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Welwyn Open Grass Track Meeting
Story posted August 3, 2010; The Sele School, Welwyn Road, Hertford Sunday 1 August 2010 | Thanks to Simon Layfield and Sophie Bruton (Team Welwyn)
Top Class Track Racing comes to Hertford
The season long British Cycling National Short Distance and Endurance Grass Track Series both featured in the Team Welwyn Open Grass Track Meeting at Hertford on Sunday. The events attracted a top class field that producing some stunningly fast racing over an afternoon that saw riders working hard to consolidate Series positions, with only one round of each now remaining.
First up was the Short Distance Series 800M Scratch Race, led at the start of racing by Phil Lisher of the promoting club, after convincing wins in the Ipswich BC and Brentwood rounds of the Series. Phil was on storming form again, enjoying the extremely fast conditions on the superb Sele Track and securing a win over evergreen John McClelland (Agiskoviner), Tim Snook (Ipswich BC) and Gavin Daley (VCD Lincoln). Phil Lisher now appears to have an unassailable lead in the season long competition with only the Mildenhall Rally round in late August yet to be decided.
In the 8km Endurance Series event, Series leader Richard Lambert (Chesterfield Coureurs) was not present and second placed in the leaders table, Bryan Taylor (VC Londres) was entered but unable to take part on the day. However, this gave an ideal opportunity for third and fourth placed in the Series, Matthew Fenton, Chesterfield Coureurs and Phil Lisher, Team Welwyn, to try and move up the rankings.
The event was run at a phenomenally fast pace taking only 13.11 to complete with a break of six forming after about seven laps were completed. The break, consisting of Fenton, Lisher, McClelland, Daley, Andrew Ballentyne (Easterley CC) and Simon Daw (Sudbury CC) quickly established a commanding lead although they were being chased hard by a group of a further six riders.
As the race drew towards the final stages, the pace proved too much for Simon Daw and he dropped from the leading group with the remaining five locked together and working well until an attack from Lisher at the bell saw him force open a small gap with McClelland on his wheel. Into the home straight, Lisher paid for the effort as McClelland glided by to take the win, Lisher second from fast finishing Matthew Fenton and Gavin Daley.
In the Women’s 8km run in conjunction with the Men’s event, Susan Wood (Maldon & District) was a clear winner from Karen Lifford (Team VC Nottingham) and Amy Willoughby (Chesterfield Coureurs).
Madison
The Men’s Madison proved an interesting race with McClelland extending his winning streak as he and his partner Richard Jackson (Colchester Rovers) took a clear points lead from the Lisher and Daw pairing, while Simon Layfield (Team Welwyn) and Gavin Daley were a worthy third. Unfortunately broken spokes created a problem for one pairing with Spalding CC’s Graham McAndrew falling heavily and requiring first aid for some cuts and abrasions. We wish him a speedy recovery. In the Senior Devil, John McClelland again took first place ahead of Phil Lisher and Matthew Fenton.
The Men’s Unknown Distance held over 3,200 metres proved to be just the thing for Simon Layfield of the promoting team. Recovering from a back injury that decimated his 2009 season, Simon looked to be regaining his former Grass Track form as he stormed home for the win ahead of Gary Wood (Maldon & District) and Peter Lifford (Becontree Wheelers). The Women’s Unknown Distance saw Susan Wood take the honours ahead of Karen Lifford and Amy Willoughby.
Well supported Youth Racing provided some exciting events with the opening Time Trial over 400 metre won by Andrew Leveton (Ashwell CC) from Keiran Brady (Ely & District CC) and Ben Bailey (Welwyn Wheelers), while the Under 12 Race was taken by James Jackson (Colchester Rovers). Translating the TT results into an 800M Handicap resulted in a fast and furious race with a select group of the Youth Under 16 riders just overhauling the long markers in the final straight, the win going to Keiran Brady ahead of Edd Goater (Ashwell CC) and Ben Bailey.
Freewheeler Racing joined the Team Welwyn Open Grass Track Meeting programme for the first time, with a super fast seven year old, Colin Mantle of Mildenhall CC dominating the racing throughout and showing a clean paid of wheels to Laurence Lisher and Phoebe Lisher (both Team Welwyn) in all the events, excepting the bike pushing skills test where Laurence came through for the win ahead of Phoebe.
The Finale of the day was the Musical Hoops Extravaganza featuring three world hoop racing champions, all of whom were, regrettably, knocked out in the relatively early stages of the contest. Fighting out the finish, after John McClelland had been booed to the rafters for trying to eliminate seven year old Colin Mantle from the race, were Phil Lisher, George Wood and Laurence Lisher with Laurence running out the winner by inches from George after a tussle for the final hoop.
A superb afternoon’s racing with great sportsmanship and good spirits shown by all the riders, the clement weather and super fast track conditions adding to the enjoyment of the day.
RESULTS
BC National Grass Track Short Distance Series
Men's 800 Metre Scratch Heats
Heat 1 1.14
1 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
2 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC
3 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
4 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn
Heat 2 1.16
1 Tim Snook Ipswich BC
2 Tom Gosbee Team Welwyn
3 Gary Wood Maldon & District
4 Richard Jackson Colchester Rovers
Heat 3 1.17
1 John McClelland Agiskoviner
2 Matthew Fenton Chesterfield Coureurs
3 Peter Lifford Becontree Wheelers
4 Pete Whelan Plomesgate CC
Heat 4 1.15
1 Gavin Daley VC Lincoln
2 Daniel Zagni Ipswich BC
3 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
4 Graham McAndrew Spalding CC
Men's 800 Metre Scratch Repechage
Heat 1 1.19
1 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
2 Gary Wood Maldon & District
3 Pete Whelan Plomesgate CC
4 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn
Heat 2 1.18
1 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
2 Peter Lifford Becontree Wheelers
3 Graham McAndrew Spalding CC
4 Richard Jackson Colchester Rovers
Men's 800 Metre Scratch Semi-finals
Heat 1 1.12
1 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
2 Matthew Fenton Chesterfield Coureurs
3 Gavin Daley VC Lincoln
4 Tom Gosbee Team Welwyn
5 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
Heat 2 1.13
1 Tim Snook Ipswich BC
2 Daniel Zagni Ipswich BC
3 John McClelland Agiskoviner
4 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC
5 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
Men's 800 Metre Scratch Minor-Final 1.16
7 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC
8 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
9 Tom Gosbee Team Welwyn
10 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
Men's 800 Metre Scratch Final 1.09
1 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
2 John McClelland Agiskoviner
3 Tim Snook Ipswich BC
4 Gavin Daley VC Lincoln
5 Matthew Fenton Chesterfield Coureurs
6 Daniel Zagni Ipswich BC
Men's Unknown Distance - 3km+
1 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn
2 Gary Wood Maldon & District
3 Peter Lifford Becontree Wheelers
4 Pete Whelan Plomesgate CC
5 Richard Jackson Colchester Rovers
6 Graham McAndrew Spalding CC
Women's Unknown Distance - 3km+
1 Susan Wood Maldon & District
2 Karen Lifford Team VC Nottingham
3 Amy Willoughby Chesterfield Coureurs
Women's 400M Time Trial
1 Karen Lifford Team VC Nottingham 43.20
2 Amy Willoughby Chesterfield Coureurs 43.39
3 Susan Wood Maldon & District 43.47
BC National Grass Track Endurance Series
Men's 8km Scratch 13.11
1 John McClelland Agiskoviner
2 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
3 Matthew Fenton Chesterfield Coureurs
4 Gavin Daley VC Lincoln
5 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC
6 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
7 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn
8 Gary Wood Maldon & District
9 Tim Snook Ipswich BC
10 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
11 Pete Whelan Plomesgate CC
12 Tom Gosbee Team Welwyn
13 Peter Lifford Becontree Wheelers
14 Richard Jackson Colchester Rovers
15 Graham McAndrew Spalding CC
16 Daniel Zagni Ipswich BC
Women's 8km Scratch
1 Susan Wood Maldon & District
2 Karen Lifford Team VC Nottingham
3 Amy Willoughby Chesterfield Coureurs
Men's 3km Madison 5.04 Points
1 John McClelland (Agiskoviner) & Richard Jackson (Colchester Rovers) 18
2 Phil Lisher (Team Welwyn) & Simon Daw (Sudbury CC) 11
3 Gavin Daley (VC Lincoln) & Simon Layfield (Team Welwyn) 7
4 Matthew Fenton (Chesterfield Coureurs) & Peter Lifford (Becontree Wheelers) 3
5 Tim Snook (Ipswich BC) & Peter Ingram (Ipswich BC) 2
6 Andrew Ballentyne (Easterley RC) & Gary Wood (Maldon & District) 1
7 Daniel Zagni (Ipswich BC) & Graham McAndrew (Spalding CC) 0
8 Tom Gosbee (Team Welwyn) & Pete Whelan (Plomesgate CC) 0
Senior 3km+ Devil take the Hindmost
1 John McClelland Agiskoviner
2 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
3 Matthew Fenton Chesterfield Coureurs
4 Gavin Daley VC Lincoln
5 Andrew Ballentyne Easterley RC
6 Simon Daw Sudbury CC
7 Gary Wood Maldon & District
8 Tim Snook Ipswich BC
9 Peter Ingram Ipswich BC
10 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn
11 Peter Lifford Becontree Wheelers
12 Susan Wood Maldon & District
13 Karen Lifford Team VC Nottingham
14 Amy Willoughby Chesterfield Coureurs
15 Tom Gosbee Team Welwyn
16 Daniel Zagni Ipswich BC
17 Pete Whelan Plomesgate CC
18 Richard Jackson Colchester Rovers
Youth 400M Time Trial
Under 12
1 James Jackson Colchester Rovers 46.60
2 Caitlin Douglas Colchester Rovers 48.31
3 Anneka Goater Ashwell CC 49.28
4 Robert McAndrew Spalding CC 51.37 Under 10
Under 14
1 Adam Gough Mildenhall CC 44.72
2 Jennifer McAndrew Spalding CC 45.65
3 Samantha Parker Maldon & District 48.98
Under 16
1 Andrew Leveton Ashwell CC 35.91
2 Kieren Brady Ely & District CC 37.91
3 Ben Bailey Welwyn Wheelers 38.25
4 Edd Goater Ashwell CC 38.41
5 George Bateman Team Welwyn 41.25
6 George Wood Maldon & District 41.59
Youth 800M Handicap 1.29.87
1 Kieren Brady Ely & District CC A
2 Edd Goater Ashwell CC A
3 Ben Bailey Welwyn Wheelers A
4 Andrew Leveton Ashwell CC A
5 George Wood Maldon & District A
6 George Bateman Team Welwyn A
7 Adam Gough Mildenhall CC B
8 James Jackson Colchester Rovers C
9 Jennifer McAndrew Spalding CC B
10 Samantha Parker Maldon & District B
11 Caitlin Douglas Colchester Rovers C
12 Anneka Goater Ashwell CC C
13 Robert McAndrew Spalding CC D
Youth Under 12 Keirin
1 James Jackson Colchester Rovers
2 Caitlin Douglas Colchester Rovers
3 Anneka Goater Ashwell CC
4 Robert McAndrew Spalding CC
Youth Under 14/Under 16 Keirin
1 Andrew Leveton Ashwell CC
2 Kieren Brady Ely & District CC
3 Edd Goater Ashwell CC
4 Ben Bailey Welwyn Wheelers
5 George Wood Maldon & District
6 George Bateman Team Welwyn
7 Adam Gough Mildenhall CC
8 Jennifer McAndrew Spalding CC
9 Samantha Parker Maldon & District
Youth Under 12 Half Lap Dash (200M)
1 James Jackson Colchester Rovers
2 Caitlin Douglas Colchester Rovers
3 Robert McAndrew Spalding CC
4 Anneka Goater Ashwell CC
Youth A/B & Women's 3kmMadison Points
1 Edd Goater (Ashwell CC) & Tom Gosbee (Team Welwyn) 15
2 Kieren Brady (Ely & District CC) & Adam Gough (Mildenhall CC) 13
3 Ben Bailey (Welwyn Wheelers) & Amy Willoughby (Chesterfield Coureurs) 11
4 George Wood (Maldon & District) & Susan Wood (Maldon & District) 5
5 George Bateman (Team Welwyn) & Karen Lifford (Team VC Nottingham) 0
6 Andrew Leveton (Ashwell CC) & Samantha Parker (Maldon & District) 0
Youth Bike Pushing Skills Test
1 George Wood Maldon & District
2 Ben Bailey Welwyn Wheelers
3 Edd Goater Ashwell CC
Freewheeler Handicap
1 Colin Mantle Mildenhall CC
2 Laurence Lisher Team Welwyn
3 Phoebe Lisher Team Welwyn
Freewheeler Bike Pushing Skills Test
1 Laurence Lisher Team Welwyn
2 Phoebe Lisher Team Welwyn
3 Colin Mantle Mildenhall CC
Freewheeler Keirin
1 Colin Mantle Mildenhall CC
2 Laurence Lisher Team Welwyn
3 Phoebe Lisher Team Welwyn
Freewheeler 4 Lap Points Race
1 Colin Mantle Mildenhall CC 12
2 Laurence Lisher Team Welwyn 8
3 Phoebe Lisher Team Welwyn 4
All Rider Musical Hoops Extravaganza
1 Laurence Lisher Team Welwyn
2 George Wood Maldon & District
3 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn
