Day two of the 2021 National Youth and Junior Track Championships saw the group races begin with the youth men opening proceedings in the scratch race.
It really could have been anyone’s race with a handful of riders suffering crashes, but thankfully all walkedi away unscathed. It was Sam Fisher of Backstedt Performance RC who took the national title ahead of Bourne Wheelers CC’s Jacob Bush in second and Alex Franks of Hillingdon Slipstreamers in third.
Millie Couzens’ dominant season continued with a second win in as many days, comfortably taking the victory in the junior women’s points race. Second place went to Flora Perkins with Imani Pereira-James in third.
The afternoon saw Isabel Sharp crowned victorious in an exciting youth women’s 2000m Individual Pursuit, with Holly Ramsey taking second and Carys Lloyd in third.
The junior men’s sprint race was the closest race of the day with winner, Harry Ledingham-Horn, taking the victory by less than half a wheel length from Marcus Hiley in second. Tom Sharples won the Bronze medal final, beating Ed Lowe into the final podium position.
The big excitement from day two came from the junior women’s sprint, with Rhian Edmunds not only taking the win but also gaining a national record in the process.
Rhian suffered a nosebleed pre-race causing a slight delay to the start, yet despite racing with gauze up her nose, this clearly didn’t affect her competitive racing. Iona Moir took second place with Hannah Davies scooping third.
With the day two podiums complete, athletes look ahead to the following day’s madison and keirin races.