Todmorden's 'Cross Resurrection
New Year's Revolution 'Cross
Todmorden, Centre Vale Park
Sunday 4 Jan 2008
Images: Jonathan Watson
The cobbled climb - main feature of the course and main talking point for everyone!
Cyclo-Cross made a very well supported return to the West Yorkshire town of Todmorden on the first Sunday of 2009. The town's extensive Centre Vale Park was the setting for the event, which was promoted by the team at Singletrack magazine and supported by the local council.
Although only announced a few weeks ago, the event attracted a whopping total entry of over 160 riders, who were rewarded with a cold, but sunny afternoon. Todmorden was a familiar venue for 'Cross until some 15 years ago and many were curious to see what the course would have to offer. Rumours abounded about a cobbled climb, often used in those far off days.
Well, the times may have moved on, but the cobbles were as mean and slippery as ever. The course looped out of the park's flat playing fields and up onto the extensive wooded hillside behind. The cobbled climb came early in the lap and what a killer it was. Perhaps 150 yards in length and steep, it's no more and 5 feet wide and arrow straight. But its chief weapons are the dead turn at the bottom, more than 90 degrees and very tight, and then the cobbles themselves, which are polished and greasy.
Some riders were able to get up them in practice, but once the race had started, with mud being carried onto them, they became even tougher. However, a select few did continue to get up them and those who could ride at least a section of them were rewarded with real progress through the field, because the slippery surface reduced even good runners to scrabbling and sliding.
On from the top of the cobbled climb, the course traversed the woodland in a series of smooth tarmac paths and swooping singletrack descents, with a couple of crafty hairpins and a set of steps thrown in for good measure. A double swoop down onto the playing fields and loop out over the grass completed the lap.
The day's action got underway with a good field of 24 Youth riders. The winner, appropriately, was Todmorden lad Scott Woodhead, who held off the challenge of Lancashire visitor, Jack Humphreys. Nick Barnes was third, with fifth placed Jake Womersley the best under14 and Zoe Armstrong, in 11th, the first girl home.
With over 40 riders signed on, the under-12 race was split, with Solomon Kerfoot Robson taking the younger category from Sam Hollingsworth. In the Under-12s, another NW visitor, Robert Armstrong, took the win ahead of Chris Barnes.
The main race of the day then lined up, with a massive 108 riders taking the start. After a lazer pistol signal from the cowboy hat wearing Chipps Chippendale, the field did a big lap of the playing fields before heading out onto the course proper.
Stuart Wearmouth grits his teeth on the cobbles
A high quality line-up included three of the riders likely to be contesting the top places at next week's national championships, Rob Jebb, Stuart Wearmouth and Ian Bibby. These three worked themselves clear of the rest of the field and through the middle section of the race there was little between them. Gradually, Jebb drifted off the pace and it became a straight head-to-head between Bibby and Wearmouth. When they passed your correspondent on the cobbled climb on the penultimate lap, they were locked together. Wearmouth made the climb with gritted teeth, with Bibby slipping to a halt close to the top. 
More Stuart Wearmouth facial expressions as Ian Bibby chases him up the cobbles
On the line, though, it was Bibby who took the win after a really entertaining battle. Jebb was third, with Lewis Craven fourth. Chris Young sent out a message to his rivals for the national title next week, with a fine fifth place, making him confortably the first vet home. Fellow vet Noel Clough was a couple of places further back, with Chris's son Paul the first Junior home in 10th. Another rider with Nationals ambitions, Suzanne Clarke was the first woman home.
Results
Senior, Junior, Vet, Women
1 Ian Bibby SiS
2 Stuart Wearmouth Picarsso-Pulman RT
3 Rob Jebb Wheelbase
4 Lewis Craven Wheelbase
5 Chris Young JD Cycles Vet
6 Tim Baldwin Bradford Olympic - Paul Milnes Cycles
7 Noel Clough Fietsen Tempo Vet
8 Dave Haygarth Wheelbase
9 Roy Hunt Colnago / Ergon
10 Paul Young JD Cycles Jun
11 Steve Barnes Zepnat.com Vet
12 Rob Pugh F. P. Mailing
13 Peter Wilkin Fietsen Tempo Vet
14 Sue Clarke SIS Woman
15 Anthony Morris Evans Cycles Race Team
16 Mick Rowson JD Cycles Vet
17 Rob Thackray Bradford Olympic - Paul Milnes Cycles
18 William Bushby Obri Coaching Jun
19 Jeff Standley Lakes R. C. Vet
20 James Dalton
21 Greg McNally G. M. Fire Service
22 Mick Style Manchester Wheelers Vet
23 Phil Moore
24 Martin Wolfenden Sports City Velo Jun
25 Gareth Jones
26 Simon Maudsley Crosstrax
27 Mark McPhillips
28 Andy Duffield Alpha R. C. Vet
29 Jon Hobson
30 Graham Bird JD Cycles Vet
31 Ian Sinkburn
32 Stuart Reid Wheelbase
33 Chris Belsham
34 Alan Dorrington Horwich C. C. Vet
35 Cliff Featherstone Vet
36 Ben Hookway Velo Ecosse
37 David Powell
38 James Lyon
39 Anja McDonald Woman
40 Richard Barrett Unattached
41 Stephen Artingstall Zodiac C. R. C. Vet
42 Ian McParland Unattached Vet
43 Andy Whitworth Huddersfield RC Vet
44 Stephen Whitaker Vet
45 Jon Wright
46 Phil Ingham Unattached Vet
47 Richard Naylor Vet
48 Carl Nelson Vet
49 Graham Piccavey Huddersfield Star Wh Vet
50 Paul Warrener Rossendale C. C. Vet
51 Rick Crabtree Pedalsport
52 Kevin Hickey Bronte Wh Vet
53 David Woodhead West Pennine Vet
54 Simon Cunningham Manchester Wheelers Vet
55 Tim Kershaw
56 Dean Smith Liverpool Century Vet
57 Dick Ballantyne Vet
58 Ian Mylie
59 David Green Bronte Wh Vet
60 J Howard Vet
61 Keith Bailey
62 Steve Daintith Warrington Tri Club
63 Neil Bateman
64 D Whitfield Vet
65 David Clark vet
66 Adam Cooper
67 Neil Brooks
68 J Phillips Vet
69 Richard Truman Go-Ride
70 Chris Crabtree
71 Andy Sparce
72 Alison Rushton Woman
73 John Rutter Vet
74 Trevor Hutton
75 Jason Miles
76 Richard Durham Team Swift Vet
77 Paul Smithson Vet
78 Jon Bateman
79 Penny Rowson JunWoman
80 John redmond Vet
81 Paul Milsom Calder Clarion
82 Paul Crabtree Vet
83 Ian Small Zodiac C. R. C. vet
84 Julie Barrett Ride on Woman
85 Anita Claydon Sports City Velo Woman
86 Chris Parker Vet
87 John Gore Sports City Velo Vet
88 D Ryder
89 Andy McNabb Vet
90 Kate Whittaker Woman
91 Steven Cavell Condor RC Vet
92 Fred Rothwell Bradford Olympic - Paul Milnes Cycles Vet
93 Len Wolfenden Sports City Velo Vet
94 R Babar
95 Robert Tanner Vet
96 M Turner
97 Mark Andrews Vet
98 R Stansfield
99 Peter Bradford Bradford Olympic - Paul Milnes Cycles Vet
100 Bob Duckworth Bury Clarion Vet
101 Karen Ballentine VetWoman
102 Tim Evans Vet
103 P Hamilton Vet
Youth
1 Scott Woodhead West Pennine
2 Jack Humphreys Lune Valley
3 Nick Barnes Seacroft Wheelers
4 Edwin McParland JD Cycles
5 Jake Womersley East Bradford CC 1st U14
6 Dan Wheaton
7 Billy Harding East Bradford CC
8 Tom Jolly
9 Luke Simpson Leeds St Christopher
10 Edwin Oliver-Evans E Bradford CC
11 Zoe Armstrong Ribble Valley 1st Girl
12 Dylan Robson
13 James Clayton
14 Joe Howard Wakefield Tri
15 James Byron
16 Grant Brotherton
17 Ashley Cltheroe
18 Alex Taylor
19 Claire Gore
20 Nial Oxley
21 Leon Crossley
22 Ewan Bugler
23 James Kaye
Under-12
1 Robert Armstrong
2 Chris Barnes
3 Matthew Walls
4 Joe Parker
5 Warren Speakman
6 Cieran Kerfoot Robson
7 Holly Williams
8 Sky Beagley
9 Brian Barnett
10 George Gray
11 Jason Lange
12 Thomas Lively
Under-10
1 Solomon Kerfoot Robson
2 Sam Hollingsworth
3 TBC
4 Luke Williams
5 Ben Wright
6 Lucy Howard
7 Alfie Ridout
8 Sophie Thackray
9 Adam Nelson
10 Tom Whitworth
11 Jack Dorrington
12 Tom Harrison
13 Thomas Rushton
14 Joe Wright
15 Luke Donanvon
16 Mathew Turner
17 N Stiff
18 Henny Holdman
19 Liley Haygarth
20 Oliver Crabtree
21 Cieren Crabtree
22 TBC
23 Toby Kershaw
24 Kitty Ballintine
25 William Thackray
26 Dillan Crabtree
27 Saul Bateman
28 Greta Oxley