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San Fairy Ann Circuit Races
February 27, 2010; Redbridge Cycle Centre, by Belinda Sinclair
Slideshow from the racing a Redbridge Cycle Centre
Although the weather couldn’t make up its mind what it wanted to do today at the first of the 2010 San Fairy Ann Crits at Redbridge Cycling Centre, many of the riders had a very clear idea of what they had come to do in terms of racing. Under alternating black skies and squally showers, interspersed with short bursts of warm and brilliant sunshine, each event revealed an impressive display of racing.
Regional B race is decided in a sprint.
By the time the adult racing started, the circuit was drying out nicely. But the earlier rain had washed grit and vegetation onto the course. Although to minor to cause obstruction, the debris soon caused punctures a plenty, several in the last laps, much to the frustration of riders who had battled to within sight of the finish – as one rider in the fourth Cat race discovered .
“I was there with them – five of us right up to the last bit here (indicating just across from the finish). I was comfortable, I had plenty left, my legs were OK and I felt good; it was mine for the taking. Then I punctured. But that’s the way it goes I suppose. I had to watch them all sprint for the line while I carried my bike back.”
Similar conditions were waiting for catergory three riders, several of whom had to make the by now familiar trudge back up to the finish area on foot, with bikes on their shoulders. Elite riders fared batter however, with a pattern soon emerging when a group of five broke from the front and gradually increased their lead until it became two races, before fragmenting further with eventual winner Keiran Frend and Chris MacNamara taking off together.
Frend celebrates the win in the Elite race.
For several laps, they vied for position, leaving the also fast moving bunch in their wake. They then cranked up the pace even more to lap the bunch, before Frend (Pendragon) dropped Macnamara and made the race his own, crossing the line almost half a lap ahead of second place. But despite the result, the Pendragon rider confessed to having found it difficult.
“I’ve been sick and so couldn’t go to training camp with the rest of the team, but I was okay to ride here today. This is only my second race this season, and the first one since being ill, and it was hard - very hard, very competitive - and although I won by quite a way in the end, he pushed me. But that’s why I race, and it’s good prep for the UCI Tour of Libya which I’m riding in mid March.”
He was also full of praise for the Redbridge Circuit. “This is the first time I’ve been here, and I have to say it’s the best closed circuit I’ve ever raced on. The facilities are great too, and today was well worth the effort.”
Earlier in the day, the youngsters had ridden in the wet, but were spared the tortures of Redbridge’s substantial hills, battling it out on the lower part of the course. Welwyn’s Jack Plumley saw off Daniel Tulett and John Hawkins respectively in the under twelves, with Rachel Jary coming home first girl, while Harry Tadman beat Tom Durkin and Ben Tulett in the under ten event.
Alex Peters led Daniel Murphy and Josh Green to the line in the under 16 event, with Oliver Plumley doing the same to Louis Magnani and Max Stockman in the under 14s.
RESULTS
E/1/2/3 Overall National B (39 starters)
1st Keiran Frend Pendragon
2nd Chris Mcnamara Team Corley
3rd Luke Merrilees Wyndy Hilla - Maxifuel
4th Stuart Spies London Dynamo
5th Ashley Cox Team Corley
6th Paul Foreman Team Corley
7th Ishmael Burdeau Agisko Viner
8th Sam Humpheson London Dynamo
9th Daniel Tilley Onelife Cycling Dev Squad
10th Graham Galvin East London Velo
11th Will Hedden Glade CC
12th Richard Da Silva Stevenage CC
13th Bruce Mackie Lee Valley YCC
14th Sean Kilroy Glade CC
15th Jason Ketre Lee Valley YCC
16th Wojciech Szlachta Cambridge Uni
17th Phil Cloke San Fairy Ann CC
18th Lawrence Carpenter The Bike Shop - Quest
19th Gonzalo Rodriguez East London Velo
20th Drew Holmes Onelife Cycling Dev Squad
21st Josh Cunningham Flanders Racing
22nd Jake Martin Onelife Cycling Dev Squad
Race 4. 3rd/4th/Vet Regional B (44 starters)
1st George Pearl Southend
2nd Jeff Orrey Essesx Roads
3rd Chris Dick London Phoenix
4th Sam Quinlan Medway Velo
5th Kieron Redmond Dulwich Paragon
6th Matthew Cook API Metro Foods
7th Mark Holt Cambridge Uni
8th Damien Foy Eagle RC
9th Vik Chaudhuri Unattached
10th Ben Brown Rapha Condor
Race 3. 4th/Jnr/W Regional C+ (38 starters)
1st Mike Piper San Fairy Ann CC
2nd Matt Cowan North Road
3rd Stefan Pantos Bedfordshire RC
4th Noal Mackintosh London Phoenix
5th Henry Bird Lewes Wanderers
6th Michael Barnes San Fairy Ann CC
7th Ian Sutton San Fairy Ann CC
8th Sam King Cambridge
9th Rory Campbell London Phoenixx
10th Mark Anster Bedfordshire RC
YOUTH RACES
Race 1 C/D/E
Overall
1st Jack Plumley Welwyn Whlrs
2nd Daniel Tulett Palmer Park Velo
3rd Jonah Hawkes Thanet RC
Boys (c)
1st Jack Plumley Welwyn Whlrs
2nd Daniel Tulett Palmer Park Velo
3rd Jonah Hawkes Thanet RC
Girls
1. Charlotte Cole VC Londres
2. Lauren Murphy Team Keyne
3. Rachel Jary VC Londres
Boys (D)
1st Harry Tadman Edgware RC
2nd Tom Durkin Welwyn Whlrs
3rd Ben Tulett Palmer Park Velo
Boys (E)
1st Aaron Freeman Chelmer CC
2nd Matthew Farrow Eagle RC
3rd Joseph Latham Welwyn Whlrs
Girls (E)
1. Maya Teufel-Tarlton Lee Valley YCC
2. Elinor Baldwin Eagle RC
3. Ellie Barfield Birmingham CC
Race 2. A/B
Overall
1st Alex Peters CC Hackney
2nd Daniel Murphy Team Kayne
3rd Josh Green Lee Valley YCC
Youth A Boys
1st Alex Peters CC Hackney
2nd Daniel Murphy Team Kayne
3rd Josh Green Lee Valley YCC
Youth A Girls
1. Jesse Taylor Lee Valley YCC
2. Sherilyn Powell Chelmer CC
Youth U14 (B) Boys
1st Oliver Plumley Welwyn Whlrs
2nd Louis Magnani Willingsdon
3rd Max Stockman Palmer Park Velo
Youth U14 B Girls
1. Kimberley English Palmer Park Velo
2. Francesca Morgans-Slader LVYCC
More Photos
The bunch that was lapped in the Elite race.
Winner of the category 4 race.
Bad luck for a rider....
...and another.
And another... such things happen in the wet as riders know only too well.
