Cycle Speedway rider Ben Mould has become the first Welsh rider to win the prestigious National Cycle Speedway Individual Championships.

 

The Newport based rider has won many National junior and youth titles over the past 12 years, but now Ben goes into the record books as the first Welsh senior winner since the competition started in the 50s.

Rider Myke Grimes led on 16 points after the penultimate heat sweating on the outcome of heat 20, which Mould needed to win to clinch the title.

The final heat will be one of the most talked about races in cycle speedway. 2015 champion Zac Payne, led the way from riders Osborne and Carmichael with Ben Mould at the back.

If the race had stayed that way then Grimes would have been crowned champion, but coming out of the pits bend on the final corner of the final lap of the meeting, Payne and Carmichael tangled and brought down Osborne in the process, leaving Mould to slide through as the winner.

Attention immediately turned to referee, Colin Simmons, who deemed it as a “racing incident”, meaning that Mould won the race and became the first Welsh rider to win the championship with heartbreak at the death for Grimes.

Mould said: "Going into the last race I knew it had to be second place for a run off.

"It was an uphill task off gate four, and for three and three quarter laps I was out of it. I thought my chance had gone, but I tried to pass Lewis, and coming out of the bend I couldn't believe Zac and Mark had fallen, but wasn't sure if I had won it.

"I feel relieved more than anything that I've finally won it, and it's great to be the first Welsh winner of the British title."

Check out the full report for all the details.

Results:

Men’s championship

Ben Mould 17, Myke Grimes 16, Lewis Osbourne 15, Chris Timms 14, Andy Angell 13, Zac Payne 13, Paul Heard 13, Charlie Rumbold 13, Lee Kemp 12, Mark Carmichael 11, Jack Harrold 10, Aaron Herbert 10, Dave Hemsley 10, Jake Read 9, Ashley Hill 9, Craig Marchant 9.

Women’s championship

Lauren Hookway 20, Macie Schmidt 19, Vicky Brown 18, Elizabeth Rigley 16, Laura Watson 15, Krissy Mines 15, Michelle Whitehead 14, Charlie-Jane Herbert 14, Lucy Whitehead 11, Chloe Preston-Albin 11, Niamh Morton 9, Sammi Marsh 9, Sophie Middleton 9, Jenna Whitehead 7, Chloe Whitehead 6.