Report: Dave Creasy 6

The sunny weather arrived just in time for the Dave Creasy 6, South London’s premier Belgian inspired 6 day meeting at the Herne Hill Velodrome.

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Report by Paul Burgoine

It is every bit as impressive as the Kuipke Velodrome in Gent but in a different way. The people that support this fine venue are passionate about it and have set up a strong community around it and surely this historic velodrome will survive and become bigger and better. Race organiser John Scripps takes a lot of his inspiration for the meeting from the famous 6 Day racing in Belgium and embarks on a yearly pilgrimage to the Gent Velodrome.

With a bit of luck, he might see Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins (Sky Pro Cycling) paired up with the legend that is Iljo Keisse (Omega-Pharma Quickstep) if the rumours come to anything.

The day’s itinerary includes some competitive youth racing, a well attended women’s omnium and of course the Senior Madison Omnium. The paring of Louis Magnani,(Prestige Velo Club) & Max Steadman (Palmer Park Velo) took the win in the youth omnium with some impressive riding. It’s great to see so many promising youngsters all enjoying their racing and soaking up the atmosphere, riding at the top of the track receiving high five’s from the crowd, before getting on with the serious racing.

In one of Dave Creasy’s favourite events, the Danish Line Race, where one designated ‘secret’ rider attacks the field and the rest must catch and pass him, there was an impressive win by Hargroves Cycles rider Dan Tullet who was only riding the track for the second time. Look out for him in the Cyclo-Cross season.

The Madison team’s were introduced to the crowds in classic style with the pairs riding round the track being introduced to their chosen theme music some highlights were John Mc Clelland and Kristian Woolf (Prestige Velo Club) riding round to Johns favourite composer Beethoven and Tony Gibb and Tom Gallacher (Metaltek Scott) to The Boys are Back in Town (Thin Lizzy).

This was quite a spectacle with the teams in their colourful 6 Day jerseys parading around the packed track in brilliant sunshine.

The Senior Omnium got underway to the sounds of Party Rockers, a tune that is in my mind, becoming ever more associated with this meeting along with some classic Eurobeat tunes.

As well as the men, there was a full field for the women’s racing with at least twenty riders which is good to see and the organisers would love to put on more women’s events they just need the entries. There was some competitive racing but Corinne Hall (Node4 Giodana) was outstanding winning the first four events, and eventually taking the win overall.

Symon Lewis (Prestige Velo Club) and Tony Lock (Elite Cycling Rt) won the @spokesman sponsored flying 200 with a time of 11.35. Check the Twitter name to find out the identity of the sponsor.

In the crowds favourite De Ver Devil, the pairing of Stephen Bradbury(CC Tomacc) and Jess Wiecowski (GWR Team Swindon Cycles) took the win.

My favourite is always the derny racing and the Rollapaluza sponsored races were all superb. There is nothing more exciting than seeing derny paced racing on the track, well in my opinion anyway and in Belgium the derny riders are as bigger stars as the riders themselves. The quality of all the racing was high class fast moving and pleasing to watch, with no gaps in the action.

The pairing of Tony Gibb and Tom Gallacher (Metaltek Scott) won the Dave Creasy six 2012 with consistent results throughout the day. Symon Lewis (Prestige Velo Club) and Tony Lock (Elite Cycling Rt) finished in second and Stephen Bradbury(CC Tomacc) and Jess Wiecowski (GWR Team Swindon Cycles finished off the podium.

A massive thanks need to go to John Scripps and his team for organising this event and the fantastic well informed commentary and rider interviews from Rebecca Charlton were very helpful, and of course a big thanks needs to go to all the sponsors.

You never know, one day we might be able to bring Six Day racing back to London and I’m sure John and his team with the assistance of maybe someone like Rollapaluza, are the ones to do it…. I hope. I’m sure I would not be the only person that would love to see this happen (just putting it out there)

 

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