Location: Braintree BMX Track, Braintree, Essex
Event: 7 April 2013
The East Anglian Summer Regional race series kicked off at Braintree with 184 riders from across the country signed up for the action. The sun finally showed its face and the track team even had to water the track to keep the dust down for the riders.
The racing commenced with the Novices and in the 7 and under class the first win of the day went to the home clubs Josh Cates who pulled an unassailable lead in the early stages of the race. Second place went to Reuben Mills from Walpole Warriors in his first regional event and Matthew Smith from Royston Rockets was third.
More glory came for Braintree Bullets in the 8-10 year olds as Joe Walters went unbeaten all day to claim first place ahead of club mate Jacob Carter and Walpole’s George Dickens. The final novice class was the 11-13s and it was Walpole with the victory this time in the shape of Will Mills. Josh Thompson hung on to second place from hard charging Edward Parker in third.
The 24” wheeled cruiser classes were up next with Braintree’s Chris Potter styling his way to first place in the 17-29 class ahead of Alex Pike from Ipswich and Jake Coombs from Braintree. In the 40-44 class, Paul Barnard from Norwich dominated every lap to take the win with a clean sheet. Tim Drew from Redditch Premiers was the best of the rest as he tailed Barnard every inch of the way in second and Braintree’s Andy Carter dug deep to battle for third place in fine style.
The 30+ ladies class saw a win for the days Programme Cover star Tracy Clark from Braintree as she smoothed her way to the front and went unbeaten all day. Sarah Fuller from Milton Keynes rode well in second and Claire Pollard who can usually be seen on a mountain bike made third place her own for Royston.
It was then on to the main events and the Expert classes and the Pocket Rockets in the 6 and unders class had Ewan Munday from Dagenham leading out the pack, lap after lap to take first from Norwich’s Jared Hill and Ipswich’s Oscar Everitt. In the 7’s Riley Hampson from Derby made the trip worth it to go unbeaten and put some points on the board.
Owen Putland battled hard to finish second for Peterborough and Henry Rowe from Braintree had a clear third place after the pair battling behind him went down on the third straight. Up to the 8’s and another clean sheet went to Royston’s Josh Abbott who just had a bit more power than Braintree’s Cameron Parrish in secondand Joseph Harris who came through the pack to third. In the 7-8 girls class Lucy Munday was untouchable and won every race of the day.
Braintree’s Seb Pantlin seems to improve every race and rode with great determination to win the 9’s with ease ahead of Royston’s Josh Izzard and Braintree’s Alex Doree in third. More great riding came from Braintree’s Tyler Carter in the 10’s as he pumped and swooped his way to the front to claim the win.
Alec Munday from Dagenham kept him honest in second and Peterborough’s Charlie Foster was ready to pounce all day in third. The 9-10 girls’ class had a battle royale in the final as Dagenham’s Grace Bryceland gave chase to Redditch’s Hannah Drew, but Drew was just too strong and held on for the win.
The 11-12’s were combined to keep things super competitive and the A final was set to be a showdown between Braintree’s Sydney Allen and the world number seven; Preston Pirates Alex Brookes. From the gate Allen pulled a bit of a gap with Brookes hard on his wheel as they went through turn one. Out of the turn and Brookes pulled level over the double jump as Allen bobbled and slipped back to second. Through the rest of the track Allen chased Brookes hard but couldn’t close the gap. Joe Read-Millard trailed the two throughout the race for third. The B final win went to Braintree’s Jake Coombs who fought off club mate Jamie Edwards. Morgan Dorrell from Norwich was on fire in the equivalent girl’s class and head the points after round one.
The 13-14s were also mixed together, but it was a 12 year old who stole the show as Braintree’s Ollie Rowe saw off some big challenges to clean up and won the A final. Dan Blanche from Royston chopped and changed places with Braintree’s Josh Legrove as the two battled throughout the lap with Blanche just taking second from Legrove.
More mixed class action went down in the 15-16s with Braintree’s Josh Butson using his power and technique to keep all comers at bay and winning the A final ahead of Dagenham’s Josh Wallis and Royston’s Ethan Vernon in third. Molly Dobson made the trip all the way from the North East well worth it by winning the 15-16 girls ahead of Braintree’s Kelsey Dixon and Isabel Potter.
In the Championship Women class Peterborough’s Bethany Campbell showed great strength to fight off the challenge from Milton Keynes Izzy Ferrada in the final as Lana Redgewell gave chase in third.
The Vet’s class was wide open with at least half the field capable of winning. It was all about power in the final as Paul Maidment from Peterborough span his legs away from the pack to win the lap. Keith Bryceland made up for an earlier crash to ride through the pain to second and Lee Alexander got his 2013 campaign underway in third.
The final race of the day was the 17+ A final and it was a fitting end to a great days racing. The pace from the gate was fierce as the whole pack diced for position. Into the second straight Dom Skidmore from Balby Academy was just in front of Royston’s Laurence Mapp with Braintree’s Chris Potter just behind.
As they went through the very technical third straight Mapp was lining up for a move in the last turn as Potter had a nightmare and went over the bars and down. In the last turn Mapp got physical and used his size to muscle his way into the lead, shutting down Skidmore and taking the win with Ipswich’s John Lillingstone in third.
