Herne Hill Track League
Location: Herne Hill Velodrome, London
Report: Jason Cattermole/Snowdon Sports
A third of the way into this year’s series, its about time to see how things are going this year so far.
A few changes are underway for 2013. The racing has a new senior C category, providing more accessible races than the slightly faster A and B races. This has proved very popular, making an easier transition for those used to the weekly training sessions and keen to dip their toes into the world of racing, and enticing those who haven’t raced for a few years to make a return.
With just one week of eight so far affected by rain, the league is off to a good start. Herne Hill’s recently completed Southwark Olympic Legacy Project saw floodlights installed for the first time at the 120-year-old velodrome, which Track League riders had the privilege of being the first session to use them.
The Flying 200m and Match Sprint champions have been decided for this year already, Symon Lewis and Tony Lock respectively, with the rest of the special events to follow in the latter part of the series. Next week, being the longest Wednesday of the year (not that it matters now we have the floodlights) will be the notorious double 20k night – a treat for the endurance riders.
In the overall league, winner of the last few years, Symon Lewis is building a comfortable lead over Nuun YB London team mate Tony Lock. Bec CC’s Dom Hill is settling into third place with VC Londres' Iain Cook, and 34th Nomads’ Phil Watkins rounding off the top five.
In the overall rankings for under 12s, it’s a battle of the Findlays with Findlay Newmark starting to build a lead over VC Londres team mate Findlay Wellings. Fellow VC Londres riders Billy Gilbey and Tom Gloag are in third and fourth overall. Megan Panton of Woolwich CC is comfortably first girl and fifth overall.
The A, B and C categories are all ranked together, with the harder races awarding more overall points. VC Londres’ Fred Wright is making the senior B category races aggressive and running away with the U14 league.
Team mate Hisham Al-Ramah is much the same, but racing with the A category and comfortably leading the U16 league in the process and sixth overall.
This year the women’s racing has been great in the C category, but are missing the numbers of previous years – it’s down to the more youthful riders to lead the way. First year Junior Laura Cheeseman of Prestige VC is currently tied for the lead with VC Londres’ U14 Rachael Jary. WXC World Racing’s Abi Van Twisk is close behind in third place.
Herne Hill Track League has a new, generous sponsor this year – Cycling Weekly have stepped up to support the racing and provide the prizes, with over £1,500 of prizes to be issued to the top riders at the end of the series.
Also new for this year is the volunteer judges. Any rider wishing to take prize money for the overall positions this year, and those that just want to do their bit, have to volunteer to judge for one night of the year.
This shift towards empowering riders to contribute towards the running of their racing coincides with local circuit race series Crystal Palace Crits only issuing prize money to riders who’s clubs have marshaled for a round of their series. It’s great to see riders taking a more active responsibility in contributing towards their racing.
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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
