Location: Avenham Park, Preston
Event: 16 September 2012
Report: Colin Humphreys
Results:|||
The 2012-13 North West Cyclocross season kicked off in Avenham Park, Preston, organised by Red Rose Olympic CC. Mutterings of an Indian summer before the event were a distant memory, as heavy rain and a muddy park set about testing all age groups from the off.
Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) proved a predictable but popular winner in the senior event. A second-row gridding in a gridding system based largely on last year’s NWCCA didn’t take long for the 2011 national champion to put right, and a few early skermishes from Deiter Droger and first year junior Dylan Kerfoot-Robson didn’t take long for Oldham to put right.
With 125 finishers from 138 entrants, it was a busy day for organisers Red Rose Olympic, but they put on a stunningly organised event despite adverse weather and a near disaster with the park in the run up to the event following the Preston Guild celebrations leaving the venue worse for wear.
The day also saw the first splitting of the popular U12s category, with all the U10 riders competing in a short but spectacular mini ‘cross course.
