The ever aggressive Natalie Creswick won the Twickenham CC round of the ShuttVR Women’s Team Series by over three minutes after a long solo effort.
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A PERFECT ENDING (Jon Miles Report)
For organiser Lisa West and her Twickenham CC team, the ghost of 2011 was well and truly laid when a storming Natalie Creswick (MuleBar) rode away from the rest of the field to win the 2nd event in the Shutt VR sponsored Women’s Team Race Series by a massive margin of 3 minutes to crown a good days racing and a perfect tribute to the late Dave Peck who was Club Chairman of Twickenham CC – Natalie of course is still a member of the organising club.
In fact, if this were a television play, the perfect script would be for World Champion Lucy Garner to follow Natalie and take 2nd place….. and for Dave’s partner Solvieg to finish the race! The promoting club had put together a worthy course using a smaller 5 kilometre circuit that was covered 13 times before moving to the finishing course that featured Staple Hill for a further 5 laps of this 8 kilometre circuit with a full field lining up in sunny but cold weather with a strong wind later causing some problems from the less fit.
Twickenham CC roll out …. Photo: Mark Hopkins (http://markghopkins.co.uk/)
With just one lap of the first circuit covered Annabel Simpson, Matrix Fitness-Prendas jumped away and was very soon followed by Creswick and these two had a gap; they pressed home and gradualy buiding up a useful gap that never really got beyound 40 seconds.
Entering the second circuit the gap was down to a bunch attractive 14 seconds but then Annabel just blew not being able to hold the rampant Creswick and from then on the lead just grew and grew as a combination of a strong Natalie and a bunch that were now thinking of 2nd place combined although perhaps more of the former.
Natalie was able to cross the winning line with arms aloft along a funnel of spectators and Twickenham CC club members for a terrific win. The bunch came storming up Staple Hill with Lucy Garner just holding off 3rd placed Amy Roberts, Scott Contesa Epic.
Natalie and Annie Simpson. (http://markghopkins.co.uk/)
After the race Natalie Creswick said “This was a good circuit and certainly challenging; Annabel attacked on the first hill and I got across to her, looked around and saw that we were on our own. Winning this race means a lot to me as I am still a Twickenham CC member and Dave was a big influence on my racing career. I am so pleased that Dave’s partner Solvieg was out on the course in his memory”.
Annabel Simpson’s comments as she sat in the Matrix Fitness car were succient. “That Creswick is an animal!”
Final word goes to the hard working Lisa West “I am estatic. It was an exciting race and I am really pleased with the whole day – no crashes! Everyone was racing today”
Report from Mark Hopkins - Twickenham CC Dave Peck Memorial  Ladies Race (Women’s Team Series)
On North Surrey roads often used for road racing, the 2nd round of the Women’s National Team Series was held on Sunday 15th April, organised by Twickenham CC. After a number of crashes, including a serious accident last year, the organisers were considering not running the event this year, but after the death of Dave Peck last year, a guiding light in Twickenham CC and of this event, it was felt that the Dave Peck Memorial, as it has been renamed, should continue.
World champion Lucy Garners leads the chase. Photo (http://markghopkins.co.uk/)
The day dawned dry and sunny, although with an increasingly cold wind blowing the race rolled out from the HQ at Virginia Water. Almost immediately after the neutralised section 2 riders broke away, Annabel Simpson (Matrix Fitness – Prendas) and Natalie Creswick (Team Mulebar Girl), gaining a 30 second gap. The 2 girls worked well together, each taking their turn at the front, and despite various efforts from the bunch to bring it back, a noticeable one from Amy Roberts (Scott Contessa), the break was maintained at around 30 seconds for the 13 laps around Valley End, which the bunch just could not pull back.
The race then moved onto 5 laps of the Staple Hill Circuit, and on the first climb of Staple Hill, into a strong headwind, Natalie gapped her breakaway partner Annabel, who was soon after caught by the bunch. Some confusion then ensued within the bunch as to whether anyone else was away.
By the time they realised, Natalie had pushed on to put 2 minutes into the bunch, which she then continued to increase to nearly 3 minutes. Despite a concerted effort by the bunch Natalie maintained the gap and crossed the line in a solo victory, a long way ahead of the 2nd place sprint, which was won by the Junior Women’s World Road Race Champion, Lucy Garner (Node 4) from Amy Roberts (Scott Contessa).
A great victory for Natalie Creswick. Â (http://markghopkins.co.uk/)
Dave Peck – Twickenham CC
Dave was a true inspiration, always there to greet every single member, he always found out when members were riding their first road race and went along to cheer them on, with his eloquent long emails rallying members to take part in, or marshal, races being sorely missed as well as his helping hand when riders were struggling on a club run.
Dave’s partner Sol Findley rode the race in his honour as Dave always wanted her to race. With the rest of the Twickenham team they lead out the peloton as a mark of respect for Dave. Sol turned to cycling about 4 years ago where she then met Dave.
Dave will be missed as a dear friend, his laughter and camaraderie giving a welcome lift to your day and his support on race day will be very much missed but his legacy lives on at Twickenham CC.
A winning sprint from the World Champion Lucy Garner. Photo:Â (http://markghopkins.co.uk/)
Matrix/Prendas Team Video
Results
1 Natalie Creswick Mulebar Girl
2 Lucy Garner Node 4 Giordana Womens Team
3 Amy Roberts Scott Contessa Epic
4 Elinor Barker Scott Contessa Epic
5 Corrine Hall Node 4 Giordana Womens Team
6 Gabriela Shaw For Viored RT
7 Sarah Reynolds Matrix Fitness – Prendas
8 Mary Evans High Wycombe Cycling Club
9 Emily Kay Scott Contessa Epic
10 Molly Weaver Scott Contessa Epic
11 Tracy Best Squadra Donne – Shutt VR/Bikefood
12 Lowri Bunn Abergavenny Road Club
13 Nicole Oh Pearson Cycling Club
14 Hannah Walker Matrix Fitness – Prendas
15 Sarah Brook Mulebar Girl
16 Jane McInnes London Dynamo
17 Jessie Walker Matrix Fitness – Prendas
18 Rebecca Curley For Viored RT
19 Miriam Freemantle Team Hope Factory Racing
20 Emily Bagnall Surrey League
21 Wiebke Rietz Surrey League
22 Astrid Wingler Surrey League
23 Elle Hopkins For Viored RT
24 Kimberly Ashton Abergavenny Road Club
25 Clare Leaver Team Zappi
26 Lauren Whitmore London Dynamo
27 Emma Craddock Surrey League
28 Coralie Glaunes Pearson Cycling Club
29 Tanya Hunt Surrey League
30 Nicole Walters Team Hope Factory Racing
31 Rachel Przybylski Brighton Mitre
32 Karla Boddy High Wycombe Cycling Club
33 Sarah Maidment GB Cycles.co.uk
34 Louise Mahe Mulebar Girl
35 Penny Rowson Matrix Fitness – Prendas
36 Zoe Armstrong Scott Contessa Epic
37 Alex Greenfield For Viored RT
38 Katherine Fisher Pearson Cycling Club
39 Rebecca Hunt Scott Contessa Epic
40 Annabel Simpson Matrix Fitness – Prendas
41 Sian Findlay Team Zappi
42 Catherine Hills Surrey League
43 Lisa Gunn Brighton Mitre
44 Claire Leonard Brighton Mitre
45 Solveig Findley Twickenham CC
46 Wiesia Kuczaj Mulebar Girl
47 Gina McGeever Brighton Mitre
48 Vikki Filsell Pearson Cycling Club
49 Jessica Conner Team Zappi
50 Nikki Engelbach Pearson Cycling Club
51 Saskia Hook Squadra Donne – Shutt VR/Bikefood
52 Gail Aspden Squadra Donne – Shutt VR/Bikefood
53 Hannah Layland VC St Raphael
54 Amy Hill Abergavenny Road Club
55 Emma Towers Twickenham CC
56 Selina Graham Twickenham CC
57 Anna Korbacz London Dynamo
58 Dyanne Holland Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT
59 Deborah Mallinson Pearson Cycling Club
60 Kate Balchin Twickenham CC
Team result for the Team Series race today.
1. Scott Contessa Epic 330 points
2. Node 4 Girodana 220 points
3. Mule Bar 219 points
4. For Viorad 163 points
5. Matrix Fitness-Prendas 162 points
6. Surrey League 122 points
7. Pearson CC 92 points
8. High Wycombe CC 86 points
9. Abergavenny RC 79 points
10. London Dynamo 69 points
11. Team Hope Racing 58 points
12. Squadra Donne/Shutt VR 54 points
13. Brighton Mitre 47 points
14. Team Zappi 44 points
15. GB Cycles 20 points
16. Twickenham CC 10 points
17. Vivelo Inverse 2 points
