2008 National Senior Track Championships

16-20 September 2008, Manchester Velodrome

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DAY 4 - Thurs, Sept 19

Another Tour de Force from Newton

Points racing and team sprint were the two flavours cooked up on the fourth day of the National Track Championships. And Chris Newton was master-chef once more, giving another textbook demonstration of tactical guile and sheer speed. The women's points title was won by Alex Greenfield in an equally commanding show of talent. Meanwhile in the fast-twitch corner, The North West Region teams made short work of the opposition in both the Men's and Women's categories. Pendleton and Blyth took the women's title, while Christian Lyte, Dave Daniell and Matt Crampton took the men's title.

Women's Team Sprint

The North West Region's Anna Blyth and Victoria Pendleton won the National title beating their Halesowen rivals by almost a second. This followed a restart, after a false start from North West Region's Anna Blyth.

Pendleton and Blyth reached the final by comfortably beating Birkmyre and Gammell before the losers were disqualified for changing outside the changeover zone. Halesowen's Jess Varnish and Helen Scott earned their place in the final beating Ediburgh's Jenny Davies and Charlene Joiner, earning them the bronze medal by default following the earlier disqualification. In the ride-off for 5th place, West Midlands A beat XRT.www.elmcycles.co.uk.

In the gate is World Champion Victoria Pendleton ready to pounce on another Gold medal to add to the World and Olympic ones. At the top of the track is Anna Blyth.

Jess Varnish (inside) and Helen Scott for Halesowen

Jenny Davies and Charlene Joiner

Results

Minor Final
1. West Midlands A 40.082
2. XRT.www.elmcycles.co.uk 43.812

Semi Final 1
1. North West Region 35.132
2. XRT.www.elmycycles.co.uk B 40.933

Semi Final 2
1. Halesowen A&CC 36.106
2. City of Edinburgh 37.113

Final
1. North West Region 35.181
2. Halesowen A&CC 36.063

 

Results - WOMEN TEAM SPRINT QUALIFICATION 
North West Region 34.89
9 Anna Blyth 
70 Victoria Pendleton  
 
Halesowen A&CC 36.239
88 Helen Scott 
101 Jess Varnish 
 
City of Edinburgh RC 37.179
23 Jenny Davies 
46 Charline Joiner 
 
XRT.www.elmycycles.co.uk B 39.314
8 Janet Birkmyre 
32 Caroline Gammell 
 
VC St Raphael 39.811
1 Rusine Airstone 
96 Sarah Storey 
 
West Midlands A 40.487
36 Jo-Anne Harmon 
115 Deborah Capewell 
 
XRT.www.elmycycles.co.uk A 43.618
31 Emilie Fisher 
129 Susie Scorer

Open Team Sprint

The National Title was taken by the North West Region team of Lyte, Crampton and Daniell, with their fastest time of the day, beating City of Edinburgh by more that 2 seconds. The bronze medal was taken by Yatsumitsu Schlapp after Cardiff, who were on a winning ride, were disqualified for an illegal change.

The North West Region team reached the final by beating the Yatsumitsu Schlapp. Christian Lyte got them off to a blistering start and the rest was academic. In the second semi final City of Edinburgh RC narrowly pipped CC Cardiff's team in a contest where both teams improved on their qualifying times.

David Daniel takes over from Christian Lyte as Matt Crampton waits his turn in third wheel.

Yatsumitsu Schlapp

City of Edinburgh

Results - Final
1. North West Region 45.281
2. City of Edinburgh RC 47.591

Result - Bronze Medal Final
1. Yatsumitsu Schlapp
2. CC Cardiff (DSQ)

Result - Semi Final 1
1. North West Region 45.417
2. Yatsumitsu Schlapp 51.467

Result - Semi Final 2
1. City of Edinburgh RC A 47.346
2. CC Cardiff 48.302

 

Results - OPEN TEAM SPRINT QUALIFICATION 
North West Region 45.771
18 Matt Crampton 
21 Dave Daniell 
51 Chris Lyte 
 
City of Edinburgh RC A 48.036
19 Bruce Croall 
40 Matt Haynes 
95 Kevin Stewart  
 
CC Cardiff 49.087
66 Rhydian Page 
67 Mike Partridge 
98 Robin Thompson 
 
Yasumitsu Schlapp 49.383
12 Gwyn Carless 
33 Anthony Gill 
137 Dan Woolfenden 
 
City of Edinburgh B 50.215
10 Jamie Bremner 
90 Toby Sherwood 
91 Callum Skinner 
 
VC St Raphael  52.825
96 Sarah Storey 
41 Dave Heald 
133 Barney Storey 

 

Women's Points

Pinarello's Alex Greenfield showed her class by totally dominating the points race, taking two laps and picking up numerous sprint points, amid a small but classy field. Bikehut's Katie Colclough took silver and Leisure Lake's Ella Sadler Andrew's narrowly pipped Ruby Miller to Bronze.

Katie Colclough was first to show her hand breaking free after just 6 laps, taking top points with Pinarello's Hannah Rich and Alex Greenfield heading the pack home. Colclough gained around half a lap but looked unlikely to gain a lap. She stayed away long enough to take top points in the second sprint. Shortly after she was caught by the field as Alex Greenfield went clear, took the 3rd sprint and gaining a lap and 20 points, jumping to the top of the leaderboard.

At 85 laps to go Katie Coldclough upped the pace and strung out the field momentarily, probing for weakness amongst her rivals. She kicked again just before the bell for sprint 2, but was overwhelmed by Ruby Miller and Lucy Martin.

Katie Colclough and Ruby Miller battling it out in a sprint

Greenfield and Ella Sadler Andrews delivered the sucker-punch and attacked straight after the sprint and gained a second lap and another 20 points, beginning to build what seemed an unassailable lead. Colclough responded immediately with an attack, but couldn't break the elastic. Greenfield's teammate took top points in sprint five with Greenfield adding more points to her already impressive tally.

Approaching half distance, the pace lulled and things got cagy, with Coldclough and Greenfield, leading the contest thus far, keeping a close eye on each other. Ruby Miller attacked just before the whistle provoking a response from Coldclough who won the sprint, clawing back valuable points on Greenfield. All the while though, Sadler Andrews had been picking up points steadily and was now in second overall.

Points at half distance:
1. Alex Greenfield 49
2. Ella Sadler Andrews 22
3. Katie Colclough 21
4. Ruby Miller 13
5. Hannah Rich 9
6. Lucy Martin 9

Colclough just wasn't prepared to take defeat and attacked shortly after, which was like a red rag to a bull for Greenfield who countered and went clear again, claiming the top points in Sprint 7, stretching the points gap to 29 ahead of Sadler Andrews. Colclough went again taking Sadler Andrews with her but the attack didn't last long. Sprint 8 went to Coldclough putting her back into the Silver medal position.

The field was whittled down to 6 riders following the retirement of Katie Fernehough. With 4 sprints remaining, Greenfield looked assured of Gold, provided Andrews or Cloclough didn't take a lap. Greenfield marked Colclough closely, sitting in her wheel, sensing the danger. Greenfield's teamate Hannah Rich jumped clear and was chased down by the pack, headed by Ruby Miller, who took the five points in the next sprint, bringing her within striking distance of a podium place.

The next sprint would be key to deciding the Silver and Bronze positions with only four points between 2nd placed Colclough and 3rd placed Andrews. Miller and Colclough contested the sprint, which was taken by Colclough consolidating her 2nd place. Janet Birkmyre attacked with Greenfield in tow and went around 1/2 a lap clear, limiting the damage her opponents could do to her lead in the penultimate sprint. Greenfield used Birkmyre as a springboard to take the penultimate sprint, stretching her lead and stamping her authority on the race, with a huge 63 points. At 10 laps to go the only position undecided was bronze, with Sadler Andrews and Ruby Miller in the fight, Colclough having slipped behing Ruby. Ruby on the final sprint with Sadler in close attendance, and despite Miller taking the sprint, Sadler Andrews limited her losses and retained 2nd position overall.

Alex Greenfield adding a National Championship to her European ones.

Result - Women's Points Race
1. Alexandra Greenfield Pinarello RT 63pts
2. Katie Colclough Team Halfords Bikehut 39pts
3. Ella Sadler-Andrews Leisure Lakes RT 31pts
4. Ruby Miller BC PM 30pts
5. Hannah Rich Pinarello RT 14pts
6. Janet Birkmyre XRT – elmycycles 6pts
Race time 43 mins 20 secs

Open Points Race

The three riders that dominated the Points race, Chris Newton, Jon Mould and Mark McNally.

Chris Newton took his second national title of the championships, following his demolition job in the Scratch race. Newton looked assured throughout, his tactical nouse and silky style winning him sprint after sprint, controlling the race the way he knows best, from the front.

Joseph Allen was the first to attack breaking away two laps before the first sprint to take top points, provoking an instant reaction from Chris Newton, clearly wanting to control things from the start and taking the 3 points for second place.

The second sprint was taken by Chris Newton, adding to his tally and putting him 2 points clear in the early stages. Rapha Condor's Lloyd led out the next sprint which was again taken by team-mate Newton stretching his lead to 7 points ahead of Evan's Cycles' Joseph Allen. Mark McNally took on the next sprint but Newton was glued to his tail, coming over the top to once again take top points, after which he kept piling on the pressure, splitting the field in two briefly before the pack reformed.

The next sprint came and Newton again took the five points, once again splintering the field and stretching his lead to 15 points. Newton took top points in the next and took three riders away with him, Magnier, McNally and Mould. Magnier lost contact leaving just three. Newton took the five points and gained a lap along with Mould and McNally, seemingly with one hand on the National jersey at just half distance. Newton again went clear with McNally and Mould taking a further 20 points and making it essentially a three horse race, with Newton assured of the top spot, and McNally and Mould set for a ding dong battle for Silver.

Points at 40 laps to go
1. Chris Newton 95
2. Mark McNally 65
3. Jon Mould 57

Newton continued to press home his advantage amassing further points and dragging McNally and Mould around to gain another lap. Magnier took top points at the 30 lap sprint, just pipping Newton, who immediately launched another attack, relentless, despite his commanding lead. Things were still tight between McNally and Mould, with Mould looking stronger than his opponent in the closing stages, taking maximum points with two sprints remaining, edging closer. However it would take a disaster for McNally to lose his second place. The penultimate sprint was taken by Mould, but McNally was in close attendance and limited his losses. McNally had done enough to secure silver, with Newton breaking clear of everyone to take the final sprint and an overwhelming victory.

Olympic Bronze medallist Chris Newton was head and shoulders above the opposition in the Points race.

Results
1. Chris Newton Rapha Condor Recycling 110pts GOLD MEDAL
2. Mark McNally 100% ME 71pts SILVER MEDAL
3. Jon Mould Agiskoviner.com 67pts BRONZE MEDAL
4. Andrew Magnier Brooks Cycles  -1pt
5. Adam Duggleby Shorter Rochford RT -26pts
6. Alistair Rutherford Science In Sport.com   -33pts
Race Time 51 mins 31 secs