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Wessex Cyclo-Cross Annual Presentation
Story posted Febriary 15, 2010; by Graham Robins
(Interviews: Karen Murphy | Adrian Lansley )
After another action packed season, riders and friends from the Wessex Cyclo-Cross League came together one more time, but this time there wasn’t a bike to be seen. The annual presentation and skittles were held in Southampton and around fifty members came together to accept awards or to cheer friends who had been successful.
Men's league winner Adrian Lansley (PedalOn, interview here), after accepting his trophy from Kerie Wallace from Trant Construction (the league sponsors), said he was very honoured to receive the trophy when looking down the names of previous winners. The Ladies league was won by Karen Murphy (Wight Mountain) in her first season of 'cross riding. Read an interview with Karen here
Other winners on the night include,
-- U12’s boy Jack Phillips (Banjo Cycles)
-- U12’s girl Rio Avery (Oxford RC)
-- Youth boy Luke Cowley (Swindon RC)
-- Youth girl Hazel Jowett (Chapel Tri-star)
-- U14 boy Harvey Lowe (Hargroves Cycles)
-- Junior Andy Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles)
-- O/A Vet Keith Sheridan (Corrinium CC)
-- Team Hargroves Cycles, Matt MacDonald, Mike Warner and Mike Groves
This has been the ninth season for the Wessex Cyclo-Cross League and the popularity of Cyclo-Cross is still on the increase. The league had three events where there were more than 100 riders in the senior race and the overall number of cyclo-cross riders has increased. A real honour for the League was to have some of their riders selected to ride for Great Britain; Andy Hargrove was selected to ride at the European Championships and Luke Gray was selected to ride at the World Championships.
This together with three National Titles; Junior Champion Luke Gray, Veterans 50+ Team Champions Hargroves Cycles and Overall Team Champions Hargroves Cycles has meant that Wessex Cyclo Cross has certainly had its name up in lights this season. Wessex seems to be mirroring the rest of the country in that the Veteran category is the one that has the most riders and also shows the best increase of riders over previous years. The Under 12’s and Youths have held their numbers, which is excellent as these riders are the future of our sport -- what the Wessex league is asking for now are a few more Juniors and a few more Women and they will become a very health league.
The League would like to thank John Foster, Graham Hurst, Tony Wirdnam and Ian Macdonald who acted as commissaries. Paul Coates, even though he has been extremely ill, and Dave Jowett who have run weekly Cyclo- Cross training sessions for a lot of the Wessex riders at the Southampton Sports Centre.
To enable the racing to take place, the league has a dedicated bunch of race organisers, race recorders, course setters, commissionaires etc, whom without these volunteers they would not have any races. Indeed there were two organising teams that put on six events between them, over fifty per cent of the League's races -- let’s hope they are available next season say the league!
The Wessex League has again been sponsored by Trant Construction and their continued support has enabled the finances of the League to remain strong and healthy. All the riders would like to thank Trant Construction and we all look forward to the season starting again in September.
In the South of England Championships, Wessex had the best showing of the four regions involved as Wessex provided five of the seven champions, and with an overall entry of 120 plus riders, probably the best field assembled for years. Of particular note is Stuart Bowers fifth victory in a row, his total domination of the race left the rest of the field in his wake and wondering what they have to do to beat him!
Luke Gray took his first SoE Junior Championship, Tony Green and Dave McMullen their first respective Veterans Championships and Harvey Lowe retained his Under 14 Title. The League have again had a season without a National event in the Wessex region but this has been rectified and we have been awarded a National Trophy for next season, to be promoted on the 28th November 2010 at the Southampton Sports Centre. The League askes that fans in the region keep the date free as if you are not racing, they will be looking for your help and support.
(Interviews: Karen Murphy | Adrian Lansley )
