Reports and results week ending 30 October 2011
Location: Astley & Tyldesley Miners Welfare Club, Manchester
Event: 29 October 2011
Astley & Tyldesley hosted the ninth round of the 2011 Euro Vets Grand Prix series at Gin Pit on Saturday. Fourteen riders turned out on a damp and grippy track for the final round of the series.
Wednesfield's Mark Griffiths once again demonstrated his liking for the Gin Pit circuit by racing to a 20 points maximum score in the qualifying heats. Leicester's Norman Venson and East London's Dennis Hubble both scored 18 points apiece and were joined in the over 40s A final by Wednesfield's Steve Mullinder, who recovered from a last place first time out to score 16.
In the age group finals, Southampton's Colin Wheeler won the over 60s final, finishing ahead of Pedalsport's Fred Rothwell and Edinburgh pair Dave Baxter and Chic Mackie. East London's Kevin Smith went round Rothwell on the last lap to win the over 50s B final. Dennis Hubble won the over 50s A final, with Wheeler passing Sandwell's Phil Hemming to take second place. There was a good race in the over 40s B final, as Wheeler again passed Hemming to win, whilst Coventry's Joe McLaughlin passed Southampton's Pete Chant to take third place.
In the over 40s A Final, Mark Griffiths was fast away from grid one to take the win in the fastest time of the day, 43:60 seconds. Hubble pulled off a smart gate from grid three to gate across Norman Venson and finish second, with Steve Mullinder unable to make an impression from grid four.
There was a lengthy presentation of awards, as first riders received their trophies for an earlier round held at Coventry, then received the awards for the day's racing at Astley, concluding with the presentation of the overall series awards. Colin Wheeler won the over 60s series, ahead of Fred Rothwell and Chic Mackie. Dennis Hubble won the over 50s series, ahead of Colin Wheeler and Fred Rothwell. There was a new award, the Brian Moston Memorial Cup for the overall series winner, donated by Derek Hertzog and presented by Tony Mann. Derek, Tony and Brian were all members of the CarrsWood team which won the 1957 British Team Championship Final and Brian later went on to be the 1959 British Individual Champion and Cycle Speedway Council Chairman. Mark Griffiths received the cup for winning the over 40s series, ahead of Dennis Hubble and Colin Wheeler.
It was a fine day's racing, competitive but ridden in a great spirit. Riders, officials and spectators enjoyed a post match buffet in the chequered flag catering cabin, as the Euro Vets series concluded another successful season of racing.
Results
Qualifying Scores: Mark Griffiths (Wednesfield) 20, Norman Venson (Leicester) 18, Dennis Hubble (East London) 18, Steve Mullinder (Wednesfield) 16, Phil Hemming (Sandwell) 15, Pete Chant (Southampton) 15, Colin Wheeler (Southampton) 14, Joe McLaughlin (Coventry) 14, Fred Rothwell (Pedalsport) 13, Dave Meanley (East Park) 12, Kevin Smith (East London) 10, Dave Baxter (Edinburgh) 9, Steve Mann (Bury) 8, Chic Mackie (Edinburgh) 7.
O-60s final: Wheeler, Rothwell, Baxter, Mackie.
O-50s B final: Smith, Rothwell, Mann, Baxter.
O-50s A final: Hubble, Wheeler, Hemming, McLaughlin ns.
O-40s B final: Wheeler, Hemming, McLaughlin, Chant.
O-40s A final: Griffiths, Hubble, Venson, Mullinder.
Referee - Bill Phillips (Astley & Tyldesley).
Overall standings
O-60s: Colin Wheeler 193, Fred Rothwell 189, Chic Mackie 163.
O-50s: Dennis Hubble 196, Colin Wheeler 175, Fred Rothwell 161.
O-40s: Mark Griffiths 196, Dennis Hubble 188, Colin Wheeler 149.
East London v Great Blakenham
Event: 30 October 2011
Results
Division 1
East London 112 Great Blakenham 56
Division 2
East London 63 + 15 Great Blakenham 6
Horspath v Exeter
Event: 29 October 2011
Results
Horspath 96: Zac Payne 15, Wayne Clarke 11+3, Steve Harris 16+1, Matt Coulter 10+1, Mateusz Szymczak 20: Lee Clarke 11+1, Jake Neighbour 5, Jordan Richardson 8+1.
Exeter 83: Mark Reed 15+1, Kasper Manowski 2, Craig Nethercott 14+3, Lauren Hookway 9, Andrew Yard 10, Will Tidbull 11+1, Sam Dart 12+2, Rob Geach 10.
Referee - Peter Horsley (Buckinghamshire)
Combination League
Horspath 64: Livvi Horsley 11, Patrycja Borak 5, George Horsley 13+1, Jake Neighbour 8+1 penalty points 27.
Exeter 48: Will Tidbull 15+1, Owen Tidbull 8+1, Kasper Manowski 2, Conor Tucker 8+1, Lauren Hookway 10, penalty points 5.
Hethersett Hawks / Swinton & Co brought the curtain down on their season with the traditional club events but much of the excitement was about 2012.
Following the successful staging of British Championships this August, the Hawks have been invited by British Cycling to stage a full international test match between Great Britain and Poland as part of the European Championships week in the Eastern Region. The event on Tuesday 31 July will feature ladies and junior test matches as well as the full international.
It was Axl Johnson's day in the club events. He started by winning the Maiden Plate with a maximum with minor places going to Tiffany Collins and Daniel Martin. Then he teamed up with Scott Grimes to win the Best Pairs. They defeated their main rivals Harley Hamill and Carly Grimes 6-4 in heat 13 to bring the two pairs level so a race-off was required. Again it was looking like a 6-4 win before Hamill produced a burst of speed to dive under Scott Grimes. The riders collided but it was Grimes who got away to a 7-3 win. Only one point behind the two leaders were two other pairs and it needed two race-offs to decide third place overall - Ben Collins and Calvin Grimes taking it from Phil Adams and Tiffany Collins.
Next action for some of the Hawks is the British Indoor Championships at the end of November.
South West League results
29 October 2011
Newport 103: Mark Carmichael 17 Jack Harrold 16 Chris Davies 16 Lee Tippins 14 Ollie Sidwick 13 Nicky Evans 10 Dave Murphy 10 Ryan Evans 7
East Newport 75: Aaron Herbert 17 Ethan Greenslade 13 Ryan Hughes 10 Rob Absolum 9 Neil Power 7 Jason Cutler 7 Josh Davis 7 Adam Bennett 5
30 October 2011
Newport 82: Mark Carmichael 15 Nicky Evans 13 Ollie Sidwick 12 Chris Davies 11 Lee Tippins 11 Jack Harrold 9 Ryan Evans 8 Dave Murphy 3
Horspath 91: Steve Harris 19 Matty Szymczak 17 Ryan Taylor 17 Zac Payne 13 Wayne Clarke 10 Mark Boaler 9 Lee Clarke 4 Matt Coulter 2
(Horspath are champions)
Poole 84: Chris Shylock 15 Luke Armes 14 Will Bristowe 14 Aaron Smith 14 Dave Oddie 9 Kieran Yeatman 9 Alex Lane 5 Jay Briggs 4
Exeter 95: Andy Yard 17 Sam Dart 17 Thomas Reed 17 Rob Geech 12 Lauren Hookway 9 Mark Reed 9 Will Tidball 8 Andy Collett 6
