Follow britishcycling.org.uk on

Report: Cycle Speedway Home International

Event: 14th May 2011
Promoted by: Wednesfield Aces CSC
Venue: Ashmore Park
Report: Andy Whitehouse

SENIOR REPORT

Fresh from their recent success at the World Championships in the U.S, England's senior riders were always favourites to take the home International title. Taking eleven heat wins from eighteen, the host nation proved far too strong for their opponents. Lee Aris taking four wins from four outings looked formidable on the track and with Wednesfield team mate Chris Jewkes winning his three heats an England success looked a certainty. WIth Wales having to field Mark Carmichael and Ben Mould who had proved so decisive in the Junior championships the reds just didn't have the strength in depth to give England a real challenge. Adam Stephenson was the highlight of the Irish team taking the win and Ireland's only win in the opening heat keeping England's Dan Chambers at bay. Welsh Captain Mark Winwood rode to the first of his two wins in the following heat after England's Lee Smith was excluded for moving at the gate which, at this point, left England trailing in fourth. It was Paul Heard who took the four points in heat three and this proved to be the beginning of the English dominance of the match, only dropping two points in the next six heats and going into the break seven points clear of the chasing pack.

Heavy rain dominated much of the match and at one point it looked as though the match would be suspended while the weather improved but the Wednesfield track crew worked tirelessly in between heats to keep the track in perfect riding condition.

A debut heat win from Dan Chambers in the opening second half saw the young England rider take the gates and fly to the finish taking an easy-looking win from a chasing Craig Newsome (Scotland). It was not to be Lee Smith's day and the young England rider wasn't up to his usual best only riding in third spot in the following heat but still with a seven point advantage, England could afford to drop a few points. Three consecutive heat wins from England pretty much sealed victory on the day and they could afford to take the foot off the gas for the remaining four heats. Ben Mould took the last of his wins in heat seventeen and was probably the top rider on the day after his dominance in the Juniors and winning three of his four outings in the senior event. An ever improving Luke Draisey took Scotland's only win of the day in heat sixteen with a fine pass on Ireland's Jason Barker on the last bend which helped to secure third spot overall. A win in the final heat for Lee Aris summed up England's dominance in senior International team racing but with an ever improving Welsh junior squad things won't be going all England's way in the years to come.

Result

England 58 points, Wales 44 points. Scotland 39 points, Ireland 37 points

We spoke to Pete Barnes, on half of the England Management team:

"That was a good result, especially after winning the Worlds recently in America; three of today's side were in the team in America and fully deserved their selection. I'm looking forward to next year now. I was a little disappointed with the Junior result and I probably could have picked three or four riders that would have clinched the title but by doing that every year you never give riders the chance to compete at this level. We didn't pull it off but there's always next year."

JUNIOR REPORT

Wales Junior International team led the way at Ashmore Park on Saturday to become the top home Nation squeezing out England into the runner up place. Ireland and Scotland were always going to struggle to compete with the stronger of the four teams but gave a good account of themselves throughout the match especially Scotland's Josh Colby who scored a more then creditable 14 points.

Wales started strongly with first blood going to Mark Carmichael who kept Dylan Radcliffe at bay from the tapes in the opening heat. Wales dominated the next four heats only dropping one point in heat two when Aaron Morgan got the better of Lee Tipping to take England's first win of the day. England, already on the back foot, regrouped and started to fight back, making light work of the next three heats to bring the points level in the eighth heat. However it was Carmichael who kept his cool to take a fine win, , despite being run hard by Matt Mildon, to keep Wales in front by the slenderest of margins going into the break.

From the break England looked to be getting back into their stride, Matt Mildon bettered his previous heat with a win after a close tussle with Ireland's Charlie Rumpold and for the first time in the match the host nation were out in front. The confidence was beginning to show through and England's Scotty Millward rode a tough race to keep Carmichael in second spot in heat eleven. Josh Colby took Scotland's only heat win in heat thirteen and with Wales looking like they had lost their way it was England who looked as though they had made the breakthrough and were strolling off towards the match victory. However, Welsh manager Ian Sizer had Ben Mould waiting to ride and with a win in the reserve race in heat fourteen and two further heat victories in heats sixteen and eighteen, Sizer had made a match winning decision with Mould and Wales took the victory by two points much to the delight in the Welsh camp.

Result

WALES 61 POINTS, ENGLAND 59 POINTS, SCOTLAND 31 POINTS, IRELAND 27 POINTS

Andy Whitehouse spoke to the Wales manager Ian Sizer after the victory

"It was a very hard match, it's always nice to win any tournament, but to win the first proper Junior Home International is exceptional; the young riders who've I've help bring-on over the last few years have done themselves justice today. I don't ride the bike, I just fill the programme in, I'm just the manager; the boys did it and I think they deserved to win. I'm not going to take the credit for the success with Welsh cycle speedway; there are a lot of people behind the sport, the fantastic people at Newport and East Newport clubs- they are the people who do all the work behind the scenes. I'm lucky to have their support; like I said I'm just the figurehead, yes I do pick the team, I fall on my sword if we lose but the hard work is done by the two clubs and the Welsh coach Stuart Raven."