Report: Wessex CX League 13

Alexander Forrester riding for Zepnat.com mastered the muddy conditions at Southampton Sports Centre to win the penultimate race in this season’s league.

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Report: Wessex CX League 13

Sunday 15th January 2017 | by Graham Robins | Geoff Shergold Memorial Cross 2017 

Alexander Forrester riding for Zepnat.com mastered the muddy conditions at Southampton Sports Centre to win the penultimate race in this season’s league. The tricky slippery conditions caused riders across all the races to select different lines and in some parts of the course riders preferred to dismount and run some sections.

Despite the forecast for heavy rain throughout the day the morning started dry and we only had a slight shower in the middle of the senior race which didn’t come to anything. Another large entry saw riders coming back after a Christmas break from league duties looking to add to their points tally as the season draws to an end.

First to make light of the mud at the start was Sam Allen (PedalOn) who pulled a slight gap but the course cut up quickly and riders were indebted to their pit crews as bike changes were needed on each lap and in some cases every half lap for those lucky enough to have a power washer.

The opening lap saw four riders, Forrester, Allen, Joe Hickerton (Spokes BPC Racing) and Bruce Dalton (Kinesis) pulling away from the rest but the order changed for a couple of laps until order was locked in. It was lap three before Forrester wrestled the lead away from Hickerton and Allen whilst Dalton soon found himself loosing time to the leaders.
By mid race Forrester lead by 12secs from Allen, followed by Hickerton another handful of seconds later and Dalton now over a minute adrift, closing out the top places were Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) and Dave Spencer (VC Venta).

With just over a lap to go Forrester’s lead was enough for him to pit for a clean bike just to make sure there were to be no problems to rob him of the win. Allen finished 20secs adrift with Hickerton coming in 51secs down on the winner.

The combined women’s race was won by Helen Pattinson (Hargroves Ridley Montezumas) winning for the first time in the new colours after riding the last couple of season under the Solent Pirates banner. Helen was riding well behind junior and team mate Kara Perryman for most of the race until she found a way past the younger rider with a couple of laps to go. Behind the two leaders was at good tussle between a third Hargroves rider Ella Freeman and senior riders Jennifer Forrester (Zepnat.com) and Susan Parker (NHRC). Also mixing it at the front was Claire Smith (Cotswold Veldrijden).
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The women’s race finished with Pattinson taking the overall win, Parker claiming the senior category and Perryman the junior points. Tim Costello (GS Vecchi) was the winner of the vet50+ race, having pulled away on the first lap the West Sussex based rider never looked back. In the early laps Costello’s team mate Kevin Holloway was close at hand but it was Chris Hutchings (VC Venta) who found conditions to his liking. Also finding a liking for the muddy conditions was Gary Barlow (Reading CC) who also passed Holloway.

Dan Guest (Cotswold Veldrijden) made light work of the mud in the combined vet40+ and junior race winning by 30secs from junior Callum Macleod (PPV) with his nearest rival in his age group coming from team mate Graham Rogerson. The first three laps saw Guest lead Rogerson with three juniors Macleod, Will Cooper (Hargroves), Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) and Archie Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden) all locked together before Macleod passed Rogerson but was not close enough to reel in Guest who’s winning margin was 30secs.

Provisional Results

Seniors
1st Alexander Forrester Zepnat.com 59mins 26secs
2nd Sam Allen PedalOn @20secs
3rd Joe Hickerton Spokes BPC Racing @51secs
4th Bruce Dalton Kinesisuk
5th Jamie Norfolk PedalOn
6th David Spencer VC Venta
7th James Sanford Army CC
8th Tom Budden Sotonia CC
10th Karl Norfolk PedalOn

Women Seniors
1st Susan Parker NHRC 54mins 16secs
2nd Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com
3rd Lauren Cracknell PedalOn

Vets
1st Helen Pattinson Hargroves Ridley Montezumas
2nd Claire Smith Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Harriet Guest Cotswold Veldrijden

Junior
1st Kara Perryman Hargroves Ridley Montezumas
2nd Ella Freeman Hargroves Ridley Montezumas

Vet50+
1st Tim Costello GS Vecchi
2nd Chris Hutchings VC Venta @9secs
3rd Gary Barlow Reading CC @37secs
4th Kevin Holloway GS Vecchi
5th Mike Williams Fareham Wheelers

Vet40+
1st Dan Guest Cotswold Veldrijden 36mins 01secs
2nd Graham Rogerson Cotswold Veldrijden
3rd Tim Jones Cowley Road Condors

Juniors
1st Callum Macleod PPV
2nd Will Cooper Hargroves Ridley Montezumas
3rd Edward Gronbech Oxford city RC

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