British Youth Circuit Race Championships
July 25, 2009; Hillingdon Cycle Circuit (West London)
Report and pictures by Belinda Sinclair
The best young riders in Britain converged on the Hillingdon circuit for this year’s British championships and the chance to win a champion’s jersey. The Hillingdon Slipsteamers club staged a superb event at the circuit in Springfield Road on Saturday, with a full programme of racing.
On a dry circuit with just a light wind, the under eight riders kicked off the day at 10.00am.Young Keiran Morris (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) crossed the line first five laps later, with Joe McGuinness (Palmer Park Velo) in second, and Huw Higgins-Worrall (Abergavenny RC) in third. First girl home was Olivia Braybrooke of Eastlands Velo.
With an extra lap for the Under 10’s race, the event turned into a two bike race from just after half way round the first lap when Kingston Wheelers’ Anthony Anderson and Thomas Mein from Hetton Hawks opened a gap and then rode away from the rest.
Charles Page (Hillingdon Slipstreamers) finished third with the bunch in a race that was missing another Slipstreamer and likely contender, Carl Jolly, who was sidelined with a broken arm - something that he had apparently managed several days earlier. First girl across the line was Jessica Roberts (Towy Riders), followed by Kim Baptista (Eastlands Velo) and Lauren Murphy (Team Keane).
Under 12’s
In the under twelve girls event, the ten strong field soon split into a lead bunch of five riders, who rode an attacking race throughout with Grace Garner (Leicestershire RC) eventually winning the jersey ahead of Emily Haycox and Megan Barker, both of Maindy Flyers. It was a good start to the weekend for Grace who is off to Holland to race next week:
“ I’m really happy that I wasn’t second! I was second last year and I wanted to win this time but Megan was really trying to shake me off and I knew I’d lose if she did that, so I held on. I’m very happy now!”
The Isle of Man’s Matthew Bostock held on to win the boys under twelve race to beat Robert Armstrong (Ribble Valley juniors) and Harry Lock (Maindy Flyers),with all three boys sprinting across the line with very little daylight between them. “ It was amazing and I’m really pleased that I won. It’s my first National jersey but I have been North West Champion before” said the young champion from the home of Isle of Man hero Mark Cavendish.
Under 14 Boys
Probably the most exciting and technically well ridden race of the event was race five, the under fourteen boys. The tension remained for the full fifteen laps with favourites Dan Maslin (Slipstreamers) and Germain Burton keeping a wary eye on each other as they attacked and dropped back, this despite Germain riding a single speed and having already ridden across London to the event.
When the final attack for the line came, it started near the bottom of the home straight with Maslin and Burton having already chosen their course for the finish line, they went into battle with gusto and on the finish line, Dan Maslin was the rider who got there first narrowly ahead of Germain.
“That was really hard and it went very quickly from the start” the winner said. “I knew it would be a good race and that I’d have to stay on top of things because I know Germain and I know that he’s really good. He pushed me to the limit all the way and I just got it.”
Girls
Emily Barnes (Palmer Park Velo) beat the Halesowen duo of Emily Kay and Angela Eggleton in the girls under fourteen, in another technical , albeit not as fast paced, race. The Palmer Park rider, also off to Assen next week to ride, had her work cut out, managing the numerous attacks launched by the other girls in almost every lap.
“I knew who I had to watch out for and I marked them every time they moved and got on them second or third wheel. There were a couple of times when I thought ‘oh no, it’s all over’ but I kept calm and kept pushing hard until I crossed the line.”
The third placed rider, Angela Eggleton, also deserves a mention given that she was riding her first road circuit race and had only taken delivery of her bike the evening before; all in all, the day turned out very well for her!
Under 16
The winner of the under sixteen girls and defending champion, Hannah Barnes, riding for Pinarello, nearly didn’t make it at all, her entry having been lost in the post. But she did make it to the start line and then proceeded to boss most of the race although she was pushed hard by several riders, notably Lucy Garner and Hannah Manly.
Speaking to her afterwards, she confessed to having been a bit nervous having to defend her jersey. “I think it is worse having to do it again because everybody knew I was the one to get if they wanted to get it off me!”
“There was quite a bit of attacking today and lots of on and off but when I finally went (between the last two corners of the circuit) I thought at first that I’d gone too early so I just kept going as fast as I could.”
“I knew that they (Lucy and Hannah) were with me so I just went for it. I reckon it’s all down to the Marshall’s Pasta that I had for tea last night”. Nice plug for the sponsor Hannah!
Boys
It was fitting that the last race of the event - the under sixteen boys - also boasted the most riders with seventy three lining up at the start including two who had just returned from the Youth Olympics, complete with medals. Like most of the other races of the day, it was ridden as a bunch mostly with several breaks now and then with each of them being reeled in soon after they were launched.
European Youth Olympic silver medal winner Jon Dibben made probably the longest escape midway through, which he sustained for just over a lap, but the title was all decided in a mass sprint with Sam Lowe surprising himself by crossing the line first ahead of James Berryman and Josh Papworth.
The new champion said afterwards “I wasn’t expecting that at all! I never expected to win like that as it was a very tight race and every time somebody attacked, we pulled them back.”
“I’m really pleased – delighted! And I’m off to Belgium now to race over there so that’s a really good start for me!” By the time the day finished, there had been no crashes, the sun was still shining and at least three new champions were on their way to mainland Europe, having earned their right to wear national hoops.
FULL RESULTS
GIRLS
UNDER 16
1. Hannah Barnes Pinnarello RT
2. Lucy Garner Leicestershire RC
3. Hannah Manly Jif
4. Harriet Owen Bicester Millennium CC
5. Melissa Bury Sport City Velo
6. Natalie Hill Hillingdon Slipstreamers
7. Jess Anderson Sport City Velo
8. Amy Roberts Cardiff Ajax CC
9. Manon Morgans Cardiff Ajax CC
10. Bethany Crumpton Halesowen A&CC
11. Elinor Barker Cardiff Ajax CC
12. Hannah Shenton Paul Milnes / Bradford Olympic
13. Hannah Layland VC St Raphael
14. Stephanie Higgs Chippenham Wheelers
15. Laura Allen Privateer
UNDER 14
1. Emily Barnes Palmer Park Velo
2. Emily Kay Halesowen A&CC
3. Angela Eggleton Halesowen A&CC
4. Amy Jacobs VC Jubilee
5. Rebecca Hunt Newport Velo
6. Jessica O'Brien Wakefield Jnr Tri Club
7. Kim English Palmer Park Velo
8. Alice Barnes Palmer Park Velo
9. Lauren O'Brien Wakefield Jnr Tri Club
10. Holly Page Worcester St Johns CC
11. India Penrice Sport City Velo
12. Zoe Lewis VC Londres
13. Ellie Gilham Bournemouth Arrows
14. Sara Gent In Gear Develop Squad
15. Zoe Armstrong Ribble Vally Juniors
16. Clare Gore Sport City Velo
17. Katie Metalli Palmer Park Velo
18. Harriet Hollis Hillingdon Slipstreamers
UNDER 12
1. Grace Garner Leicestershire RC
2. Emily Haycox Maindy Flyers
3. Megan Barker Maindy Flyers
4. Sophie Capewell Lichfield CC
5. Kirsten Savage Hillingdon Slipstreamers
6. Megan Lewis VC Jubilee
7. Lorna Robinson Ipswich BC
8. Hannah Gunn Hillingdon Slipstreamers
9. Emily Capewell Lichfield CC
UNDER 10
1. Jessica Roberts Towy Riders
2. Kim Baptista Eastlands Velo
3. Lauren Murphy Team Keyne
4. Emma Pitt Palmer Park Velo
5. Bethany Lewis VC Jubilee
6. Annalie Beach Wakefield Tri
UNDER 8
1. Olivia Braybrooke Eastlands Velo
2. Orla Devlin Hillingdon Slipstreamers
3. Elinor Baldwin Eagle RC
BOYS
UNDER 16
1. Sam Lowe Go Sports Spex RT
2. James Berryman Privateer
3. Josh Papworth Wyre Forest CC
4. Oliver Rossi Glendene CC / Bike Trax
5. Harry Tanfield Cleveland Wheelers
6. Jordan Hargreaves Planet X
7. Alec Briggs Arctic Premier RT
8. Adam Martin Hetton Hawks
9. Alastair Hepworth Batley CC / Hargreaves Cycles
10. Jack Penrice Sport City Velo
11. Christopher Latham Sport City Velo
12. Hugo Humphreys Lee Valley Youth CC
13. Jonathan Dibben DHCyclesport.co.uk
14. Josh Penrice Sport City Velo
15. Ted Bate Halesowen A&CC
16. Greg Brown Glasgow Nightingale CC
17. James Locker Halesowen A&CC
18. Alistair Slater Bourne Wheelers
19. Owain Doull Cardiff Ajax CC
20. Ed Bird East London Velo
21. George Moore CC Giro
22. Sam Matthews Edinburgh Racers
23. Simon Winston VC St Raphael
24. Conor Bunn VC Londres
25. Tom Young Leicestershire RC
26. Jack Haining Sutton CC
27. Liam Brennan New Brighton CC
28. Tom Lackenby De Rosa / Mg décor
29. Charlie Heffernan VC Jubilee
30. Nicholas Smith VC Jubilee
31. Nicholas Barnes Seacroft Wheelers
32. Alex Minting Planet X
33. Taylor Johnstone Team de Ver
34. Jess Wieckowski Halesowen A&CC
35. Tom Neale Spalding CC
36. William Macke Palmer Park Velo
37. Joshua Teasdale Westbrook Cycles / Team Scott
38. Harry Strudley Palmer Park Velo
39. Kyle Yates Edinburgh Racers
40. Tanveer Mann Hillingdon Slipstreamers
41. Daniel Murphy Team Keyne
42. Declan Higgins Twickenham CC
43. Robert Lambton Brooks Cycles
44. Jim Lewis Glendene CC / Bike Trax
45. Fraser Turgoose CC Javea
46. Hugo Robinson Ipswich BC
47. Thomas Laker In Gear Development Squad
48. Stuart McCluskey VC Glasgow South
49. Luke Grivell-Mellor Mid Shropshire Wheelers
50. Callum Bramley Sherwood CC
51. Lawrence Carpenter Hillingdon Slipstreamers
52. Aaran Sayers Leicestershire RC
53. Brock Duncumb Rogers Preston Park Youth CC
54. Mark Passey Hillingdon Slipstreamers
55. Milo Burdeau In Gear Development Squad
56. Stephen Bradbury Palmer Park Velo
57. Frazier Carr Palmer Park Velo
58. Luke Boulton Sport City Velo
59. Sean Wheddon Bristol Cycling Dev Squad
UNDER 14
1. Daniel Maslin Hillingdon Slipstreamers
2. Germain Burton Team de Ver
3. Christopher Lawless Eastlands Velo
4. Jacob Scott Holme Valley Wheelers
5. Robbie Westwood Cwmcarn Paragon RC
6. Charlie Tanfield Cleveland Wheelers
7. Oliver Wood Aire Valley RT
8. Adam Lewis Wolverhampton Wheelers
9. Joe Kirkham VC Long Eaton
10. Lewis Barry Sport City Velo
11. Jamil Gaida Palmer Park Velo
12. Euan Cattermole VC Londres
13. Jacob Kelly Lichfield City CC
14. Harry Franklin VC Londres
15. Jason Pitt Palmer Park Velo
16. Kieron Tennyson Heanor Clarion
17. Owen Thomas Cwmcarn Paragon RC
18. George Withers Palmer Park Velo
19. Alan Trolove West Suffolk Wheelers
20. Max Stedman Reading CC
21. Harvey Watson Velocity Bikes CC
22. Ashley Dennis VC Jubilee
23. Taylor Preece Maindy Flyers
24. Geraint Manley Maindy Flyers
25. Christian Braybrooke Sport City Velo
26. Jack Sadler Wheelbase / Gore
27. Simon Passey Hillingdon Slipstreamers
UNDER 12
1. Matthew Bostock Team Royal London 360 IOM
2. Robert Armstrong Ribble Valley Juniors
3. Harry Lock Maindy Flyers
4. Reece Wood Aire Valley RT
5. Christopher Barnes Seacroft Wheelers
5. David Barnes Palmer Park Velo
5. Jake Beach Aire Valley RT
5. Alexander Braybrooke Eastlands Velo
5. Tom Franklin Herne Hill Youth CC
5. Jake Howes Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Reg Pay Palmer Park Velo
5. Benjamin Smith Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Aidan Woolven Sutton CC
5. Matthew Worton Stockton Wheelers
UNDER 10
1. Anthony Anderson Kingston Wheelers CC
2. Thomas Mein Hetton Hawks
3. Charles Page Hillingdon Slipstreamers
4. Harry Tadman Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Thomas Bostock Team Royal London 360 IOM
6. Toby Tanfield Cleveland Wheelers
7. Matthew Lewis Wolverhampton Wheelers CC
8. Matthew Braybrooke Eastlands Velo
9. Michael Parry Welwyn Wheelers
10. Niall Dawkins Hillingdon Slipstreamers
11. Alastair Bointon Hillingdon Slipstreamers
12. Davis Pay Palmer Park Velo
UNDER 8
1. Kieran Morris Mid Shropshire Wheelers
2. Joe McGuinness Palmer Park Velo
3. Huw Higgins-Worrall Abergavenny RC
4. Thomas Barrowcliffe Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Matthew Farrow Eagle RC
6. Matthew Baptista Eastlands Velo
7. Timothy Dineen Hillingdon Slipstreamers
8. Kye Lewis Hillingdon Slipstreamers
