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South of England Cyclo-Cross Championships
Southampton Sports Centre, Sunday 6th December 2009
Incorporating Wessex League Round 10/South West League Round 9
Report & Images: Graham Robins (www.grahamrobins.net)
Video: Hargroves Cycles
VIDEO - JUNIORS
VIDEO - SENIORS
GRAHAM ROBIN'S IMAGES
Stuart Bowers riding for Hargroves Cycles retained his South of England Cyclo-Cross crown winning the race at a canter. This was Stuart's fifth South of England win and he made it look deceptively easy in the very tough conditions. Overnight rain coupled with the rain of the past week made parts of the course, based at a sports centre, waterlogged in places. By the time the seniors started their race it had cut up quite badly in places.
As the top riders lined up on a pleasant Sunday in December under bright blue skies a large crown had gathered and they were soon watching some fast, hectic and muddy racing.
First to make a breakaway from the bunch was Mike Cotty (wheelbase.co.uk), making good headway in the tricky conditions, but Stuart Bowers showed his intent and soon caught and passed Cotty. Another rider looking good was seven round winner Adrain Lansley (Pedal On) back from a mid season break and looking refreshed. Behind him, Crispin Doyle (Swindon RC), Matt Macdonald (Hargroves Cycles), and Sam Allen (AW Cycles) were also looking strong on the opening couple of laps.
Those with a pit crew and wash down were changing bikes as often as they could - the small time loss from the bike change was well worth it as those without a second bike found themselves struggling with the mud. When the race settled down after a couple of laps it was Stuart Bowers out in the lead, followed by Mike Cotty, with Adrian Lansley and Crispin Doyle in pursuit. On the next lap Lansley passed Cotty and set about chasing down Bowers.
As Stuart opened up a large gap between himself and Adrain, Adrain soon became an isolated figure but able to close Stuart down but strong enough not to be caught. So they interesting part of the race was for the third podium place. With Mike Cotty, Crispin Doyle and Matt Macdonald all very close together the ‘blanket was about to appear. Sam Allen was doing his best to hang on in there but seemingly unable to make up time.
At the midway stage spectators had some fun speculating when Mike Cotty slipped back behind Matt by some distance. His anxious pit crew were not sure what had happened but he soon appeared muddied from a fall just out of sight of the pits. He came into the pits, collected a clean bike and set about closing the others down.
As they came into sight again Bowers had big lead over Lansley with now Cotty in front of MacDonald and Doyle. Cheered on by friends and family Cotty was riding strong but was too far away from Lansley to do anything about it. Sam Allen did manage to pass Matt MacDonald in the closing stages to record a fine fifth place.
The podium place were sorted with about two laps to go and Stuart Bowers crossed the line in front of the massed crowd to retain his crown he won last year in Swindon.
Results
Senior Men
1 Stuart Bowers Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Senior
2 Adrian Lansley Pedalon Senior
3 Mike Cotty Wheelbase.co.uk/Cannondale Senior
4 Crispin Doyle Swindon RC Senior
5 Sam Allen AW Cycles/Ridley/Fulcrum Wheels Senior
6 Matthew MacDonald Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Senior
7 Mike Groves Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Senior
8 Mike Warner Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Senior
9 Sean Williams Wightlink/Offshore Race Team Senior
10 Robin Wilmott GA Cycles Senior
11 Philip Gale GA Cycles Senior
12 Luke Eggar Southfork Racing / Accelerade Senior
13 Ben Price Private Member Senior
14 Nick Onslow Pedalon Senior
15 Peter Kench GWR Team/3Vi/SwindonCycles/Spuik/High5 Senior
16 Simon Burgess Somer Valley CC Senior
17 Vin Cox Team Empella Cyclo-Cross Senior
18 Roy Wyle-Smith Shred Racing Senior
19 Adam Bright Private Member Senior
20 Owen Jeffries Velo Ecosse Senior
21 Karl Norfolk Pedalon Senior
22 James Astbury DH Cycles Senior
23 Chas Thurfield Dream CC Senior
24 Andrew Kerr Private Member Senior
25 Daniel Smith GWR Team/3Vi/SwindonCycles/Spuik/High5 Senior
26 Peter Scott Swindon RC Senior
27 Nigel Page Private Member Senior
28 Jason Blann Team Rose Blann Senior
29 Dan Maker Shred Racing Senior
30 Gavin Spiers Reading CC Senior
31 Jonathon Wickham GWR Team/3Vi/SwindonCycles/Spuik/High5 Senior
32 Darren Compton Swindon RC Senior
33 Ray Claridge Crabwood CC Senior
34 David Belcher Sotonia CC Senior
35 Steve Kirk Sotonia CC Senior
36 Dennis Murphy North Hampshire RC Senior
37 George Kirkin Twickenham CC Senior
Youth U16
1 Daniel Murphy Team Keyne Youth U16
2 Jonathon Dibben Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Youth U16
3 Luke Cowley Swindon RC Youth U16
4 Harvey Lowe Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Youth U14
5 Matthew Woods Swindon RC Youth U16
6 William Macke Palmer Park Velo Youth U16
7 Isaac Staff Swindon RC Youth U16
8 Leon Mander Chapel Tri Stars Youth U16
9 Harry Strudley Palmer Park Velo Youth U16
10 Henry Dawson Hillingdon Slipstreamers Youth U14
11 Jack Netherwood Chapel Tri Stars Youth U14
12 Laura Clode Private Member Youth U16G
13 Hazel Jowett Chapel Tri Stars Youth U16G
14 Zoe Sheehan Swindon RC Youth U14G
15 Kerrie Hutchinson Swindon RC Youth U14G
16 Katie Metalli Palmer Park Velo Youth U14G
17 Megan Lewis VC Jubilee Youth U14G
18 Rhianna Jones Swindon RC Youth U14G
19 Susannah Moore Swindon RC Youth U14G
20 Lucy Burrows Poole Wheelers Youth U14G
Juniors
1 Luke Gray Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Junior
2 Steven James Pedalon Junior
3 Andrew Hargroves Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Junior
4 Harry Smith Shred Racing Junior
5 Declan Higgins Twickenham CC Junior
Vets & Vets 50
1 Antony Green GA Cycles Vet 40-49
2 Andy Shaw Raleigh Avanti RT Vet 40-49
3 Keith Sheridan Corinium CC Vet 40-49
4 Gary Allan GA Cycles Vet 40-49
5 William Girvan North Hampshire RC Vet 40-49
6 Steven Davies Private Member Vet 40-49
7 Martin Tuckey Dorset Fire Vet 40-49
8 Tim Costello Southdown Velo/Geared Bikes/Hunter Vet 40-49
9 Tim Carpenter Team Empella Cyclo-Cross Vet 40-49
10 Garry Clark Banjo Cycles Vet 40-49
11 David Phillips Corinium CC Vet 40-49
12 Richard Taylor Exeter Wheelers CC Vet 40-49
13 Martin Wright Dream CC Vet 40-49
14 Adrian Clode Private Member Vet 40-49
15 Stephen Jones AW Cycles/Ridley/Fulcrum Wheels Vet 40-49
16 Peter Bolke DH Cycles Vet 40-49
17 Kevin Blann Team Rose Blann Vet 40-49
18 Stuart Pickering Cyclelogic Vet 40-49
19 Peter Hutchinson Swindon RC Vet 40-49
20 Peter Graham North Hampshire RC Vet 40-49
21 Anthony Dyment North Hampshire RC Vet 40-49
22 Chris Long TVS Sherborne Vet 40-49
23 Martyn Dymond GA Cycles Vet 40-49
24 Chris Remnent VS Narbonnais Languedoc Roussilion Vet 40-49
25 Lester Young Team Empella Cyclo-Cross Vet 40-49
26 Andy Smith Swindon RC Vet 40-49
27 Robert Tutt GS Europa Vet 40-49
28 Lee Bradley Guerciotti/JJCoach Vet 40-49
29 Mark Deacon Royal Air Force Vet 40-49
30 Paul Loosemore Team Striking Bikes Vet 40-49
31 Matthew Rowley Oxonian CC Vet 40-49
32 Richard Bremner North Hampshire RC Vet 40-49
33 Harvey Pitt Oxford City RC Vet 40-49
34 John Burrows Poole Wheelers Vet 40-49
1 Dave McMullen Evans Cycles RT Vet 50+
2 Andrew MacDonald GA Cycles Vet 50+
3 Robin Delve Mid Devon CC Vet 50+
4 Andy Roberts Evans Cycles RT Vet 50+
5 Stuart Grace GA Cycles Vet 50+
6 David Hamilton Cycle Sport South Hams/LHRendle/TheBikeCellar Vet 50+
7 Dave Lloyd Didcott Phoenix CC Vet 50+
8 Steve Dines Team Wight Mountain / Red Funnel Vet 50+
9 Stuart Hatahway Oxonian CC Vet 50+
10 Geoff Booker Oxonian CC Vet 50+
11 Martin Ward Sotonia CC Vet 50+
12 Nick Friend Wessex RC Vet 50+
13 Graham MacNamee Twickenham CC Vet 50+
14 Martin Saunders New Forest CC Vet 50+
15 Martin Dawson Kingston Wheelers Vet 50+
Women
1 Maddie Horton Team Certini Woman
2 Genevieve Whitson Swindon RC Woman
3 Caroline Goward Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Scott/GSI Woman
4 Hannah Bowers Private Member Woman
5 Claire Smith Swindon RC Woman
6 Karen Murphy Team Wight Mountain / Red Funnel Woman
7 Wiesia Kuczaj Twickenham CC Woman
8 Andrea Halman Swindon RC Woman
