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South West Youth Series off to Flying Start
Story posted March 16; by Brandon Ellis (1st Chard Wheelers)
The new South West Region Youth Series started with some fantastic racing at Merryfield Airfield, near Ilton, Somerset on Saturday. The good weather brought out nearly sixty youth riders to compete in the Youth series with a strong contingent from South Wales and Southern region ensuring the local riders wouldn’t have it all their own way.
Thirty five riders lined up for the Youth series race with points at stake from both under 16 and under 14 categories. From the drop of the start flag, the pace was fast, as the stronger riders tried to force themselves clear. Especially active were Seb Baylis from the organising club 1st Chard Wheelers. As the race progressed, a leading group of seven was established including under 14 rider Joel Kelly (Mid-Devon CC), while behind an effective chasing group started to limit the damage.
As the race progressed, Jack Reed (Chippenham Whls) became more active with a series of stinging attacks that strung out the leaders, but still the elastic between the leaders couldn’t be broken. At the finish, a pulsating sprint saw Jack Reed just pip Seb Baylis for the win, the pair being clear of third placed Dan McKimm (BCDS), Geraint Manley (Cardiff JIF) and Richard Shaw (BCDS). Joel Kelly rounded off the top six as first placed under fourteen.
Over twenty riders lined up for the under 12, 10 and 8 categories with brother and sister Etienne and Pfieffer Georgi (Mid- Devon) winning their respective age groups, and Antonio Suarez taking the prize in the under 8s. In the South West Youth series, 1st Chard’s Seb Baylis becomes the early leader from Joel Kelly (Mid-Devon), with Sid Valley’s Jonny Cooper in third. Laura Clode rode well to a lead in the girls section from CS South Hams Hester Stembridge.
The youth races were an encouraging sign for 1st Chard Wheelers and the other clubs of the Taunton Vale Cycle Racing Association (T.V.C.R.A.) with nearly sixty youth riders competing. Chard’s Seb Baylis and Matt Mildon, and Team Tor’s Chris Brettell have all benefitted from Go- Ride and training sessions run by the clubs of TVCRA at Ilton Airfield through the spring and summer. These are run by the coaches from TVCRA’s two Go-Ride clubs 1st Chard Wheelers and Team Tor, and more young riders are more than welcome.
Last year the Tuesday evening sessions often had between 30 and 40 riders turning out for coaching. The 2010 TVCRA training evenings start on Tuesday 20th April at 7.00pm and run every Tuesday until the end of August. For more details contact TVCRA Secretary Brandon Ellis on 01460 221479 or email Brandon_ellis@btinternet.com
The second round of the South West Youth Series takes place at the Portreath Criteriums in Cornwall on April 24th.
