Wearmouth Makes it Five out of Six

 

Round 7 Yorkshire Points Cyclo-Cross
Condor Cross, /Bradley Woods, 11 November 2007
Report/Images: Phil Ingham

 

Condor RC's penultimate round of the 2007-8 Yorkshire Points Cyclo-Cross series saw competitors gathering at the Bradley Woods Scot Camp near Brighouse. Despite the recent poor weather, the course was amazingly dry and, although not a traditional 'Cross course, the combination of a long, fast, and in places technical, descent and a gruelling climb with more technical challenges, made for a tough but enjoyable test for all.

Stuart Wearmouth (left) and Chris Young, first and third in the senior race

North-Eastern visitor, Stuart Wearmouth, took his fifth win in six starts, wrapping up the Senior Men's category in the process. He didn't have it his all his own way, however, with Noel Clough charging into an early lead: the Feitsen Tempo veteran held onto Wearmouth well until a crash on the fifth lap dropped him a couple of places.

That handed the chasing baton over to the previous round's winner, James Sharp, who rode aggressively as usual and claimed second spot. Sharp also looks to have secured second spot in the series, with Clough looking likely to complete the top three.

James Sharp (left), and Noel Clough (bearing the scars of battle on his left leg)

Chris Young, who now looks to be close to his best form, took third place on the day, moving up steadily from fifth at the end of the first lap. Gary Wearmouth took fourth and a bloodied Clough was fifth.

First Junior was the ever-exciting Rob Watson, who was 14th overalland now looks to have secured the series win in the category.

First Women, Annabel Simpson and top Junior Rob Watson

The Veterans' category has seen some of the best racing of the series. The early rounds saw a series of great battles between defending champion, Dave Stevens, and Triangle team-mate Richard Binks. A couple of early wins for Stevens were countered by wins for Binks at rounds four and six.

However, just when thinks were hotting up for a tense end to the series, Stevens had the misfortune to break a collarbone in a training crash a couple of weeks ago. Binks duly took full advantage of his rival's absence, winning for the third time this autumn, a good minute clear of runner-up Mick Rowson and wrapping up the series in the process.

Top Vets, Richard Binks (left) and Mick Rowson

After the race, Binks was happy to admit that he'd have preferred to win the series by beating Stevens head-to-head, but he is a worthy winner of a series which has regularly seen field of over 50 riders for the combined vets' and women's race, a formula which is also working well in other leagues around the country.

Steve Barnes continued his impressive come-back with third place. Annabel Simpson took the women's race, finishing 17thin the race, well clear of runner-up Denise Shackleton, who placed 32nd.

The start of the Vets' race and Steve Barnes leads Rowson and Binks

Earlier in the day, Tom Moses dominated the Youth race, finishing almost two minutes clear of Paul Young, who enjoyed a good mid-race battle with Lewis Balycki, who finished third. Moses also claimed the series in the process. In the Under-12 race, Billy Harding took another well-deserved win.

Results

Senior & Junior
1 Stuart Wearmouth Picarsco Pulman
2 James Sharp York Cycleworks
3 Chris Young Team JD Cycles
4 Gary Wearmouth Picarsco Pulman
5 Noel Clough Fritsen Tempo
6 Keith Murray Scott
7 Robin Bradbury Aire Valley RT
8 Rob Thackray Paul Milnes RT
9 Craig Gath Selby CC
10 Neil Crampton 
11 William Wright 
12 Phil Hinchliffe Bradford RCC
13 Andy Westell Pendle Forest CC
14 Rob Watson Paul Milnes RT (J)
15 Andrew Woodruff 
16 David Bough Featherstone RC
17 Marcus Pearson 
18 Rick Crabtree Pedal Sport
19 Miles Chandler Aire Valley RT
20 Will Bushby OBRI coaching (J)
21 Joseph Haywood 
22 Anthont Grieff Gosforth RC
23 Digby Rosling Calder Clarion
24 Steve Smales Allsports
25 Tim Rowson (J)
26 Steven Hancock Norton Wheelers
27 Andrew Faichney CRC Hull
28 Paul Milsom Calder Clarion
29 Roger Wilbraham 

Veteran & Women
1 R  Binks Triangle RT
2 M Rowson Team JD Cycles
3 S Barnes Seacroft Whls
4 M Denby Aire Valley RT
5 M Rigby Norton Whls
6 D Bradbury Norton Whls
7 A Marshall VS Cycles
8 C Warren 
9 A Whitworth Hudds RC
10 A France Holme Valley Wh
11 J Ginley Condor RC
12 T Beachill U/A
13 P Ingham Dream Mechanics
14 M Vesty Boneshakers RT
15 G Bird Team JD Cycles
16 K Saville Norton Whls
17 A Simpson Team Chance (L)
18 S Shepherd Jorvic ATB
19 S Spencer OBRI Coacing RT
20 P Dalton Matlock CC
21 P Sleaford Norton Whls
22 Craven Moses Bronte Whls
23 M Gill Bradford RCC
24 M Hopkins Otley CC
25 O Henrikson U/A
26 D Balentine 
27 R Burnham Condor RC
28 A Speight VU
29 K Hickie Bronte Whls
30 I Wellock 
31 Steve Lawrence Selby CC
32 D Shackleton Yorkshire Velo (L)
33 J Dowell Heanor Cl
34 P Crabtree K & C AC
35 L Bland Norton Whls (L)
36 T Evans East Bradford CC
37 A Greenwood Aire Valley RT
38 C Smale 
39 P Bradford Paul Milnes RT
40 Richard ? Featherstone RC
41 R Law Bradford RCC
42 R Durham U/A
43 G Fountain Norton Whls
44 J Redmond Paul Milnes RT
45 P  Thackray Paul Milnes RT
46 T Sarmiento X Null
47 B Baker U/A
48 M Harding East Bradford CC
49 S Sears 
50 P Hamilton U/A
51 C Stevens Triangle RT (L)
52 G Marsh Seacroft Whls
53 C Crabtree Pedalsport (L)
54 R Fenn Calder Clarion
55 F Rothwell Paul Milnes RT
56 Peter Milsom Calder Clarion
57 C Parker East Bradford CC
58 M Rushby Pedalsport

Youth
1 T Moses SSC-Cyclesport
2 P Young Team JD Cycles
3 L Balyakyi RUCRL Juniors
4 O Webster Team JD Cycles
5 N Barnes Seacroft Whls
6 H Stevens Triangle RT
7 L Simpson Leeds St Christopher
8 P Rowson Team Chance (First girl)
9 T Warren Leeds Bradford Tri
10 T Saville Thurcroft CC
11 J Womersley East Bradford CC
12 E Oliver-Evans East Bradford CC
13 L Barry Eastlands Velo
14 T Crutchley-Mack Pedalsport
15 L Saleem Pedalsport
16 S Woodhead West Pennine CC
17 M Speight East Bradford CC
18 A Oliver-Evans East Bradford CC

Under-12
1 B Harding East Bradford
2 C Barnes Seacroft Whls
3 H Saville NMYS (First Girl)
4 S Marsh Seacroft Whls
5 J Parker Farsley Farfield
6 M Vesty Boneshakers RT
7 J Faichney CRC Hull