast class these guys ride it wide open! Again, a difficult class to predict a winner with riders chopping positions all day long. Another class with quarters, you needed your A-game for sure! Dan McBride bought it and stole the show come main time but Jason Fay and Aaron Shrosbree didn't give him an easy ride taking 2 and 3 respectively. Tre Whyte put in an awesome ride for Relentless Dialled and took the 4 spot. Jordan Hayes was on it all day but a slip cost him a better position in the final. An immense pool of talent in this class! Be-lee that!
Junior Female was lead out by Almost Famous rider Ria Goodman, she took the win ahead of team mate Katie Roberts and birthday girl Lucy Hale in 3. Good to see some of the girls getting their jump on and pushing themselves!
Junior Men is the class of spinners! These guys legs are like a blur when they hit the gas! Luke Tamblyn took the win but all over him like hair on soap was Levi Ashley representing Crewe and making a strong comeback after a knee injury, Bradley Watts took the 3rd spot with Daniel Thorne spinning it out for 4th. These guys are so, so close in the points game, it's going to go down to the final race.
19+ Is mental. Always has been, always will be. You can't really predict a winner, people were going out of Motos on 12 points.. It's just SO close. Scott Waterhouse is on point right now and leading the game with room to breathe. Pinnock was killing it at Cheddar, the big man can move, and was leading the main until he left the final corner open for Scott to stick a move on him, putting him over the turn and taking the win. But then there was Marco coming out of his clips after a wheel spin, elbows and legs in turn one and Flem and Tom Palmer cuddling on the floor in turn 2. It's fast, its aggro, it's entertaining, it's 19+. Scott took it with Chadwick (way to go!) in 2, Richardson in 3 and the Trickster in 4.
Masters was busy this weekend! Jessop was the man to beat, powering his way into the lead and holding off anyone that dared come close! Paul Tracey made it back to not only smooth his way to the main comfortably but also finish in the 2 spot! BB Ives rode strong all weekend with a 3rd in the final followed by CJ butler in 4th. Segment Soldier Gunner made a weekend of it, along with Paddy and Lee Alexander, nice to see these guys back and mixing it up!
Elite Men was off the chain! An awesome performance from Antony Tuffs saw him take his first national Elite men main! Cheddar suits this boy to the ground! Elite racing was fast and furious all day long, and it was great to see Warren Bancroft back on it after an ACL injury securing the overall 2nd. Laurence Mapp took 3rd with Gamble representing flats in 4. Good to see Tricky Dicky in the mix causing hassle and making moves! A real treat to watch! Daniel Whyte made his first Elite men appearance after a wrist injury and looked good all day. However come main time he got the sharp end of the stick a few times, but there's much more to come.
Thanks again to sponsors Crupi/Fly Europe and the Burnham massive for putting on the show.
Event Results: Round 3 Results Series Rankings: Rider Ranking | Club Ranking | Team Ranking
Previous Rounds: Rd 1 Results | Rd 2 Results | Round 1 & 2 Report
Other Reports: Braintree Club report
Series Links: Dates & Venues | Schedule & Regs