│││Day 4
Day four of the National Youth and Junior Track Championships was, once again, split into two sessions with a long break in between. The morning saw the finals of the Under 16 Boys 500m Time Trial, the Junior Men's Kilo and the Junior Women's Scratch race - as well as qualifying heats for the Under 16 Girls Scratch Race. The final for that will be held along with the Junior Men's Points Race in the afternoon session.
Morning Session
Under 16 Girls Scratch Heats
The morning session opened with the two Under 16 Girls Scratch Race heats which would see 11 riders qualify from eac heat with just four eliminated from the first and three from the second. As with Tuesday's Junior Men's Scratch heats, nobody was prepared to risk everything in a break only to run out of steam in the closing stages and both ended in a bunch sprint.
The week's newly crowned National Sprint champion Danielle Khan of Solihull CC took heat 1 ahead of Pursuit Silver medallist Amy Hill (Newport Velo) and Melissa Lowther (Aire Valley RT) while heat 2 was won by Bethany Hayward of Welwyn Wheelers from Lauren O'Brien (Aire Valley RT) and Emily Nelson (Halesowen A&CC).
Under 16 Boys Time Trial
The first medal event of the day was the Under 16 Boys Time Trial. Unlike the Individual Pursuit, of course, where the fastest riders qualify forfFinals to decide the medals, the Time Trials are a one-off effort against the clock, winner takes all. And the early leader, setting the fastest time after four of the 14 heats was Ryan Whatmough of Shepherd's Cycles. His time of 35.173 was always going to be in contention, but the seeding system meant that there should have been a lot of strong riders still to come. The next rider to come close was Robbie Westwood of Cwmcarn Paragon RC, a tenth down at 35.282. Ryan Owens (Welwyn Wheelers) was next to challenge Whatmough's time - just seven hundredths down on 35.243, jumping above Westwood into second.
Chris Lawless (Maxgear RT) and Oliver Wood (Aire Valley RT) who have dominated the Under 16 category so far would have been the last heat - had it not been for a gun misfire that led to Joel Partington (Eastlands Velo) - an Under 14 riding up in the Under 16 competition - having to ride again. It wouldn't have been a better climax to the competition, though as neither Lawless or Wood could get close - finishing in seventh and thirteenth position respectively, Whatmough had won it and he - and Team Wotty - were ecstatic.
Junior Men's Kilometre Time Trial
The Juniors followed the Under 16's with their four lap version of the same event and it looked for a while as though there might be a similar outcome. James Cracknell of Halesowen A&CC was first off and set a very creditable 1:08.430 and, with two heats to go, nobody had got within a second of him. Chris Latham of Planet X did, though, easing in to second with a 1:07.551.
That only left Matthew Rotherham of scienceinsport.com - fresh from a trip to Moscow for the Junior World Championships which had seen him break the British record for the 200m (only to have team mate John Paul break it again shortly afterwards en route to Sprint Gold) and come fifth in the final of the Keirin.
Rotherham stormed out of the gate and demolished every split time as he flew round the four laps in a time of 1:04.669 which, to put it in context, would have earned him fourth in Moscow - but was only 9 thousandths of the Bronze medal time. Latham took the Silver and Cracknell the Bronze.
Junior Women's Scratch Race
Like yesterday's Junior Womens Points race, the Scratch was dominated by the Motorpoint team with Hannah Barnes, Lucy Garner or Harriet Owen on the front for most of the race. Barnes attempted to get away with 18 to go, but thought better of it and came back to the bunch - a bunch somewhat smaller after the effort of chasing Barnes down. Garner did the same five laps later. With six to go it was Owen stretching the race out, but once again, the remnants of the bunch were back together for a final sprint to the line.
The sprint started at the bell, though, and it was Barnes who made the early move with Lisa Daly of Sportcity Velo and Eve Dixon and Melissa Bury of Maxgear RT heading the chasing bunch. Barnes was never going to be caught and, as they entered the home straight it was Elinor Barker (Cardiff Ajax) and Owen battling it out for second, with the young Welsh rider taking it by half a bike length.
Afternoon Session
There may only have been two races in the afternoon session on Day Four of the National Youth an Junior Track Championships at the Manchester velodrome, but there was enough excitement in one of them to make up for the limited programme.
Under 16 Girls Scratch Race
The afternoon started brightly enough, with a brisk but largely uneventful Under 16 Girls Scratch race. It wasn't that nobody tried to get away - Emily Kay of Halesown A&CC and Melissa Lowther of Aire Valley RT tried with 30 laps to go but they were pulled back almost instantly. Alice Barnes (Motorpoint Cycling) had a go 15 laps later and was joined in what could have been a pivotal move by Lowther and Grace Garner of the Leicestershire Road Club, but that, too, was quickly pulled back.
In the last 10 laps Amy Hill (Newport Vel)o and Barnes both tried to slip away, but a bunch sprint was now looking inevitable. Sprint Champion Danielle Khan (Solihull CC) took to the front of the pack to show her endurance prowess and held the position for three of the four closing laps.
As the bunch came off the back straight it was the two Emilys - Kay and Nelson - from Halesowen A&CC that came past Khan to take the top two spots on the podium, with Khan holding on to make it an all West Midlands affair.
Junior Men's Points Race
The opening laps of the Junior Men's Points Race weren't the blisteringly fast war of attrition many people expected. In fact, the first two sprints were won by riders who broke away unopposed to take the points. Tom Neale of Spalding CC took the first, with Under 16 rider Zachery May of Cardiff JIF winning the bunch sprint and Harry Tanfield and Matthew Holmes of Teamwallis CHH taking the remainder. At 80 to go it was Mark Stewart (Discovery Junior CC) turn to slip away and take the honours, with another Under 16 - Tao Geoghegan Hart (CC Hackney) - taking the bunch sprint ahead of Sam Lowe or Raleigh and Tanfield again.
The third sprint at 70 to go was taken by a three man break consisting of Jon Dibben (Hargroves Cycles) - who took the five points - team mate Owain Doull and Chris Latham of Planet X. National Road Race Champion Daniel Pearson of Port Talbot Wheelers mopped up the remaining point. Three sprints and still no clear leader with two riders tied on five points - Neale having pulled out by this point.
Another three man break took the lion's share of the points at 60 to go - but no pattern was emerging as yet another rider took the win - Matt Haase of Cardiff JIF this time - with fellow escapees Tom Gallacher (Welwyn Wheelers) and Scratch race champion Rob Lambton of Brooks Cycles taking three and two points and the single point going to Doull at the head of the bunch.
Over the next few laps a group formed that would decide the race. Geoghegan Hart and Doull went away and were joined by Latham. Lowe got across to them, as did Dibben and then, finally, Pearson. And together, inexorably, they worked their way round to the back of the bunch. Before they got there, the race passed the halfway mark and Doull took another five points with Dibben, Latham and Pearson collecting the rest.
At last we had a leader - if only by the slimmest of margins. By the time the made the junction and racked up another 20 each, Doull had 29 points, one ahead of team mate Dibben. But the attacks were by no means over and this time it was young May who was away. He picked up maximum points at 40 to go - with team mate Haase taking second, if only just, ahead of a charging pair of Hargroves Cycles riders. Dibben took third and Doull fourth - we were back to a tie at the top.
Another sprint, another break - this time consisting of Geoghegan Hart, Lowe, Doull and Harry Strudley of AW Cycles. With Doull inevitably about to regain his lead with all the points going to riders in the break he followed Lowe over the line to take three points with Geoghegan Hart third and Strudley fourth. Lowe's win moved him into third, three points behind Dibben.
Holmes, Stewart and that man Geoghegan Hart again were next to break but were pulled back - only for Geoghegan Hart to go again on his own. That didn't quite work either and we had a bunch sprint for a change, with Haase taking it from Latham, Doull and Lowe. Doull's lead was now up to five with two sprints remaining. Oh, and in the meantime, Lambton had made a very impressive solo effort to take a lap on the field.
Inevitably, the moment the bunch relaxed following the sprint, Geoghegan Hart broke away again with Lambton for company. The race was breaking up by this point and with the break back, another went with Josh Papworth of Cult Racing at the head, accompanied by Stewart, Geoghegan Hart and Strudley and Jacob Scott of Planet X. The first four - in that order - took the penultimate sprint and set about trying to take the lap. It was a brave effort and a couple of times it looked as though they might pull it off but there was just enough urgency at the front to frustrate them.
What they did take was the glory of the final sprint - and, significantly, Geoghegan Hart took the five points and clinched a hard earned Silver medal. Scott, Stewart and Strudley took the remainder of the points but with Dibben needing he win to catch his team mate, the title belonged to Doull.
Results
Under 16 Boys 500m Time Trial
GOLD Ryan Whatmough Shepherds Cycles 35.173
SILVER Ryan Owens Welwyn Wheelers 35.243
BRONZE Rob Westwood Cwmcarn Paragon RC 35.282
4. Luc Hall Kuota-Spinergy-GSG 35.380
5. Louis Preston Lyme RC 35.459
6. Zachery May Cardiff JIF 35.702
7. Chris Lawless Maxgear RT 35.803
8. Jack Hoyle Team Terminator 35.845
9. Jacob Scott Planet X 35.847
10. Jake Womersley Aire Valley RT 35.880
11. Jake Kelly Royal London 360 Isle of Man 35.967
12. Tom Arnstein EV Ecosse 35.974
13. Oliver Wood Aire Valley RT 35.992
14. Kristian Woolf Kings Cliffe Flyers CC 36.143
15. Daniel Maslin Prestige Velo Club 36.385
16. Adam Lewis Wolverhampton Wheelers 36.459
17. Jack Sadler Herbalife-Wheelbase 36.678
18. Sean McGovern Sportcity Velo 36.881
19. Euan Cattermole VC Londres 37.090
20. Robbie Spence Discovery Junior CC 37.201
21. Alex Taylor Sportcity Velo 37.654
22. Rory Townsend Prestige Velo Club 37.715
23. William Hyde Lichfield City CC 37.951
24. Joshua Dunham Star Bikes RT 38.152
25. Joel Partington Eastlands Velo
26. James Shaw Heanor Clarion
27. Lewis Garrity Base2racecycles
Junior Men's Kilometre Time Trial
GOLD Matthew Rotherham scienceinsport.com 1:04.669
SILVER Christopher Latham Planet X 1:07.551
BRONZE Jack Cracknell Halesowen A&CC 1:08.430
4. Harry Tanfield Teamwallis CHH RT 1:09.615
5. Sassan Emadi Tunstall Wheelers CC 1:10.696
6. Joffie Houlton BC Private Member 1:10.872
7. George Farrell Welwyn Wheelers 1:11.319
8. Edward Bird Ciclos Uno 1:11.341
9. James Claydon Sportcity Velo 1:14.223
10. Alistair Thomas Sportcity Velo 1:14.863
Junior Female Scratch Race
GOLD Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Cycling
SILVER Elinor Barker Cardiff Ajax CC
BRONZE Harriet Owen Motorpoint Cycling
4. Lucy Garner Motorpoint Cycling
5. Amy Roberts For Viored Brookvex
6. Hannah Manley For Viored Brookvex
7. Lisa Daly Sportcity Velo
8. Eve Dixon Maxgear RT
9. Melissa Bury Maxgear RT
10. Rebecca Womersley Aire Valley RT
Under 16 Girls Scratch Race
Heat 1
1. Danielle Khan Solihull CC
2. Amy Hill Newport Velo
3. Melissa Lowther Aire Valley RT
4. Emily Kay Halesowwen A&CC
5. Kimberley English Welwyn Wheelers
6. Rebecca Hunt Cardiff Ajax CC
7. Megan Boyd Sportcity Velo
8. Imogen Farlie Team Terminator
9. Sara Gent Progressive CCDS
10. Lucy Harper Welwyn Wheelers
11. Flora Gillies Peebles CC
12. Ellie Gilham Bournemouth Arrow CC
13. Alexandra Sheehan Bristol Cycling Development Squad
14. Isabelle Clarke Lichfield City CC
15. Victoria Kinkade Royal London 360 Isle of Man
Heat 2
1. Bethany Hayward Welwyn Wheelers
2. Lauren O'Brien Aire Valley RT
3. Emily Nelson Halesowen A&CC
4. Louise Borthwick Edinburgh Road Club
5. Grace Garner Leicestershire Road Club
6. Alice Barnes Motorpoint Cycing
7. Ellie Coster Bush Healthcare CRT
8. Chloe Evans Welwyn Wheelers
9. Keira McVitty Kings Cliffe Flyers CC
10. Paige Milward Lyme RC
11. Laura Cheesman Preston Park Yough CC
12. Hannah Blount Derby Mercury
13. Megan Riach Discovery Junior CC
14. Ana Gill Heanor Clarion
Under 16 Girls Scratch Race
GOLD Emily Kay Halesowen A&CC
SILVER Emily Nelson Halesowen A&CC
BRONZE Danielle Khan Solihull CC
4. Kimberley English Welwyn Wheelers
5. Alice Barnes Motorpoint Cycling
6. Grace Garner Leicestershire Road Club
7. Ellie Coster Bush Healthcare CRT
8. Rebecca Hunt Cardiff Ajax CC
9. Megan Boyd Sport City Velo
10. Melissa Lowther Aire Valley RT
11. Imogen Farlie Team Terminator
12. Paige Milward Lyme RC
13. Bethany Hayward Welwyn Wheelers
14. Louise Borthwick Edinburgh RC
15. Lauren O'Brien Aire Valley RT
16. Victoria Kinrade Royal London 360 IoM
17. Chloe Evans Welwyn Wheelers
18. Amy Hill Newport Youth Velo
19. Lucy Harper Welwyn Wheelers
20. Laura Cheesman Preston Park Youth CC
21. Keira McVitty Kings Cliffe Flyers CC
22. Sara Gent Progressive CCDS
Junior Men's Points Race
GOLD Owain Doull Hargroves Cycles 35 pts
SILVER Tao Geoghegan Hart CC Hackney 32
BRONZE Jonathan Dibben Hargroves Cycles 30
4. Samuel Lowe Raleigh RT 28
5. Christopher Latham Planet X 27
6. Robert Lambton Brooks Cycles 22
7. Daniel Pearson Port Talbot Wheelers 22
8. Matthew Haase Cardiff JIF 13
9. Mark Stewart Discovery Junior CC 10
10. Zachery May Cardiff JIF 8
11. Joshua Papworth Cult Racing 5
12. Jacob Scott Planet X 3
13. Harry Strudley AW Cycles 3
14. Harry Tanfield Teamwallis CHH RT 3
15. Tom Gallacher Welwyn Wheelers 3
16. Matthew Holmes Teamwallis CHH RT 1
17. Will Stephenson Bournemouth Arrow CC
18. Greg Brown Dooley's Cycles
19. Jess Wieckowski Team Nemesis GB -20
