Event Report: Wessex League Round 11

Southampton Sports Centre, Sunday 4th January 2009
Report and Images: Graham Robins

Posted: 5th January 2009

A return to Southampton sports centre for the penultimate round of the Wessex league. One week away from the Nationals, some riders were looking for form and others were hoping to maintain what they had. The event was promoted by Hargroves Cycles that once again provided a large entry.

Main Race

Stuart Bowers (Hargroves Cycles) led the team of five team mates home. This is Stuart's second win in the holiday period, and he hasn't even been on a bike in the ten days in between due to ill health. Stuart was pushed all the way to the finish by team mate Matt Macdonald who while exiting the last corner 'dropped' his bike leaving Stuart to coast home unchallenged. 

Above: Senior race winner Stuart Bowers

The usual charge away was contested by a red wave, and the first couple of laps were fairly close. Then Matt and Stuart pulled away and settled into a race of their own right to the finish. Luke Gray was first junior and an excellent 4th overall. Andrew Shaw (MI Endura) was the first vet home in 6th, with Claire Smith (Swindon RC) the first women home in 45th and claiming the Wessex League title.

Above: Junior winner Luke Gray

Youth

Above: Action from early in the Youth race 

The day started cold and frosty for the youth race. The course was hard under wheel but quite slippery. Six riders contested this race with Jonathan Dibben (I-Team CE ) winning with Harvey Lowe(GA Cycles) in second and Rob Yateman (Oxion RC) in third and clinching the  Wessex title.
  

U12
 

Above: U12 action

Another large field for the U12 race proved there is a big future for Cyclo-cross in the Wessex League. The win was taken Jack Phillips (Chapel Tristars) who had already sewn up the series prior to the race.

Rider Quotes

Jonathan Dibben (First Youth): "I started well, going for it today with the nationals in a week. The course was frozen over which made it quick. I got a good start with Rob (Yateman) also making a good start. I followed him for a bit then I got past and so did Harvey (Lowe). With the course zig- zagging I was able to see where they were. I'm looking forward to the nationals it been a target for me.".

Stuart Bowers (First overall): "A case of going through the motions today. I have been ill with a chesty cough all week. I have been laid up all week watching DVD's and sitting by the fire, trying to get rid of this cough ahead of the nationals. Being our own event and living close by it would off been rude not to race today. It was a shame Matt couldn't make it a sprint finish to entertain the crowd. Matt's been riding really well lately but I knew I had enough left if it came to a sprint. Looking forward to next week providing i can shake the rest of this cough".
 

Matt Macdonald (Second overall): I got caught out by a lapped rider and Stuart got away, never mind. Looking forward to the Nationals next week".

Above: The Red Wave in full effect - Matt Macdonald left and Stuart Bowers right  'lapping the BOSS' and event promoter Pete Hargroves
 

The final round of the Wessex League is in a couple of week's time, Saturday 17th January 2009: Promoted by Reading All Terrain MBC & AW Cycles at Ashenbury Park, Tippings Lane, Woodley, Reading, RG5 4RX. Under 12s 10:00 (free), Youth 10:30 (£7.00), Sen/Jun/Vet/Women 11:30 am (£11.00). Organiser is Stephen Jones, telephone: 0118 931 3139.

The Wessex Cyclo- cross annual League 2008/2009 prize presentation and skittles evening will take place at the Mortimer Arms Hotel, Ower, near Southampton on Saturday 28th February. Tickets are available at £10 each, £5 for u16 which includes a buffet meal and the skittles. There will of course be the usual prize draw and bar. Tickets are available from Kerie Wallace, telephone 07850 172929 or e-mail kerie.wallace@trant.co.uk.

Results

Senior, Junior, Womens and Vets

1 Stuart Bowers (S) Hargroves Cycles
2 Matt Macdonald (S) Hargroves Cycles
3 Mike Groves (S) Hargroves Cycles
4 Luke Gray (J) Hargroves Cycles
5 Mike Warner (S) Hargroves Cycles
6 Andy Shaw (V) MI Endura
7 Sean Williams (S) Wightlink RT
8 Peter Dibben (J) Hargroves Cycles
9 Steve James (J) Mountain TraXRT
10 Gary Allan (V) GA Cycles
11 Andrew Gough (S) Portswood Cycles
12 Malcolm Cross (S)(V) Hargroves Cycles
13 Sam Allen (U23) NHRC
14 W Girvan (V) NHRC
15 Garry Clark (V) Banjo Cycles
16 Dave McMullen (V50) Evans Cycles
17 Andy Powell (S) Hargroves Cycles
18 Andy Hargroves (J) Hargroves Cycles
19 Andy Roberts (GV) Evans Cycles
20 Robin Wilmott (S) GA Cycles
21 James Cotty (S) GA Cycles
22 Tim Costello (V45) Southdown Velo
23 Darren Morrisson (S) Swindon RC
24 Karl Norfolk (S) Pedalon.co.uk
25 James Astbury (J) DHC
26 Peter Hargroves (V50) Hargroves Cycles
27 Martin Tuckey (S) Dorset FRS
28 Matt Steven (S) High Wycombe CC
29 Jason Painton (S) Behind Bars Cycles
30 Steve Jones (V45) AWCycles.co.uk
31 Kevin Blann (V) Team Rose Blann
32 Anthony Dyment (V) North Hants RC
33 Stuart Gough (V) Portswood Cycles
34 Neil Cooper (S) AWCycles.co.uk
35 Robert Tutt (V) GS Europa
36 Ian Macdonald (V50) Hargroves Cycles
37 Peter Bolke (V) DHC
38 Andy Smith (V45) Swindon RC
39 Neville Luxton (S) Swindon RC
40 Jon Stump (V) Swindon RC
41 N Page (S)
42 Dave Adams (S) Wight Mountain
43 David Jowett (V45) Chapel Tristars
44 Martin Dymond (V45) GA Cycles
45 Claire Smith W Swindon RC
46 Gordon Scott (V40) Chippenham + District Wh
47 Nigel Hillier (V) GA Cycles
48 Vince Stone (V) Pri MLM
49 Geoff Booker (V60) Oxonian CC
50 Raymond Claridge (S) Crabwood CC
51 Nigel Eades (V) Gillingham Wheeler
52 S G Dines (V50) Wight Mountain
53 Paul Martin (S) Vectis RCC
54 Matt Allum (S)
55 Glenn Panton (S) Owens Cycles
56 Martin Ward (GV) Sotonia CC
57 A Halman (SL) Swindon RC
58 D Murphy (S) Team Axion
59 Lauren Barber (WJ) BJW
60 John Burrows (V45) Poole Wheelers
DNF Martin Evans (V45) Didcot

Youth

1 Jon Dibben (U16) I-Team CE
2 Harvey Lowe (U14) GA Cycles
3 Rob Yeotman (U16) Oxonian CC
4 Leon Mander (U14) Chapel TriStars
5 Isaac Staft (U16) Swindon RC
6 Conner Taylor (U14)
7 Hazel Jowett (U14) Chapel TriStars
8 Sebastian Eades (U13) 

U12

1 Jack Phillips (U12) Chapel Tristars
2 Robin Gronbech (U12) Oxford City RC
3 Edward Gronbech (U10) Oxford City RC
4 Zoe Sheehan (U12) SRC
5 Matthew Ashman (U12) Chapel TriStars
6 Katie Compton (U12) Swindon RC
7 Susannah Moore (U12) Swindon RC
8 Marcus Jones (U12) Swindon RC
9 Rebecca Hurst (U12) Poole Wheelers
10 Ellis Jones (U8) Swindon RC
11 Seren Jones (U10) Swindon RC
12 Ryan Hodgkyns (U10)
13 Laura Groves (U12) Hargroves Cycles
14 Chloe Eades (U9)
15 Tyler Smith (U8) Swindon RC
16 Nathan Jowett (U12) Chapel Tristart
17 Natalie Moore (U8) Swindon RC
18 Lucy Burrows (U12) Poole Wheelers
DNF Share Griffiths (U12) Swindon RC
DNF Callum Ashley (U8)