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Clarkson Wraps Up Yorkshire Cross Series
Round10, Newsome High School, 11 August 2010
Report: Phil Ingham - Images: Phil Ingham & Joe Parker
Pedalsport Junior, Jack Clarkson, clinched the Yorkshire Cyclo-Cross Summer league in convincing manner, winning the final round in fine style at Newsome High School, in Huddersfield. There's a full report below, along with provisional results. Plus, of course, a slideshow of images and a video of the under-14 race.
Over-14 Race Video
Slide Show
Report:
Pedalsport Junior, Jack Clarkson, clinched the Yorkshire Cyclo-Cross Summer league in convincing manner, winning the final round in fine style at Newsome High School, in Huddersfield.
On a warm but breezy late summer evening, a bumper field of riders tackled an excellent course which had just about everything, with long grassy climbs, woody singletrack and a soft and treacherous sand-pit. Throw in the wonderful backdrop of the Pennines and nearby Castle Hill, and you had a perfect stage upon which to stage the final act of what has been another superb series.
Clarkson went into the final round knowing that he had to beat arch-rival Ian Taylor to clinch the title. Whoever came out on top of these two would walk away with the lion's share of a big prize fund put together by series sponsors, Paul Milnes Cycles.
But if Clarkson and Taylor were keen to keep an eye on each other, they were also aware that they wouldn't have things all their own way with top local Under-23 rider Rob Watson and the experienced senior, Pete Middlehurst, also lining up for the start, alongside the winner of the previous round, veteran Matt Denby.
From the start it was Middlehurst who forged ahead establishing a small early lead. However, by the end of an extremely rapid first lap, a leading quartet of Middlehurst, Clarkson, Watson and Taylor had formed and they were soon rapidly pulling away from the rest of the field.
With conditions very dry and firm under-wheel, the short-cropped playing fields and woodland singletrack were riding extremely fast and the race had the feel of a grass crit, with drafting a legitimate tactic, especially as there was a strong breeze on the more exposed sections of the course.
However, the long, draggy climb up to the finish line really dictated how the race unfolded as it prevented big groups forming for very long. After the opening chaos had settle a little, Pete Middlehurst pulled clear and briefly it looked as though Clarkson would be content to mark Taylor. However, he soon dispelled this theory, pulling clear of his series rival, who in turn began to drop Watson.
Clarkson and Middlehurst then began a battle which was to last the rest of the race. Both had moments when they seemed on the verge of breaking free alone, gaining a few lengths, only to be brought back together by the punishing nature of the course. And there were moments when Clarkson looked unsure as to how much he should commit to their joint effort to stay clear of Taylor who was still working hard to track them down right to the finish.
Jack Clarkson on his way to the win and the series title
However, in the end the leading duo had enough of a cushion to ensure that one or the other would win and it all came down to how they would settle their personal battle. Going through the sandpit at the start of the last lap, there was a touch of shoulders and words were exchanged as Middlehurst urged Clarkson to "steady on kid!". This seemed to spur Clarkson on and he pushed on hard through the next few corners. However, they rode the rest of the lap glued together and it became apparent that it would all come down to the long final drag up to the finish line.
Clarkson led it out, emerging onto the climb with a lead of a couple of lengths with his head down, sprinting for the still relatively distant line. Middlehurst accelerated and mid way up the climb he was almost alongside Clarkson, but whilst the younger rider held his speed right to the line, Middlehurst had committed everything and began to fade, handing victory to his delighted opponent.
Taylor came in alone to claim third, knowing that he'd conceded the series win at the same time. Taylor and Clarkson were both full of praise for each other at the finish, with the winner sportingly conceding that his rival had been at a disadvantage having spent the weekend thrashing round Catton Park on the way to winning the mixed pairs title at Sleepless in the Saddle. Taylor meanwhile grinned as he conceded that he'd lost out to a pair of younger, fresher legs.
Oliver Webster, winner of the series last year, had an excellent fourth place, just ahead of Johnny Limbear, whilst Matt Denby came through late on to claim 6th place. Matt had won the previous round and was still well in contention for this race when he picked up a length of course marking tape in his rear block. Showing commendable calm he stopped and cleared the tape, losing well over a minute, before re-mounting and charging through the field to finish only just over a minute and a half down on the winner.
Under-14 Video
Earlier, Seb Marsh completed another straightforward win in the Under-14 race and he looks like he'll be a force to be reckoned with during the upcoming winter cross season. Marsh had already wrapped up the series win, but still turned in a classy and rapid ride before going on to guest in the Over-14 race, just for training.
And so another highly successful summer series has been completed. With well over 100 riders turning up for almost all ten rounds and some truly brilliant racing, the series goes from strength to strength, a tribute to the hard work put in by series co-ordinator Fred Rothwell and his dedicated band of race organizers and race officials.
Results (provisional)
Under-14
1 Seb Marsh Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT U14
2 Lewis Byram Holme Valley Wh U14
3 Chris Barnes Seacroft Wh U14
4 Amira Mellor Holme Valley Wh U14
5 Leon Crossley Wakefield Jun Tri U14
6 Jenson Young Pedalsport U10
7 Annabel Mason U/A U14
8 Simeon Young Pedalsport U12
9 Bryan Barrett Pedalsport U14
10 Tiras Waterman Huddersfield Star Wheelers U10
12 Max Rushby Pedalsport U14
13 Nicole Stiff Pedalsport U14
14 Alexandra France Holme Valley Wh U14
15 Ava Oxley Wakefield Jun Tri U8
16 Sumivah Waterman Holme Valley Wh
17 Christopher Bullistt Huddersfield SW U12
18 Marcus Hiley Pedalsport
19 Holly Wright Wakefield Jun Tri U14
20 Adam Fortune Pedalsport U8
21 Milly Wright Wakefield Jun Tri U14
22 Elizabeth Denby Aire Valley RT U8
23 Olivia Bailey Holmfirth Tri U10
24 Elphina Waterman Holme Valley Wh U8
25 Poppy Ballantine Keighly & Craven U10
26 Thomas Sheard U6
27 Sophie Stott Pedalsport U10
28 Kitty Ballantine Keighly & Craven U10
29 Ruby Boyes Huddersfield SW
30 Nathan Fortune Pedalsport U6
31 Alexandra Bailey Huddersfield SW
32 Oscar Waterman Huddersfield Star Wheelers U10
33 Dylan Boyes Huddersfield SW
34 Soljai Waterman Holme Valley Wh U8
Over-14
1 Jack Clarkson Pedalsport Jun
2 Pete Middlehurst CyclePremier/Metaltek Sen
3 Ian Taylor Craven Energy Tri Sen
4 Oliver Webster Crosstrax Jun
5 Jack Humphreys Red Rose Olympic Jun
6 Johnny Limebear Batley CC Sen
7 Matt Denby Zepnat RC V40
8 Richard Binks Holme Valley Wh V40
9 Rob Watson Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT U32
10 Mike Young Pedalsport V40
11 Nick Kotlarewski Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT Sen
12 Simon Maudsley Crosstrax Sen
13 Nick Barnes Seacroft Wh Youth U16
14 Edwyn Oliver-Evans E Bradford CC Youth U16
15 Marcus Spencer Batley CC Sen
16 Graeme Bird U/A Sen
17 Andy Whitworth Huddersfield Road Club / Salamander Fabrications V40
18 Tom Jolly Pedalsport U16
19 Seb Marsh
20 Owen Mitton Huddersfield RC / Salamander Fabrications Sen
21 John Wright
22 Andy France Holme Valley Wh V40
23 Myles Chandler Batley CC Sen
24 Oliver Elsworth U/A Sen
25 Charles Warren U/A V40
26 Justin Morgan Pedalsport V40
27 Ian Chapman Moonglu RT V40
28 Ben Pygott Pedalsport Youth U16
29 Ralph Bentley Otley CC V50
30 Timothy Beachill Huddersfield RC / Salamander Fabrications V50
31 Peter Dimitisevic Sen
32 Brian Perks Pedalsport V50
33 Simon Pateman Saddlewoth Cl V40
34 Scott Weston Crosstrax Sen
35 Graham Piccavey Huddersfield Star Wh V40
36 Joe Howard Wakefield Tri Club Youth U16
37 Stephen Rimmer Holme Valley Wh V40
38 Paul Gilbert U/A Sen
39 Simon Wilson Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT V40
40 Paul A Smith Huddersfield Star Wh Sen
41 Martin Jones Colnago/Microshift/Skins Sen
42 James Dyson Pedalsport Sen
43 Dave Senior Huddersfield RC / Salamander Fabrications V60
44 Chipps Chippendale Singletrack V40
45 Jon Howard Wakefield Tri Club V40
46 Mike Gradwell Saddlewoth Cl
47 Kev Hickie Bronte Wh V40
48 Dick Ballantine Keighley & Craven V40
49 Owen Henriksen Norton Wh V40
50 Anthony Grieff Columbia Bikefood Sen
51 Timothy Evans E Bradford CC V40
52 Colin Humphreys Red Rose Olympic Vet40
53 Paul Smithson ICCAC V40
54 Peter Stone U/A V40
55 David Todd Drighlington BC V50
56 John Redmond Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT V50
57 Darren Binks Hambleton RC Sen
58 Peter Bradford Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT V40
59 Simon Fortune Velocity Cycles Sen
60 Wayne Byram Holme Valley Wh V40
61 Richard Stansfield Pedalsport Sen
62 Phil Thackray Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT V60
63 John Mason V40
64 Chris Parker E Bradford CC V40
65 Brian Crossley U/A V50
66 Jonathan Brook Huddersfield Star Wh Vet40
67 Andrea Halman Norton Wh Swom
68 Garry Marsh Seacroft Wh V50
69 Steven Cavell Condor RC V50
70 Fred Rothwell Bradford Oly / Paul Milnes RT V50
71 John Parkinson U/A Sen
72 John Hopkinson All Terrain Cycles Sen
73 Wayne Nicholson Yorkcycleworks V40
