Welwyn Friday Night Track League May 29

29th May, Gosling Sports Centre, Welwyn
Thanks to Peter Waghorn

The fine weather brought out the largest Senior numbers for the year so far and despite a slight breeze the racing was fast and furious especially in the Senior A events. In the 10 lap Block Pursuit, the Even numbered group led by Joel Stewart and Alex Wise set a cracking pace and were ahead by 20 metres with 4 laps to go. A rapid lap by Tony Gibb blew the Odd numbered group apart leaving himself, Bryan Taylor and James Jackson to wipe out the ‘Evens’ lead and drive through to the finish with the fastest time of the year completing the 10 laps in 5-41 which equates to 30mph.

The ‘Evens’ battled through to the finish, losing out by 5 seconds in a fast moving race. The sprinters who hover at the back of the pack in the Senior A Devil found it difficult to find a way through with 30 riders filling the track from top to bottom and were soon eliminated. At the end of a combative race Tony Gibb won from Bryan Taylor with Joel Stewart third. Tom Boulton opened up with a win in the Senior B scratch race. Welwyn Wheelers filled the top four places in the 10 lap Block Handicap with Dan Snow taking victory by half a wheel.

In the various Youth category events there were four different winners in the Youth AB series while Archie Wishart notched up three victories in the Youth BC category. Jack Plumley was the most successful rider in the Youth CDE group finishing off with a well earned win in the 4 lap combined handicap from a field of 18 riders

Although there were plenty of attacks in the closing senior 10 mile only one showed any signs of succeeding when Tony Gibb, Joel Stewart and Alex Wise opened up a gap of 70 metres which they held for a number of laps before going back to the bunch.  Forty riders were left as the bell signalled the final lap and Tony Gibb used his finishing speed to edge out Bryan Taylor and George Olive to complete a highly competitive evenings racing

Results

Senior
10 lap scr A
1. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven)
2. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres) 
3. George Olive (VC St Raphael)

10 lap Block Pursuit A 
1. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven) Bryan Taylor (VC Londres) James Jackson (PCA Ciclos Uno)

Devil A
1. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven)
2. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres)
3. Joel Stewart (Agiskoviner)

10 lap Scr B
1. Tom Boulton (Finsbury Park)
2. Anthony Moye (CC Luton)
3. Steve Hayward (Welwyn Whs)

10 lap Points B 
1. Anthony Moye (CC Luton)
2. Ben Bailey (Welwyn Whs)
3. Simon Best (North Road)

10 lap Block Handicap B
1. Dan Snow,
2. Steve Hayward,
3. Mark Smith (all Welwyn Whs)

10 mile
1. Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven)
2. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres)
3. George Olive (Vc St Raphael)

Youth A/B
5 lap scr
1. Ryan Owens (Welwyn Whs)
2. Sam Gilzean (Icknield RC)
3. Ollie Plumley (Welwyn Whs)

Devil
1. Ollie Plumley (Welwyn Whs) 
2. Alan Trolove (West Suffolk Whs)
3. Ryan Owens (Welwyn Whs)

5 lap Points
1. Alan Trolove (West Suffolk)
2. Ollie Plumley (Welwyn Whs)
3. Ryan Owens (Welwyn Whs)

4 lap H’cap
1. Sam Gilzean (Icknield RC)
2. Ollie Plumley (Welwyn Whs)
3. Alan Trolove (West Suffolk)

Youth B/C
4 lap scr
1. Archie Wishart,
2. Bethany Hayward,
3. Alex Balchin (all Welwyn Whs)

Devil
1. Archie Wishart,
2. Bethany Hayward,
3. William Street (all Welwyn Whs)

Points
1. Archie Wishart,
2. Bethany Hayward,
3. Alex Balchin (all Welwyn Whs) 

Youth CDE
3 lap Scratch
1. Jack Plumley,
2. Tom Durkin,
3. Nick Brown (all Welwyn Whs)

3 lap Handicap
1. Connor Wodford (Hillingdon), 
2. Michael Parry (Welwyn Whs)
3. Jack Plumley (Welwyn Whs)

4 lap H’Cap Points
1. Jack Plumley Welwyn Whs)
2. Matthew Ellis (Spalding)
3. Tom Durkin (Welwyn Whs)

Combined BCDE 4 lap H’Cap
1. Jack Plumley,
2. Alex Balchin,
3. Harry Durkin  (all Welwyn Whs)