Report- Iceland Track attack Newport 14/11/09
Posted: 16/11/09
Pictures: Ian Cooke/For the full event gallery, click the link - more>>>
Once again Newport Velodrome was treated to some fantastic racing action with the final round of Iceland backed Track Attack series. Young riders from all over Wales converged on the Velodrome to do battle for the final overall series positions. With the events being aimed to cater for riders of all abilities you would be forgiven for thinking that the standard was high enough that you could have been watching a National omnium event.
Under 8's
Events were set underway with the 500mtr TT and first up were the Youth E riders. Rhys Thomas (Aber RC), Owain Roberts (Towy) and Huw Higgins - Worrall (Aber RC) began their event long battle with Rhys Thomas taking the first event with a time of 53.41 ahead of Owain Roberts 53.56 and Worrall close behind with a time off 54.25.
With the 500mtr TT over it was onto the endurance events and the 1km Pursuit. With a four rider format being adopted for the event there was more incentive for the riders to chase down the rider in front of them. Rhys Thomas was the quickest rider to get up to speed and settle into a good smooth rhythm. This would help him to post the fastest time of 1.44.13 with Owain Roberts in 2nd 1.45.36, 3rd Worall in 1.49.03 and in his first full endurance event on a Veldodrome young Ryan Phillips (Maindy) in an impressive time of 1.50.54
Rhys Thomas in action
With the individual events over there was only the scratch race left to decide the overall positions for the round and series. Rhys Thomas with two wins under his belt was going to be the man to beat and this meant that he was the marked man. Hugh Higgins Worrall used this to his advantage in final stages to take 1st place in the sprint followed closely by Owain Roberts. The top 3 produced one of the best races of the day and all three riders will be names to watch in the future. With two wins and a third Thomas would win the days overall and put himself at the top of overall series standings.
Under 10's
The under 10's took to the boards with James and Sam Tillet looking to continue their strangle hold over the series standings. In the first event of the 500mtr TT, James would post the fastest time of the day with a 45.38, Sam came in with a time of 47.87 to claim third and separating the two was Tomos Owens in 45.47.
In the pursuit it was a battle between the same top three boys with Tomos Owens getting the better of the Tillets in a time of 1.31.41 followed by James and then Sam Tillet. This would make the final scratch race event the decider for the rounds overall positions between Tomos and James.
The scratch race set off a good pace with the two riders of Tomos and James not letting each other out their sights. 3 laps to go and pace was building quickly. Tomos with a strong finish just pipped James to the line to take 1st place and the rounds 1st overall.
James Tillet
The girls were headed up by the strong Bethany Maunders of Newport Velo in the 500mtr TT with a time of 47.72. Emily Tillet was not going to let her brothers take all the limelight coming in 2nd place with a time of 48.78.
Bethany Maunders (Newp Velo), Lowri Thomas (Aber RC) and Emily Tillet would have a day long battle in all of their events. Bethany strength took to the win in the Pursuit but when it came to the scratch race the experience of Lowri Thomas would see her finish well up with the boys and cross the line first out of the girls followed by team mate Megan James and in 3rd Emily Tillet. Bethany Maunders was in fourth place but this was still enough to get her the 1st overall position for the round.
Lowri Thomas
Under 12's
Dylan Cardukes (Newport Velo) has been dominant throughout the Iceland Series and with the Newport round being his first event since a serious illness you would have expected him to struggle for the form he has shown in previous rounds.
This clearly was not going to be the case as he set the fastest times in both the 500mtr TT and the pursuit with the impressive times of 42.47 for the 500mtr TT, 1.24.84 1km Pursuit.
Harry Lock (Maindy) and Brett Nethell (Towy) were locked in battle for the 2nd and 3rd positions in the first two events with Harry Lock posting two fast times of 44.41 and 1.25.84 two finish ahead of Brett in both events.
With the series overall standings already decided it was down to the scratch race to decide the overall standings for the round. In an attacking race the top three riders were not willing to let each other move without jumping immediately onto the wheel. Bell lap and Dylan Cordukes hit the front on the back straight with a fast finishing Harry lock on his wheel. Round the final bend and it was neck and neck, Harry lock on the outside and going the long way around just managed to put a final kick in to finish a bike length ahead of Dylan.
In the U12 girls competition Emily Haycox (Maindy) dominated all 3 events to take the overall round win from Molly Maunders (Newport Velo) and Cori Robbins (Newport Velo).
Emily Haycox leads the group
Under 14's
In the Under 14's boys category, young star Max Nethell (Towy) took 1st place in all 3 of his events and ran away with the rounds overall win. Zac May and Tristin Robbins both of Newport Velo would fill the 2nd and 3rd spots for all 3 events and that is how they would finish in the rounds overall standings.
The trend of the same 3 riders finishing in the same positions for each event and the overall round positions was continued in the girls category. Ellie Coster would dominate all 3 events with Olivia Griffitths in 2nd and Abi Jones in 3rd.
Under 16's
In the under 16 boys, the impressive and strong Matt Haase (VC St Raphael) dominated all three of his events to walk away with the rounds overall standings and the Iceland Championship.
For the remaining places on the podium there was a fierce battle between Sean Wheddon, Jack Webb and Freddie Lewton.
Freddie Lewton looked set to take 2nd overall for the round ahead of the final event, the scratch race but a 6th place meant that Sean Wheddon would leap frog him with a 2nd place in the scratch race giving him enough points for the 2nd overall spot for the round.
Matt Haase
The under 16 girls events were dominated by Sarah Crowley (AJAX). Her style and strength would see her post times that would have placed her highly in the boys competition. Sarah has had a superb year and the overall Iceland Series win has capped off a great season.
Sarah Crowley
The 2009 Iceland Track Attack series winners
Iceland Series Overall Winners
Rhys Thomas - u8's
James Tillet - u10's
Bethany Maunders - u10's Girls
Dylan Cardukes - u12's
Molly Maunders - u12's Girls
Max Nethell - u14's
Olivia Grffiths - u14's Girls
Richard Seymour - u16's
Sarah Crowley - u16's Girls
Welsh Cycling would firstly like to thank Iceland for their continued sponsorship of the series.
Welsh Cycling would especially like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped to make all of the events in the series possible. Without your help and support these events will not be possible. Also a huge thank you to the riders for putting on a great display of racing throughout the series and we hope to see everyone back next year.
Welsh Cycling will be running the IceBreaker series in 2010 for youth A,B and C riders.
Please click the link for entry details: more>>>
Click link below to download the omnium standings from the Newport round:
20091116_IcelandNewportRound3Results_141109
Click link below to download overall standings spreadsheet:
20091113_Iceland_Onium_Overall_standings
Gallery by Ian Cooke - more>>>
Harry Lock
Tomos Owens
Rhys Truscott
Olivia Griffiths
Sean Wheddon
Matt Haase
Carmarthen TA round 2-3, 27th September 09
Full report and images to follow
Report - Iceland Trophy Maindy 1-3
It was a fantastic start to the Iceland Trophy Series at Maindy on Saturday.
The clubs were out in force to put their stamp on the series right from the first event, with all local youth clubs entered in the under 8 category.
Maindy Flyers Elynor Backsteadt showed good form in the Pursuit, mixing it up with the boys, but it was a close race for 1st position between the two Abergavenny boys Huw Higgins-Worrell and Rhys Thomas. Both were closely followed by Towy Rider’s Joe Nethall.
This battle continued through the sprint and the scratch race with the victory finally going to Backsteadt in the female under 8 category and Rhys Thomas in the males.
The Under 10 category was as usual the most competitive with the biggest field of riders.
The main competition was between the Tillet brothers Sam and James from Newport Velo, with each winning events. Finally it was James that came out on top winning the overall omnium closely followed by his brother Sam – Abergavenny RC’s Nathan Ford rounding off the top three.
The female under 10’s also took it down to the wire with both Megan James and Bethany Maunders taking victories in the scratch and sprint race. When the points were counted at the end it was the little sister of double Junior World Champion Becky James who powered through to take the glory. Newport Velo’s Bethany Maunders cruised into the silver position with another Abergavenny rider Lowri Thomas in third.
In the under 12 boys Dylan Cordukes showed fantastic grit and determination winning all 3 events! This made him the clear winner leaving the rest to battle out for 2nd and 3rd position. It was Towy’s Brett Nethall that managed to sneak a second place followed by Thomas Finn (Newport Velo) for 3rd.
In the ladies it was complete domination by Maindy Flyers with Megan Barker continuing her great form after her 3rd place recently at Youth Nationals. Second place was decided on the final race between Newport Velo’s Cori Robbins and Molly Maunders. The team mates battled hard with victory finally going to Robbins with a fantastic scratch race.
The under 14’s boys category was fought out between Cwmcarn Paragon’s Robbie Westwood and Newport Velo’s Matt Cross, both of whom are competing this weekend in the UK School Games along with the female under 14 winner Amy Hill who showed fantastic form going into the Games.
Westwood and Hill both cruised to victory closely followed by Cross and Olivia Griffiths (Towy Riders) with another Cwmcarn rider Owain Thomas making it a three way battle for third place.
Matt Haase showed why he is one of the favourite competing at the UK School Games by winning all three of his events, along with ‘The Sprinter’ Sarah Crowley in the under 16s. Louisa Bryant took the silver in the ladies event with the male second place going to new comer from Cardiff Ajax’s Richard Seymour. Third place was given to William Worrall after a fantastic race from the Towy Riders in the scratch.