Results: Disability Grand Prix of Wales
Disability Grand Prix of Wales 2008
Wales National Velodrome
Monday 12th May
For details of results from the Disability Grand Prix of Wales, please download the results pdf file (250kb): Download
Once again the Disability Grand Prix of Wales attracted top riders from around the World to Newport for a very exciting evening of Competition. Teams and riders from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Germany, Italy, Ireland and GB squad and club riders mingled in a very busy and extremely warm track centre.
A fantastic evening was in store with nine "World Best" times being set over the evening of competition.
Busy track centre for Grand Prix with seven Nations competing
The event was kicked off with one of the newest riders taking a lap of honour. The 11 year old LC3 rider has been on the bike for only 5 weeks and is showing great promise to be a competitive rider of the future.
Newport Velo's latest rider
The racing started with a flying 200m for all riders, which was appreciated by all especially those who have seen the event removed from their Paralympic events.
200m FS TT Female
Greta Neimanans was the first riders up to kick-off the evening and recorded a time13.819. 
Natalie Simanowski on her way to set the first "World Best" of the evening
The first "World Best" of the evening was set by Natalie Simanowski of Germany in a time of 14.729 taking seven tenths off the previous record.
The Kiwi's Jayne Parsons and Annalisa Farrell prepare to take-off on their flying 200m
200m FS TT Male
Jody Cundy gets out of the saddle in his flying 200m
What an event this turned out to be with not one but three "World Bests" being achieved by the field of seventeen riders. The two riders from Germany, Erich Winkler and Pierre Senska (both LC4), started the charge, with Pierre firstly setting a "World Best" of 15.032 taking off seven tenths of a second off the World Record time only to see Erich his fellow countrymen shave another two tenths off with a time of 14.836.
Erich Winkler on his way to a new "World Best" time in the 200m
The next "World Best" went to Great Britain, with Darren Kenny (CP3) shaving under his own World Record of 12.530 with a 12.497 for the flying 200m.
1000/500m TT LC Categories Male/Female
LC1
With the largest field of all the classifications at the event the LC1 male was a close contest with Germany's Woolfgang Sacher setting a 1.11.848, only to be beaten by his German team mate Mario Hammer who completed his kilo in 1.11.017.
In the women's 500m Greta Neimanans completed the 500m in 41.690
LC2
Present LC2 World Kilo Champion Jody Cundy focuses on the countdown
LC3
Simon Richardson couldn't repeat his "World Best" from the World Cup the previous week recording a 1.19.222, whilst Germany's Natalie Simanowski showed she was on form just missing the World Record time by 18/100ths of a second to set a time of 44.979.
LC4
The German team mates Winkler and Senska were within a tenth of a second of each other over the 1000m.
1000/500m TT CP Categories Male/Female
Current CP3 World Kilo Champion Darren Kenny on his way to his second "World Best" of the night
In the CP3 category Jayme Paris of Australia proved to strong for America's Barbara Buchan setting a time of 48.826, whilst GB's Darren Kenny - the reigning World Champion - set his second "World Best" of the event with a 1.11.892.
Disability Sport Wales Academy rider James Brookman (U14) set 3 new PB's on the night
Disability Sport Wales Academy rider James Brookman (U14) set a new personal best for the kilo with a 1.30.278. It was Ireland's Edna Smyth who took the CP4 honours with a 1.16.633, beating Richard Davies.
Tandem Match Sprints
Tyrell (U16) and Thomas on the Welsh tandem prepare for battle with the Irish
There is nothing better than tandem sprinting to please the crowds and with a three-up reportage the spectators in Newport had plenty of excitement to watch. The two Irish tandems managed to hold onto the third and forth places after a scare in the first round where the Wales pairing of Nathan Tyrell and Rhys Thomas beat them by a wheel on the line.
Tyrell (U16) and Thomas coming through to take the Irish on the line
Over four rounds the German pairing of Jan Ratzke and Ralf Arnold proved too strong for the Austrlain duo of Ben MacFie and Lindsay McMaster.
3000/4000m Pursuits LC Categories Male/Female
Once more it was Germany's Natalie Simanowski in the LC3 categories leading the way with her second "World Best" of the night, setting a time of 4.13.482.
The competition was strong across the four categories, but it was the LC4 men and the German duo of Winkler and Senska that stole the show. Once more taking World Best times with Erich first setting a 4.26.254 only to see Pierre once more and for the final time of the evening set a World Best time of 4.24.322. What a performance from the two German riders.
3000m Pursuits CP Categories Male/Female
GB's Darren Kenny missed out on his hat-trick of World Bests by just of four tenths of a second, settling for a 3.43.184 in the 3000m pursuit.
Ireland's Edna Smyth finished his 3000m in 4.03.866 and Wales' James Brookman (U14) completed the hat-trick of personal best for the evening.
Barbara Buchan enjoying her first trip to Wales
Barbara Buchan from the USA reversed the result of the kilo against Jayme Paris from Australia setting a women's time of 4.45.773, showing she has a preference for the endurance events.
3000/4000m Pursuits BVI Categories Male/Female
Ireland's Catherine Walsh and Joanna Hickey straight from their Bronze medal at the Paralympic World Cup, were pushed hard by the first time pairing of Janet Newman and Becki Rimmington holding off a strong attack to complete the 3000m in 4.02.638 with the GB pair close behind.
Sharpe and Hunter overhaul the Irish competition
In the men's 4km event the GB pairing of Ian Sharpe and Paul Hunter proved to strong Irish paring of Michael Delany and David Peelo catching them in the tenth lap.
10k Scratch Race
GB's Darren Kenny goes on the break
One of the highlights of every Wales Grand Prix is the final event of the evening, a 10km scratch race for all LC and CP riders.
This year was no exception with Darren Kenny and Russ White from GB making a number of breaks only to be hauled back by the eventual winner from Germany Wolfgang Sacher.
Presentations
Young Drew receives one of the handcycles from the Rev Malcolm Lane JP of Monmouthshire Freemasons, whilst Welsh Culture Minister for Heritage Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM and Newport Velo Coach Neil Smith look on
Newport Velo's successful disability program received a very welcome donation from the Freemasons of Monmouthshire at the Disability Grand Prix of Wales.
Having previously donated a tandem to the clubs disability program the members of the Province of Monmouthshire showed their continued support to disability cycling with the very generous gift of two performance handcycles. The new handcycles will allow the club to further expand its disability program and assist greatly in the training, development and competition use for future Paralympic handcyclists.
Trophies presented by VIP Guests Jon Morgan Executive Director Disability Sport Wales and Alan Davis Chairman Welsh Cycling.
Left - BVI Female Catherine Walsh and Joanna Hickey, Right - LC3 Female Natalie Simanowski
Left - BVI Male Ben MacFie & Lindsay McMaster, Right - CP3 Male Darren Kenny
Left - CP4 Male Edna Smyth, Right - LC1 Male Woolfgang Sacher
Left - LC2 Male Jody Cundy, Right - LC3 Male Simon Richardson
Left - LC4 Male Erich Winkler, Right - Spirit Award, Nathan Tyrell and Rhys Thomas
