Location: Hove Park, Goldstone Crescent, Brighton, East Sussex
Event: 25 April 2013

---

Cool temperatures and intermittent showers greeted the racers who arrived for the first George Samuel Memorial Hove Park Crit of 2013.

With the 2012 series winner John ‘Eddie’ Lewis now promoted to category 1 status the 2013 trophy is going to have a new name on it.

Challengers for the title were certainly eager to be in contention - names including Mike Coyle, Jules Birk and Paul Flynn were amongst a strong field of 33 riders. This was going be a race where the attacks came thick and fast and the most tactically astute riders would be looking to score points early in order to lay down a foundation for the series title.

The sun decided to show its face as the race got underway and the first few laps saw the field tentatively test their collective legs and jostle for position sensing the first prime would be coming soon.

With three primes per race and the points scored counting towards the overall standings, they were going to shape the outcome of the race. The first prime confirmed this as the big guns loomed large just as the whistle blew – Mike Coyle taking first blood with Jules Birk and Paul Flynn second and third respectively.

The increase in pace saw the first splits appear in the group with a definite bunch of riders forming and small splinter groups off the back trying to limit the damage being done by riders from Brighton Mitre, VC Londres and Southdowns Bikes.

A lead group of 15 established itself with the rest of the field scattered around the circuit and even primes two (Jules Birk first, Giorgios Crouch second, Mike Coyle third) and three (Philip Glowinski first, Mike Coyle second, Patrick Martin third) failed to see any riders break free from this group.

It was going to come down to a bunch finish and despite some small digs the lead group came hammering up the finishing straight with Jules Birk of VC Londres narrowly securing victory from Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre) with Georgios Crouch (VC Meudon) third.

Cat 4 event

The cat 4 race saw one of the largest fields assembled since the crits started at Hove Park with many of the clubs from the South East of England being represented.

From the start the field seemed to be content with keeping up a steady pace and the bunch was all together for the early stages of the race.

It took an attack by Steven Willis (Eastbourne Rovers) and Tom Beasley (East London Velo) to galvanise the riders into action. The duo managed to build up a fair lead over the now disintegrating field – the drag up to the finish proving to be too much for some of the riders.  

Unfortunately for the break the remnants of the bunch put in a spirited chase and they were eventually dragged back.

With 10 minutes left to run on the clock the field started to ready itself for a bunch gallop. The group was strung out along the back straight before they took the sharp left turn up the drag to the finish. The final 200 metres saw the strongest riders pull ahead with early escapee Steven Willis of Eastbourne Rovers punching the air as he crossed the line first. Mathew Leary of In-Gear and Tom Beasley of East London Velo took second and third respectively.

Race 1 – Cat 2/3 results

1. 1. Jules Birk (VC Londres)
2. 2. Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre)
3. 3. Georgios Crouch (VC Meudon)
4. 4. Dan Gardener (ASL 360)
5. 5. Philip Glowinski (VC Londres)
6. 6. Michael Coyle (Brighton Mitre)
7. 7. Patrick Martin (Wyndymilla)
8. 8. Stuart Bettis (Southdowns Bikes)
9. 9. Mark Westrun (Strada-Sport)

10. Roger Smith (Southdowns Bikes)

11. Oli Pepper (Morvelo CC)

12. Robert Quin (Brighton Mitre)

13. George Higgs (Crawley Wheelers)

14. Paul Barnard (Southdowns Bikes)

15. Joe Hyatt (Brighton Mitre)

16. Gavin Starling (Brighton Mitre)

17. Tom Glanfield (Lewes Wanderers)

18. Jack Evans (Brighton Mitre)

19. George Jary (VC Londres)

20. George Moore (ASL 360)

21. Matt Townsend (ASL 360)

22. Jo Burt (Road CC)

23. Sam Cheeseman (ASL 360)

24. Phil Smith (Brighton Mitre)

25. Frazer Clifford (Boom Pods)

26. Kimberly English (Contessa-Scott)

27. John Powell (ASL 360)

28. Joe Saville (Brighton Mitre)

29. Mark Jary (VC Londres)

30. Mario Manelfi (ASL 360)

31. Nick Casburn (Wyndymilla)

32. Eric Declior – DNF (Private)

33. Dan Clark – DNF (Brighton Mitre)

Race 1 – Cat 4 result

1. 1. Steven Willis (Eastbourne Rovers)
2. 2. Matthew Leary (In-Gear)
3. 3. Tom Beasley (East London Velo)
4. 4. Anthony Barker (Crawley Wheelers)
5. 5. Trevor Deeble (Hastings& St Leonards)
6. 6. Michael Vance (Dulwich Paragon)
7. 7. Barnaby Kennard (Sussex Nomads)
8. 8. Nigel O’Brien (Brighton Mitre)
9. 9. Matt Nixon (Brighton Mitre)

10. Philip Wallace-Tarry (Crawley Wheelers)

11. JP Saville (Private)

12. Nick Smith (Lewes Wanderers)

13. James Danvers (Brighton Mitre)

14. Simon Dowling (Brighton Mitre)

15. Richard Harper (Kingston Wheelers)

16. David Harries (Eastbourne Rovers)

17. Jed Williamson (Private)

18. Robin Plowman (ASL 360)

19. Alex Taylor (Southdowns Bikes)

20. James McCoy (Private)

21. Alan Newman (Brighton Mitre)

22. Zachary Bredmer (Dulwich Paragon)

23. Trevor Roberts (Brighton Mitre)

24. Alex Bayfus (Sussex Nomads)

25. Jake Fieldsend (VC Jubilee)

26. Sara Gent (VO2 Development) - DNF

27. James Horan (Southdowns Bikes) - DNF

28. Martin Edmonds (Brighton Mitre) - DNF