London League Team Championships and Final Round Prizegiving
News Posted: 11 Feb 2008
Location: Hainault Forest Country Park 10 Feb 2008
Lee Valley Youth CC
Last year's event at this venue was a slushy mudfest, but this year's saw everyone reaching for sun hats in perfect t-shirt weather.
Under 12 & Under-10
The under-12 riders had some under-10s for company in a single race of 15 minutes round their shorter but still very demanding course including adverse camber sections and steep climbs in the woods. They were all up to the challenge with Herne Hill YCC and VC Deal mixing it for the front places from the off. Noah Phillips and Sophie Newington from these clubs traded places for the lead over their five laps with Sophie's team-mate Thomas Butler not far behind chasing Herne Hill's Tom Franklin for third and VC Deal's Hannah Sykes just behind that. Which team would get the best aggregate placings?
With three from each team in the top six, it came down to one single point only saved at the last by Herne Hill's Dan Elliott coming home in sixth just ahead of LVYCC's Matthew Madgewick. The under-10 riders seemed untroubled by the course as VC Deal's Matthew Newington comfortably held his mid-field placing with under-12s and Ben Tulett snapping at his heels.
Seniors
The seniors had seen some recent team composition changes, one of which went outstandingly well as Arctic RT's winning team rode in classy close formation 1-2-3 placings for most of the race. Jody Crawforth took a straightforward win, having broken away with two laps to go from team-mates Darren Barclay and Matt Holmes to complete ten laps in just over the hour. Ding-dongs all the way through the field kept riders busy on a day when the hour seemed to be longer because of the warm dry conditions.
Mosquito Bike's Matt Seaton was in a tussle with Evans Cycles' A-team rider Matt Spurgin, Arctic RT's Alister Tulett and Dulwich Paragon's Kevin Knox. It was splendid stuff all way round. Worthy mentions also go to Evans A riders Stuart McGhee, Mat Spurgin and Ben Spurrier for second and London Dynamo A's Jason Green, Ian Paine and Russell Short taking third in the team race.
Youth
Youth racing should have been a lot more popular on such a fine day, but with several local riders off on training camps or racing MTB at Thetford, only three full teams took part in their 30-minute race. Max Sykes of VC Deal took it on with Taylor Johnstone and Alec Briggs of Herne Hill YCC in pursuit, eventually breaking away as the unexpected heat took its toll on VC Deal's second rider leaving room for Herne Hill riders Harry Franklin and Elliott Phillips to come into the top six with Team Darenth's Patrick Scarborough in front of them, almost hanging-on to third-placed Alec Briggs.
The day ended with the London League series prizegiving at which the day's commissaire Richard Wood and LC-CA committee member was compere. Full series results can be found on the London League website at www.londonxleague.co.uk
RESULTS
Youth Placings
1 Max Sykes VC Deal
2 Taylor Johnstone Herne Hill YCC
3 Alec Briggs Herne Hill YCC
4 Patrick Scarborough Team Darenth
5 Harry Franklin Herne Hill YCC
6 Elliott Phillips Herne Hill YCC
7 Alex Anderson Welwyn Wheelers
8 Liam White VC Deal
9 Darren Pyke VC Deal
10 Jordan Cheek San Fairy Anne
11 Martin Stolton VC Deal
12 Sam Maslen Team DarenthUnder 12 Placings (inc u10 individuals race - 2 digit numbers)
1 Noah Phillips Herne Hill YCC
2 Sophie Newington VC Deal
3 Tom Franklin Herne Hill YCC
4 Thomas Butler VC Deal
5 Hannah Sykes VC Deal
6 Dan Elliott Herne Hill YCC
7 Matthew Madgwick LVYCC
8 Liam Stolton VC Deal
9 Matthew Newington VC Deal
10 James Madgwick LVYCC
11 Leon Mathis-Dada LVYCC
12 Ben Tulett Herne Hill YCC
13 Mabel Mundy LVYCC
14 NIck Brown Welwyn Wheelers
15 Thomas Burnett Mosquito Bikes
16 Isabel Scott Welwyn Wheelers
17 Sophie Scott Welwyn Wheelers
18 FelixSenior Placings
1 Jody Crawforth Arctic RT 1
2 Darren Barclay Arctic RT 1
3 Matt Holmes Arctic RT 1
4 Matt Spurgin Evans A
5 Alister Tulett Arctic RT 1
6 Matt Seaton Mosquito Bikes
7 Russel Short London Dynamo A
8 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon
9 Andy Kay Snails on Nails
10 Ben Spurrier Evans A
11 Douglas Fox Crawley Wheelers
12 Jason Green London Dynamo A
13 Patrick Jones Dulwich Paragon
14 Stuart McGhee Evans A
15 Nick Coley Evans B
16 Neil Simpson London Phoenix
17 Ian Cleverly Mosquito Bikes
18 Nicolaas van Rensburg Evans B
19 Mark Hardie20 James Drain Gemini
21 Ian Paine London Dynamo A
22 Anne Boorsma Dulwich Paragon
23 Gary Lingaro London Phoenix
24 David Seager San Fairy Ann 1
25 Luke Evans Snails on Nails
26 Stuart Lockyear London Phoenix
27 Phillip Webb San Fairy Ann 1
28 Philip Burnett Mosquito Bikes
29 Geoff Lulham Evans B
30 Steve Blackmore Gemini
31 Bruce Mackie individual
32 Simon Scarsbrook Snails on Nails
33 Kevin Ball Dulwich Paragon
34 Justin Costley35 Geoff Luen San Fairy Ann 1
36 Rupert Robinson Crawley Wheelers
37 Russel Turner London Dynamo B
38 Nigel Langridge Crawley Wheelers
39 Ian Sutton San Fairy Ann 1
40 Ian Turner Finsbury Park
41 Kevin Carter London Phoenix 2
42 Justin Taylor San Fairy Ann 2
43 Tim Chandler Welwyn Wheelers
44 Graeme Anderson Welwyn Wheelers
45 David Scott Welwyn Wheelers
46 Bill Edwards San Fairy Ann
47 Tim Philips Arctic RT 2
48 Peter Ruffhead Arctic RT 2
49 James Smith San Fairy Ann 2
50 Charles Codrington Dulwich
51 Andrew Grainger London Dynamo B
52 James Shrubsall Snails on Nails
53 Kevin James Crawley Wheelers
54 Konrad Manning Finsbury Park
55 Sarah Sutton San Fairy Ann 2
56 Emma Wood London Phoenix 2
57 John Brunt58 Paul Munday Gemini
59 Steve Wood London Dynamo B
60 Roly Crayford San Fairy Ann
61 A Brown Welwyn Wheelers
62 Bill Allen London Phoenix 2
63 Clive Cheek San Fairy Ann
64 Alex Murray London Dynamo B
