Report: North West Cyclo-Cross League RD5

Thomas Armstrong wins Round 5 of the NW Cyclo-Cross League at Boggart Hole Clough in Manchester

Manchester Wheelers Cyclo-Cross Race – Sunday 16th October 2011
Mick Style, Manchester Wheelers Race Organiser, writes … There were murky grey conditions early in the morning at Bogart Hole Clough in Manchester to greet racers with the going a little soft and wet in places for the Manchester Wheelers Cyclo-Cross Race, Race 5 in the North West League.

But with a DJ spinning some of our favourite tunes, Ian Bury’s knowledgeable and sometimes cheeky commentating, and some warm Autumn sunshine, we had a great setting for an afternoon of top cross racing on one of the North West’s most highly rated courses.

On to the real stars of the show, the main race had a strong turn-out of 111 – pretty good since we were sandwiched between Rapha’s Supacross promotions at Windermere on Saturday and across the Pennines on Sunday – and had the riders facing a classic cross course of jump boards on the top field, some tarmac to spin out the legs, some tough off camber grass and slippery rooty sections with one ‘brutal’ tarmac climb, steps, ride-able or running banks depending on your ability and an extra loop thrown in for good measure.

Photo; www.sportsunday.co.uk

Tom Armstrong (Herbalife/Wheelbase) and Giles Drake (Team Elite) pulled clear of Paul Bethell (Team Elite) in the early stages of the race and were stuck together for two thirds of eight laps until Giles broke his rear mech and had to run half of the course, giving Tom a well earned win after his racing in the Elite race at Rapha’s gig on Saturday. Tom’s still a junior and is looking stronger and stronger each race – a fast emerging talent.

Meanwhile Paul Bethell pulled clear to take second ahead of Martin Woffinden (Cycle Sport Pendle), also the first Under 23, with a great race for Pete Middleton (Zepnat) seeing the current North West Veteran Champ take fourth overall. Rob Smail  (Cycle Premier) is now a regular force on the cross scene and took fifth place. Giles eventually finished a creditable 7th and got some useful if uninvited running practice in.

Other notable rides were the winning Vet50+ rider, Roy Hunt (Dutch Wolf) and first woman home Becky Preece  (Red Rose Olympic) outsprinting Anna Buik from Thetford MTB. And let’s hear it for promoting club’s (Manchester Wheelers) 10 riders all finishing, most of whom had been setting up the course with me at 8am!

Photos: www.sportsunday.co.uk

In the Under 12’s, Alistair Leivers (BYCA) took the win from Nathan Hawthorn (Cyclesport Pendle) and Sol Kerfoot Robson (Rhos-on –sea). Kim Baptista (Eastlands Velo) was first girl over the line at 9th overall. The whole under 12’s field went barmy when some Haribo and Mars Bars were offered up as additional prizes to all the finishers.

Dylan Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos-on-sea) won the Youth Race over three laps of the main course despite an early challenge from Robert Armstrong (Bill Nickson/Raleigh). First girl home was Jess Wilkinson (Birkenhead North End) looking good at 5th place overall.

Additional prizes were provided by Champion System/Maxgear, and Sports Sunday  www.sportsunday.co.uk

SENIORS
1  Thomas Armstrong Herbalife Wheelbase J
2  Paul Bethell Team Elite S
3  Martin Woffindin Cycle Sport Pendle U23
4  Peter Middleton Zepnat V45
5  Robert Smail Cycle Premier S
6  Wayne Crombie East London Velo S
7  Giles Drake Team Elite S
8  Roy Davies Team Elite S
9  Roy Hunt Dutch-Wolf V55
10  Alex McNicol Velo Club Moulin S
11  Anthony Morris Evans Cycles S
12  Cal Difalco Colnago/Skins S
13  Peter Wilbraham Team Elite S
14  Andrew Brindle Horwich CC V40
15  Luke Beswick Buxton CC S
16  Stuart Green Oldham Century V40
17  Sean Beswick Zepnat V45
18  Scott Wilson Manchester Wheelers S
19  Mark Ferguson Oldham Ruffians V45
20  Mark Solomon Here Come the Belgians S
21  Adam Palmer Horwich CC S
22  Chris Kay Alf Jones Cycles S
23  Chris Belsham York Cycleworks S
24  Dave Headon Horwich CC V45
25  Adam Newall Horwich CC S
26  Sean Hoban VC Cumbria V45
27  Joe Heywood Lancs RC V40
28  Jason Ragg Manchester Wheelers S
29  Ian Roberts Harry Middleton CC S
30  Duncan Stuart Keswick RC V50
31  Dean Smith St Helens CRC V40
32  Martin Tongue Rossendale Road Club V40
33  Tony Sowden Northlancs RC V45
34  Kevan Underhill Weaver Valley CC V50
35  Pat Rowland UA V45
36  Ray Pugh Liverpool Mercury ( Dolan) V55
37  Dean Haywood 0 S
38  Richard Baker Audlem CC S
39  Stewart Dwyer St Helens CRC V45
40  Jody Warrington Manchester Wheelers S
41  Ben Stacy University of Manc S
42  Ian Kendall Liverpool Century V40
43  Nick Budworth St Helens Wollybacks S
44  Nick Billington Oldham Ruffians V50
45  Craig Forrester Cheeky V40
46  Dennis Mason 0 S
47  Graham Kennerley Lancaster CC V50
48  Jason Craven Rossendale Road Club S
49  Stephen Cooke Harry Middleton CC S
50  Richard Sale Horwich CC S
51  Andy Harwood 0 V40
52  Simon Cunningham Manchester Wheelers V50
53  Jim Seymour 0 V40
54  Andrew Leigh Manchester Wheelers J
55  Steve Wood Oldham Ruffians V45
56  Clive Wilkinson BNECC V45
57  David Ryder UA S
58  Martin Sackfield Leigh Premier RC V40
59  Becky Preece Red Rose Olympic JW
60  Anna Buick Thetford MTB W
61  Martin Rogers BNECC V50
62  Mike Cleary Manchester Wheelers V40
63  Mark Bethell Macclesfield Wheelers V50
64  Pete Howarth Withington Wheelers V50
65  Adrian Watts Rossendale Road Club V50
66  Peter Reid Manchester Wheelers V40
67  Gus French Hayfield Hub V50
68  Alex Webb Lyme RC J
69  Kevin Harmon 0 S
70  Jan Shearsmith Manchester Wheelers V50
71  Peter Payton Cycle Sport Pendle V50
72  Scott Billington Oldham Ruffyeds S
73  Alan Cook BNECC V45
74  Chris Thomas UA S
75  Dave Martin BYCA V40
76  Bernard Corfe UA V45
77  John Gillmore East L’pool Whlrs V50
78  Paul Warrener Ride On / Rossendale RC V45
79  Kirsty Forrester Cheeky Ladies W
80  Darren Palfreyman Oldham Century V40
81  Jack Cooper Red Rose Olympic U23
82  David Smith Horwich CC V40
83  Stuart Blackburn Red Rose Olympic V40
84  Geraint Parry Liverpool Century S
85  John Rutter Cycle Sport Pendle V40
86  Zack Williamson UA J
87  Ed Goulty 0 S
88  Charles Gray Manchester Wheelers V45
89  David Hollingworth Red Rose Olympic V45
90  Tony Hood Ribble Valley CRC V40
91  Tom Leivers BYCA V45
92  Alan Shuttleworth Altrincham RC V60
93  Eleanor Underhill Weaver Valley CC W
94  Bob Clarke Red Rose Olympic V40
95  Jenni Rowlands Liverpool Mercury ( Dolan) W
96  Tom Ferguson Manchester Wheelers S
97  Peter Fairclough Red Rose Olympic V45
98  Chris Wilkinson Mid Shrophshire Wheelers U23
99  Ian Small Zodiac CRC V70
100  Daniel Worrall Mossley CRT J
101  David Halman Altrincham RC V60
102  Ian Lawless Wigan Wheelers V45
103  Len Woffindin Sportcity Velo V50
104  Peter Holland Ribble Valley CC S

YOUTH
1  Dylan Kerfoot-Robson Rhos on Sea U16B
2  Robert Armstrong Bill Nickson / Raleigh U16B
3  Oliver Payton Cycle Sport Pendle U16B
4  Robert Rogers Birkenhead North End CC U16B
5  Jessica Wilkinson Birkenhead North End U16G
6  Adam Hartley Eastlands Velo U14B
7  Tom Figgins BNECC U16B
8  Oscar Williamson Mossley U16B
9  Joseph Peatfield Bolton Hot Wheels U14B
10  Joseph Armstrong Border City Wheelers U14B
11  Thomas Clark Red Rose Olympic U14B
12  Sam Baldwin Salt Ayre Cog Set U16B
13  Archie Stewart Mossley U14B
14  Bailey Payne Cycle Sport Pendle U14B
15  Joe Baldwin Salt Ayre Cog Set U14B
16  Rosa Martin BYCA U14G
17  Andrew Hathaway BNECC U14B
18  James Bethell Macclesfield Wheelers U14B
19  Izzy Cook Unattached U16G
20  Ryle Kelly Bury Comets U14B

UNDER 12
1  Alistair Leivers BYCA U12B
2  Nathan Hawthorn Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
3  Sol Kerfoot-Robson Rhos-on-Sea U12B
4  Craig Rogers BNECC U12B
5  Lewis Hartley Eastlands Velo U12B
6  Cory Edmondson Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
7  Dexter Sparrow BYCA U12B
8  Jack Barlow Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
9  Kim Baptista Eastlands Velo U12G
10  Anna Armstrong Border City Wheelers U12G
11  Dominic Rutter Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
12  Nicole Clarke Port Sunlight Wheelers U12G
13  Matthew Baptista Eastlands Velo U10B
14  Ben Peatfield Bolton Hotwheels U10B
15  Bob Donaldson Team Lard U10B
16  Christopher Sackfield Leigh Premier U10B
17  Cameron Bates Mossley RC U10B
18  Eve Martin BYCA U12G
19  Shannon Hawthorn Cycle Sport Pendle U10G
20  Thomas Wood 0 U10B
21  Thomas Bates 0 U10B
22  Lauren Ormes UA U12G
23  Lenny Lomas Manchetser Wheelers U8B
24  Sam Kendall Liverpool Century R. C. U8B
25  Sadie Stewart Moesley CC U10G
26  Tilly Barlow Cycle Sport Pendle U8G
27  Andrew Clarke Port Sunlight Wheelers U8B
28  Charlotte Kendall Liverpool Century R. C. U8G
29  James Donaldson Team Land U8B