Report: Sussex Track League

Report: Gavin Smith

Images: Dan Dunbar

Seventy riders, sunny weather, great competition. The usual ingredients of a typical Sussex League meet were in place at Preston Park, Brighton, for the second evening's racing of the season. There was also a healthy sprinkling of new riders, including VC Londres star Bryan Taylor, looking just as fit and determined as ever and making the sparks fly with his own aggressive brand of racing. What caused a certain amount of consternation among the Sussex faithful, however, was the sight of several riders on turbos between events - it appears that some competitors are now taking the racing very seriously.

Above: Bryan Taylor leads Felix English

SENIORS

Taylor's presence was always likely to spice up the racing - and indeed it did. James McCarron, Anthony Rogers and Matthew Wise broke away near the start of the traditional 8-lap opener, but this venture was short-lived as Taylor, together with Felix English and Charlie Heffernan, accelerated at the front of the bunch. This trio initially gained a useful gap, but Mark Burgess, Phil Smith, Martyn Potter and Brock Duncumb-Rogers (among others) helped deny them further freedom and they in turn were brought back. By now, the race was well and truly in overdrive and weaker riders were being ejected from the back of the peloton. Young Ben Miller tried his luck on the penultimate lap, but the stakes were too high for any gifts (6 league points) and it was "eyeballs out" at the bell. Into the finishing straight, Taylor and English were fighting out a terrific duel for the win, and it was the former who got the better of his young rival. Potter took third, and Miller, Duncumb-Rogers and Burgess were the next over the line.

Above: English again mixing it with Lee Povey

The first sprint competition of the year threw up no upsets in the heats, with English, Burgess and Potter all bagging their berths in the final along with Euro Masters champion Lee Povey and Paul Gosling and Driss Jones. Before the final, the minor final for one league point was a close-run affair, Charlie Heffernan just outsprinting Phil Smith with Nick Smith third.

The previous week, Povey and English had treated spectators to a thrilling sprint finish in one race, with the latter just getting the verdict by 10 centimetres or so. This was a different matter, though, with six riders in the mix. In the back straight, the speed was increasing noticeably, then with 200 metres to go Potter took up the lead chased by Povey. Around the final bend, Povey moved ahead but with English advancing on his outside. With 50 metres remaining, Povey was still holding on to his lead, but his advantage was decreasing by the metre. Just before the line, the duo were neck-and-neck, but it was English who got the verdict by around half-a-wheel from Povey. They were followed home by Burgess, Jones, Gosling and Potter. Afterwards, Povey was upbeat, looking forward to the upcoming national masters sprint championships in July as well as his title to defend in the Euro championships later that month - not to mention the important matter of the Preston Park sprint championships on 17 June.

Commissaire Dr Rob Fuller laid on 6-lap devil/scratch races for B and A seniors, with 4 laps ridden as a devil-take-the-hindmost and the final two circuits run as a scratch event for the survivors. The B race saw some very close calls in the devil section, but the bunch remained together. At the bell, Lea Denison had a reasonable lead, but by the finish he was back in the pack, as master tactician Anthony Rogers took the win ahead of Andy Parle, Mark Mergler, Nigel Foskett, John Powell and Nick Smith. The parallel A race stayed together throughout, and at the line it was again Taylor who thundered through in front of English, followed by Jones, Potter, Heffernan and Duncumb-Rogers.

Despite the efficiency of the officials and the co-operation of all riders, fading light ruled out the running of the planned dashes, leaving just one final senior race, the unknown distance event. Elliot Tabraham-Dowers tried an opportunistic attack early on, and although he was eventually brought back he did profit with a ?5 prime win. The second prime was won by Charlie Heffernan, then at the bell it was Bryan Taylor who scooped the money. Behind him, however, Felix English had his thoughts set very much on the winner's six league points and he duly secured these with a fine sprint to end the senior racing for the evening. Taylor was runner-up and Gosling came third, and next were Miller, Heffernan and Mergler.

On the night, English and Taylor enjoyed two wins each, but in the overall league it is English who reigns supreme among the As. With the new "5 wins and you're promoted" rule, Andy Parle still leads the B league, with a tally of two triumphs so far. Surely only some serious plotting and teamwork by his rivals can stop him taking B league victory - or will they be happy to let him win and see him disappear into the A ranks?

YOUTHS

The youth scene at Preston Park is ultra-healthy with a regular total of at least 40 riders taking part, all enthusiastic and visibly enjoying the friendly but serious racing. The hardest weekly task rests with the chief commissaire, who has to select the most deserving youth rider for the ?5 cash prize. This week, three or four youngsters were under consideration, but overall the decision quite rightly went to Spencer Thomas for his impressive break and win in the U12 scratch race (see below).

U16/U14

U16 Elliot Tabraham-Dowers and U14 Ashley Dennis were the duo in control of the joint 4-lap scratch race, keeping the others in check throughout. With no actual breakaways, it was down to a final sprint won by Elliot with Ashley second, followed by the fast-improving U16 Jack Oliver-Blaney in a tremendous third place. Next in line were U14s Emily Barnes, Amy Jacobs and Sara Gent.

Six laps awaited the riders in their next scratch race. The pace increased as the race went on, and several riders succumbed to the tempo and were jettisoned from the back. Up front, it stayed together, and at the line Elliot was once more the victor, with Ashley second, and Emily grabbing third with a fine turn of speed. Jack was next, followed by Milo Burdeau in fifth and Sara sixth.

Totally new for this age-group was the 6-lap devil/scratch, but they took to it as if they had always ridden this sort of race. As it happened, it was a case of history repeating itself, the finish line-up reading Elliot, Ashley, Emily, Jack, Kim and Sara.

U12

Spencer Thomas made no mistake in the 3-lap scratch race, putting himself at the head of affairs from the start, dominating the event and finishing alone, banking the weekly £5 pocket-money in the process. A very good ride from Amy Barnes secured her second spot, then it was Megan Lewis, Drew Miller-Hyndman, Harris Redgrove and Will Paine. Amy Barnes got her revenge on Spencer in the 2-lap dash with a powerful sprint, and behind them Megan took another third place, Harris was fourth, Amy Smith fifth and Drew sixth. Harris made good use of his allowance to win the block handicap, Amy Smith rode very well to come second, and next to cross the line were Will Paine, Celia Jenkins, Ben O'Brien and Spencer Thomas.

U10/U8

After a re-start, the joint 1-lapper got underway safely and the sprint was won by Joe Hill, ahead of Harry Stacey and Cory Anderson, then last year's U8 league winner Bethany Lewis, Sam Booth and Nicholas Wickens. First three U8s were Michael Wickens, Evelyn Parle and Dominic Kazlauskas. The individual handicap race was won by Sam Barnes who stormed in ahead, while Stanley Earthrowl-Gould and Evelyn Parle were next in line. Stanley secured victory in the block handicap in front of Harry and Evelyn.

Related: Report: Sussex Track League Round 1