Large crowd enjoys festival of speed for men & women at Rollapaluza Keirin Festival at Herne Hill on Sunday
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Event Press Release (Paul Burgoine) | Photos Antony Edmonds
After the previous days deluge the South London track had dried out nicely in time for the start of the racing in the countries only Keirin festival, there was a full days racing in store for the large crowd to enjoy with Men’s Senior, Women’s and a novice categories, along with music food stalls, coffee, Devon Cider and draught beer all this and the return of summer made for a successful combination.
The senior men’s race was run over three rounds of five heats with an omnium style scoring system to determine the finalists, with all riders getting a chance to ride in a final.
Women’s Final
From the heats it was possible to pick out the favourites with John Paul (City of Edinburgh RC) looking outstanding and seemingly able to win from any position other riders that stood out were Dutchman Michael Veen (AR&TV De Adelaar) Italian Luco Lupo (Team 99 Milano) Matt Rotherham (Sportcity Velo) former Rollapaluza National Series winner Miles Joule Stovold (Swinnerton) and impressive newcomer Dan Bray who was competing in only his second ever race.
In the first heat Lupo tried to take Rotherham out the back but the Sportcity rider stayed calm and gradually worked himself back into the group showing experience beyond his age.
The only one of the favourites not to make the eight man final was the Italian rider Luco Lupo, It was no surprise that the dominant John Paul took the win from Matt Rotherham, Tom Baker (Performance Cycle Coaching) was the final rider on the podium, well deserved for his consistent performances throughout the day.
Rotherhams team mate at Sportcity Velo, Leon Gledhill took fourth place, Stovold and Veen finished fifth and sixth respectively with the newcomer Dan Bray in seventh and Barnaby Swinnerton (Swinnerton Cycles) taking eight.
The women’s competition was held over three rounds of two heats which were dominated by the two Brixton Cycles riders Sarah Connell, Niki Dukess-Kovacs and Scottish rider Ishbel Taromsari (Pedal Power) winner of this year’s Rollapaluza National Series.
The heats were all quite close leaving the final without a clear favourite , Taromsari was draw no1 and didn’t give up the number one spot even when the derny bike pulled off, she held onto the lead until the final bend when the two Brixton riders came over the top and contested the sprint with Sarah Connell just beating her team mate Nikki Dukes-Kovacs by a wheels length with Sarah Brook (MuleBar Girl Sigma Sport) taking third place with the fading Taromsari in fourth and Laura Cheeseman (Prestige Velo) and Laura greenhaigh (Twickenham CC) in fifth and sixth respectively.
The novice races are an important stepping stone for the riders and two of last year’s novices stepped up to the senior races this year Ho Ke (LFGSS) and Jacob Dean (Tokyo Morvelo CC)
The standard of racing was very good and some fast final lap times were being set. The minor final was won by the young Atiba Quldan who is a regular Rollapaluza competitor. The final was won by Johnathon Crowther from Robert Obeng-Manu with the young Jack Miller (Woolwich CC) in third, Jake Thomas (Bristol Cycling Dev Squad) and Nathan Coyte (CS Grupetto) finished fifth and sixth respectively.
RESULTS (Thanks Willi Tarran)
Male Results
1st Series
Heat 1
1 Paul John
10 Baker Tom
11 St Pierre Richard
20 Schmidt Simon
30 Connell James
31 Blackman Toby
42 Turnbull Stuart
21 Sullivan Jim
12.1
Heat 2
2 Veen Michael
19 Swinnerton Barnaby
9 Gledhill Leon
22 Mitchell Joshua
32 Blomeley Alex
12 Kendrick Joseph
41 Sellars John
29 Robbins Alex
13.22
Heat 3
43 Bray Dan
8 Annon Miles
26 McMath Alwyn
23 Blazejovsky Vojtech
13 Aslin Stephen
33 Fairweather Alexander
28 Smith Colin
18 Gittins Paul
12.88
Heat 4
4 Rotherham Matt
7 Lupo Luca
14 Hyde William
17 Akins Melvyn
24 Swanton Paul
37 Tyler Jonathan
34 Giacoppo Fabio
27 Skillen Gordon
11.96
Heat 5
5 Stovold Miles
6 Mayer Sean
15 Strang Alan
35 Ke Ho
36 Dean Jacob
25 Christians Alex
13.43
2nd Series
Heat 1
1 Paul John
19 Swinnerton Barnaby
26 McMath Alwyn
17 Akins Melvyn
32 Blomeley Alex
25 Christians Alex
34 Giacoppo Fabio
12.54
Heat 2
10 Baker Tom
2 Veen Michael
23 Blazejovsky Vojtech
15 Strang Alan
37 Tyler Jonathan
30 Connell James
41 Sellars John
13.16
Heat 3
43 Bray Dan
7 Lupo Luca
11 St Pierre Richard
36 Dean Jacob
42 Turnbull Stuart
35 Ke Ho
12 Kendrick Joseph
18 Gittins Paul
13.65
Heat 4
4 Rotherham Matt
9 Gledhill Leon
6 Mayer Sean
29 Robbins Alex
20 Schmidt Simon
33 Fairweather Alexander
13 Aslin Stephen
12.56
Heat 5
5 Stovold Miles
8 Annon Miles
22 Mitchell Joshua
21 Sullivan Jim
24 Swanton Paul
28 Smith Colin
31 Blackman Toby
14 Hyde William
13.45
3rd Series
Heat 1
1 Paul John
8 Annon Miles
6 Mayer Sean
24 Swanton Paul
36 Dean Jacob
25 Christians Alex
13 Aslin Stephen
13.27
Heat 2
10 Baker Tom
7 Lupo Luca
26 McMath Alwyn
29 Robbins Alex
42 Turnbull Stuart
28 Smith Colin
41 Sellars John
13.75
Heat 3
9 Gledhill Leon
43 Bray Dan
22 Mitchell Joshua
17 Akins Melvyn
31 Blackman Toby
37 Tyler Jonathan
35 Ke Ho
14.22
Heat 4
4 Rotherham Matt
2 Veen Michael
14 Hyde William
21 Sullivan Jim
12 Kendrick Joseph
33 Fairweather Alexander
23 Blazejovsky Vojtech
13.52
Heat 5
19 Swinnerton Barnaby
5 Stovold Miles
11 St Pierre Richard
20 Schmidt Simon
15 Strang Alan
30 Connell James
18 Gittins Paul
34 Giacoppo Fabio
14.71
FINALS
Final for 31st – 36th Places
13 Aslin Stephen
28 Smith Colin
33 Fairweather Alexander
18 Gittins Paul
34 Giacoppo Fabio
41 Sellars John
14.61
Final for 23rd – 30th Places
35 Ke Ho
31 Blackman Toby
25 Christians Alex
29 Robbins Alex
30 Connell James
42 Turnbull Stuart
37 Tyler Jonathan
12 Kendrick Joseph
13.93
Final for 15th – 22nd Places
14 Hyde William
21 Sullivan Jim
24 Swanton Paul
15 Strang Alan
20 Schmidt Simon
36 Dean Jacob
17 Akins Melvyn
23 Blazejovsky Vojtech
14.39
Final for 9th – 14th Places
6 Mayer Sean
8 Annon Miles
11 St Pierre Richard
26 McMath Alwyn
7 Lupo Luca
22 Mitchell Joshua
12.88
FINAL for 1st – 8th Places
1 Paul John
4 Rotherham Matt
10 Baker Tom
9 Gledhill Leon
5 Stovold Miles
2 Veen Michael
43 Bray Dan
19 Swinnerton Barnaby
12.06
Female Keirin
1st Series
Heat 1
57 Dukes-Kovacs Niki
54 Brook Sarah
59 Cheeseman Laura
55 Meads Hannah
62 Morton Celeste
14.21
Heat 2
53 Connell Sarah
52 Taromsari Ishbel
60 Greenhalgh Laura
58 Pinder Lesley
56 Bamford Alicia
61 Strong Sarah
13.97
2nd Series
Heat 1
52 Taromsari Ishbel
53 Connell Sarah
54 Brook Sarah
55 Meads Hannah
56 Bamford Alicia
14,55
Heat 2
57 Dukes-Kovacs Niki
60 Greenhalgh Laura
59 Cheeseman Laura
61 Strong Sarah
58 Pinder Lesley
62 Morton Celeste
14.22
FINALS
7th – 11th Minor Final
58 Pinder Lesley
61 Strong Sarah
55 Meads Hannah
56 Bamford Alicia
62 Morton Celeste
14.98
1st – 6th Final
53 Connell Sarah
57 Dukes-Kovacs Niki
54 Brook Sarah
52 Taromsari Ishbel
59 Cheeseman Laura
60 Greenhalgh Laura
13.76
NOVICES
1st Series
Heat 1
93 Crabb Nick BC Private Member
92 Miller Jack Woolwich CC
91 Quildan Atiba BC Private Member
71 Gledhill John BC Private Member
94 Carding Tom Rollapaluza CC
76 Swatton Craig West Kent Road Club
Heat 2
87 Crowther Jonathan BC Private Member
78 Tong Leo BC Private Member
81 Thomas Jake Bristol Cycling Dev squad
75 Griffith Geraint BC Private Member
72 Markos Karoly CC London
Heat 3
95 Parker Rupert BC Private Member
74 Obeng-Manu Robert NLTCBMBC
79 Coyte Nathan CS Grupetto
73 Burges Adam Kingston Wheelers
80 Johnson Dan CS Grupetto
86 Robinson Jim Whitten Timber
2nd Series
Heat 1
78 Tong Leo BC Private Member
79 Coyte Nathan CS Grupetto
75 Griffith Geraint BC Private Member
93 Crabb Nick BC Private Member
72 Markos Karoly CC London
86 Robinson Jim Whitten Timber
Heat 2
87 Crowther Jonathan BC Private Member
74 Obeng-Manu Robert NLTCBMBC
91 Quildan Atiba BC Private Member
80 Johnson Dan CS Grupetto
73 Burges Adam Kingston Wheelers
76 Swatton Craig West Kent Road Club
Heat 3
92 Miller Jack Woolwich CC
81 Thomas Jake Bristol Cycling Dev squad
94 Carding Tom Rollapaluza CC
71 Gledhill John BC Private Member
95 Parker Rupert BC Private Member
FINALS
12th – 17th Places
80 Johnson Dan CS Grupetto
86 Robinson Jim Whitten Timber
76 Swatton Craig West Kent Road Club
94 Carding Tom Rollapaluza CC
73 Burges Adam Kingston Wheelers
72 Markos Karoly CC London
7th – 11th Places
91 Quildan Atiba BC Private Member
93 Crabb Nick BC Private Member
95 Parker Rupert BC Private Member
71 Gledhill John BC Private Member
75 Griffith Geraint BC Private Member
1st – 6th Places
87 Crowther Jonathan BC Private Member
74 Obeng-Manu Robert NLTCBMBC
78 Tong Leo BC Private Member
92 Miller Jack Woolwich CC
81 Thomas Jake Bristol Cycling Dev squad
79 Coyte Nathan CS Grupetto
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