Report: Scottish Cycling Scratch Championship - Caird Park Velodrome

Posted on: 20th July 2011

Article and Images by: Martin Harris

Discovery Junior Cycling Club

Who would ever take on the weather Gods? In the worst summer in living memory, the forecast leading up to the Scottish Cycling Scratch Championship meeting at Caird Park gave very little hope of any racing, but what was a wet track at 9:00 was dry and ready for racing at the intended start time of 10:30. After that the weather just got better and better.

To the racing, six Championships were at stake, from Youth B through to the seniors. In the YB race, Callum Walls (Discovery JCC) looked the most dominant in his age group and pulled off a comfortable win ahead of Jack Carlin (Glasgow Riderz) and Jack Crombie (Carnegie Cyclones). The only girl in the age group, Lulu Bartlett (Edinburgh RC) pushed them all the way though, through this race and the rest of the events that made up the B Omnium.
1 Callum Walls Discovery Junior Cycling Club
2 Jack Carlin Glasgow Riderz
3 Jack Crombie Carnegie Cyclones

Dominating, having been disappointed at his non selection for the IRRC event the week before in Perth, Mark Stewart (DJCC) showed his class by lapping the field, not once but twice in the Youth A event. Behind him a cagey race saw the other riders watching each other closely, too closely at times with Sean Noon and Flora Gillies both needing time out to replace wheels following a coming together, both getting back into the race. No one was able to prevent a Discovery clean sweep in the category, with Robbie Spence and Finn Harrod taking the silver and bronze medals. Callum Walls took the start after his YB win and finished a fine fifth in the older age group. Flora Gillies (Peebles CC) took the girls title just ahead of Megan Riach (Discovery JCC), the girls being very closely matched throughout he day.
1 Mark Stewart Discovery JCC
2 Robbie Spence Discovery JCC
3 Finn Harrod Discovery JCC
1 Flora Gillies Peebles CC
2 Megan Riach Discovery JCC

With Fiona Duncan at home recovering from a broken collar bone, there was going to be a new ladies champion. Gemma Neil (Sandy Wallace Cycles) showed her intent from the start, pulling away in the early laps, with Anna Harris (Angus Bik e Chain) and a chasing Alison Chisolm (Edinburgh RC) the only ones able to go with her. Neil wasn't going to wait around much, easing away from her breakaway companions to win by a full lap. Harris was a comfortable second easing away from Chisolm to take a clear second place. Behind these three Julie Dominguez was fourth with the ever present in Scottish Ladies racing Fiona Walker (Walkers CC) fifth.
1 Gemma Neil Sandy Wallace Cycles
2 Anna Harris Angus Bike Chain

3 Alison Chisolm Edinburgh RC

With a few non starters, there were still 17 riders taking the start of the senior and junior event. Evan Oliphant back to defend his title. unluckiest rider was Peter Cullen (Stirling BC) pulling a whe el and puncturing almost as soon as the race started. In the last few years this race has seen the emergence of the Juniors and this year was no different. The two Endura riders, Oliphant and Lines from the Endura/Pedal Power squad put pressure on throughout, eventually pulling away to take a clear 1-2 with David Martin (thebicycle works.com) third. Greg Brown (Dooleys CRT) took the junior title ahead of Angus Gillies (thebicycleworks.com) second.
1 Evan Oliphant Endura RT
2 David Lines Endura Pedal Power
3 David Martin thebicycleworks.com
1 Greg Brown Dooleys RT
2 Angus Gillies thebicycleworks.com