2009 Mildenhall Cycle Rally
August Bank Holiday Weekend; Report & Photos Mark Cozens ()
The Mildenhall Rally is one of those unique cycling events that it is assured success and this year, like many others, was no different. Based in and around Riverside Middle School, which has been their home since 1997, the packed three-day programme contained the usual mix of tried and trusted events that have served the event so well in the past. British Cycling sent Mark Cozens along to sample all the fun of the fair!
Day 2 Report
A significantly larger than expected entry on day 2 of the annual 3 day Mildenhall Cycle Rally meant squeezing in a third category of racing into an already tightly packed programme. Unusually for a bank holiday weekend, the rain appeared nowhere when the day’s proceedings kicked off, although the wind picked up as the day went on and the first drops were felt just as the final events were winding up.
Held on a 240 metre track within the local school’s grounds, a large and enthusiastic crowd were entertained with a variety of events including Keirins (paced by Max Pendleton complete with a playing-card-within-the-spokes-“engine” for greater realism!), short and long distance scratch races, handicaps, devils, and a points devil to really confuse the judges.
Riders showing well included Caroline Gammell (Elmy Cycles), Sarah Boyd and Claire Larby of the organising Mildenhall CC, Simon Jacklin of the Fenland Clarion who rode in a very attacking style, Ben Elliott (VC St Raphael) in his National champion's jersey with a win in the A Keirin after being squeezed out in his heat and coming through the repechage, and the unfortunate Sam Connelley of the Maldon and District CC who looked set for a win just before his sprocket decided to unwind itself halfway around the final lap.
The final event on the programme, and the main event of the day, the GEM Estate Management Mini Milk Race 8km, the final round of this year’s National Endurance League, was hotly contested from the gun, with Richard Meadows (Velo 29) in his usual style taking the event by the scruff of the neck and shelling out a substantial portion of the field in the first few laps.
By halfway this had become a three way race between Meadows and the only two riders able to hold his wheel thus far, Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT), and series leader Bryan Taylor (VC Londres). Two riders from Cottingham Coureurs, first Matthew Fenton, then Richard Lambert, managed to haul themselves across to the leading three, before Meadows took off to solo around the last laps for a comfortable win.
Meanwhile John McClelland (Agiskoviner) in a last ditch effort, made it across to the other four just in time to contest a sprint finish for the minor placings, coming in 4th behind Duggleby (2nd), and Taylor, who by finishing 3rd cemented his series win. However, the Blue Ribband events of the day were the Ladies and Mens World Championship Hoop Races, held under 'You See Eye' Regulations. Various acts of skullduggery (some would even call "cheating"!) were witnessed as riders attempted to place their rear wheels into hoops (the number of which diminished as the races went on) with overshooting meaning an extra trip around the track.
After being awarded Championship jerseys, winners Jody Brumhead and Pete Whelan then had the pleasure of serenading the crowd with their renditions of "I Can See A Rainbow".
PHOTOS!
RESULTS
DAY 1
U10 Omnium – Boys
1 Matthew Ellis
2 Thomas Street
3 James Mitre
4 Joe Hill
5 Tom Durkin
6 Jake Norton
7 Niall Cole
8 Stephen Jones
9 Thomas Webster
U10 Omnium – Girls
1 Isabel Scott
2 Anneka Goates
U12 Omnium – Boys
1 Joe Fry
2 William Street
3 James Jackson
4 Elliott Jarvis
5 Adam Gough
6 Daniel Maynard
7 Reece Moradkhan
8 Ted O’brien
9 Mitchell Powell
10 Pen O’brien
11 Andrew Fowler
12 Nick Brown
13 David Kennedy
14 Harry Durkin
U12 Omnium – Girls
1 Henrietta Carbone
2 Lucy Harper
3 Jennifer McAndrew
4 Rebecca Maynard
5 Karen Pegg
6 Sophie Scott
7 Caitlin Douglas
U14 Omnium – Boys
1 Alan Trolove
2 Ed Balham
3 Euan Cattermole
4 Calvert Churchill
5 Jacob Marshall-Grint
6 Joe Page
7 Sam Bentley
8 Scott Edwards
9 Harry Bellars
10 Jonathan Chapman
U14 Omnium – Girls
1 Zoe Lewis
2 Chloe Evans
3 Sherilyn Powell
4 Fiona Pegg
5 Imogen Webster
U16 Omnium – Boys
1 Sam Connelly
2 Alex Avery
3 Brock Duncomb Rogers
4 Daniel Snow
5 Ben Bailey
6 Kristian Cave
7 Joshua Maynard
8 Andrew Leverton
9 Alex Anderson
10 Robert Eyre
11 George Bateman
12 Jack Oliver-Blaney
13 Josh Hutchinson
14 George Farrell
Women’s Omnium
1 Melissa Bury
2 Denise Cater
3 Alison Lilley
4 Sarah Boyd
5 Hannah Payton
6 Isla Rowntree
7 Lauren Brown
8 Jodie Brumhead
9 Amy Willoughby
10 Caroline Gammell
11 Bryony Darbon
12 Victoria Williamson
13 Claire Larbey
14 Karen Lifford
15 Ann Shuttleworth
16 Rachel Eyre
DAY 2
Men's 8km Scratch
NATIONAL ENDURANCE LEAGUE EVENT
1. Richard Meadows (Velo 29)
2. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres)
3. Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT)
4. John McClelland (Agiskoviner)
5. Matthew Fenton (Cottingham Coureurs)
6. Richard Lambert (Cottingham Coureurs)
7. Tom Gosbee (Team Welwyn)
8. Bryan Pool (Andersons Racing)
Men's Points Devil
1. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres)
2. Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT)
3. Richard Meadows (Velo 29)
4. Tom Gosbee (Team Welwyn)
5. Matthew Fenton (Cottingham Coureurs)
6. Richard Lambert (Cottingham Coureurs)
Men's 2 lap Scratch
1. Ben Elliot (VC St. Raphael)
2. Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT)
3. Neil Withington (Anderson Racing)
4. Richard Lambert (Cottingham Coureurs)
5. Martin Smith (Chesterfield Coureurs)
6. John McClelland (Agiskoviner)
Women's 3km Scratch
1. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
2. Melissa Bury (Sportscity Velo)
3. Hannah Payton (Stourbridge CC)
4. Rachel Eyre (Thurcroft CC)
5. Bryony Darbon (VC Londres)
6. Amy Willoughby (Cottingham Couriers)
Women's Unknown Distance
1. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
2. Lauren Brown (Border City Wheelers)
3. Melissa Bury (Sportscity Velo)
4. Caroline Gammell (Elmy Cycles)
5. Hannah Payton (Stourbridge CC)
6. Bryony Darbon (VC Londres)
Women's Keirin
1. Caroline Gammell (Elmy Cycles)
2. Melissa Bury (Sportscity Velo)
3. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
4. Bryony Darbon (VC Londres)
5. Karen Lifford (Team VC Nottingham)
6. Lauren Brown (Border City Wheelers)
Women's Handicap
1. Claire Larbey (Mildenhall CC)
2. Karen Lifford (Team VC Nottingham)
3. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
4. Amy Willoughby (Cottingham Couriers)
5. Melissa Bury (Sportscity Velo)
6. Caroline Gammell (Elmy Cycles)
"B Group" 3km Scratch
1. Alex Minting (Planet X)
2. Scott Chalmers (SIS.com)
3. Philip Meadows (Velo 29)
4. Neil Chapman (Maldon CC)
5. Pete Whelan (Plomesgate CC)
6. Kevin Payton (Stourbridge CC)
"B Group" Devil
1. Sam Connelley (Maldon CC)
2. Tom Gallacher (Welwyn Wheelers)
3. Tom Payton (Cult Racing)
4. Neil Chapman (Maldon CC)
5. Alex Minting (Planet X)
6. Adam Ellis (Spalding CC)
"B Group" Keirin
1. Tom Payton (Cult Racing)
2. Alex Minting (Planet X)
3. Sam Connelley (Maldon CC)
4. Brock Duncumb-Rogers (Preston Park YCC)
5. Adam Ellis (Spalding CC)
6. Theo Brumhead (Scunthorpe Poly CC)
"C Group" 3km Scratch
1. Simon Jacklin (Fenland Clarion)
2. Andrew Parle (Brighton Mitre)
3. Peter Lifford (Becontree Wheelers)
4. Alex Eason (Chelmer CC)
5. Anthony Jones (Featherstone RC)
6. Rowan Elliott (Macclesfield Wheelers)
"C Group" Devil
1. Simon Jacklin (Fenland Clarion)
2. Andrew Parle (Brighton Mitre)
3. Stan Brown (Border City Wheelers)
4. Rowan Elliott (Macclesfield Wheelers)
5. Alistair Smith (Chesterfield Coureurs)
6. Chris Boakes (Chelmer CC)
"C Group" Keirin
1. Rowan Elliott (Macclesfield Wheelers)
2. Stan Brown (Border City Wheelers)
3. Garry Smith (King's Lynn CC)
4. Andrew Parle (Brighton Mitre)
5. Anthony Jones (Featherstone RC)
6. Robert Eyre (Thurcroft CC)
DAY 3
Men's 800m
NATIONAL SHORT DISTANCE LEAGUE EVENT
1. Ben Elliott (VC St. Raphael)
2. Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT)
3. John McClelland (Agiskoviner)
4. Richard Lambert (Cottingham Coureurs)
5. Richard Meadows (Velo 29)
6. Neil Withington (Anderson Racing)
Men's 3000m
1. Richard Lambert (Cottingham Coureurs)
2. Richard Meadows (Velo 29)
3. Bryan Taylor (VC Londres)
4. Matthew Fenton (Cottingham Coureurs)
5. Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT)
6. Phil Lisher (Team Welwyn)
Men's Devil
1. Sam Connelley (Maldon CC)
2. Tom Payton (Cult Racing)
3. Alex Minting (Planet X)
4. Philip Meadows (Velo 29)
5. Brock Duncumb-Rogers (Preston Park YCC)
6. Peter Lifford (Becontree Wheelers)
Women's 800m
1. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
2. Victoria Williamson (BC PM)
3. Lauren Brown (Border City Wheelers)
4. Hannah Payton (Stourbridge CC)
5. Amy Willoughby (Cottingham Couriers)
6. Jodie Brumhead (Cottingham Couriers)
Women's Block Handicap
1. Karen Lifford (Team VC Nottingham)
2. Sarah Boyd (Mildenhall CC)
3. Claire Larbey (Mildenhall CC)
4. Rachel Eyre (Thurcroft CC)
5. Victoria Williamson (BC PM)
6. Lauren Brown (Border City Wheelers)
