The week saw two track nights with the Tuesday night including the Club Championships Scratch races and the Thursday night devoted to the Club Championships 500 metre standing start time trials. Tuesday was warm with a heavy threatening sky and a light North Westerly breeze. We had 18 riders across the grades, which is down on normal but the rain earlier in the day and the high risk of rain would have put a number of riders off from making the trip.
The programme was made up of graded scratch races then short graded handicap races and closed off with the long handicap races. The most interesting race of the night was the final 13 lap handicap race in that the two scratch riders reeled in and passed the bulk of the field with 5 laps to go, the passed riders then increased their pace to sit in the slip stream of the scratch riders, which they are entitled to do. The two scratch riders continued to work together to catch the determined limit markers but the rest of the field would not take their turn at the front. With three laps to go the entire field became one long train with the scratch riders providing the engines. One of the scratch riders moved ahead and the second scratch rider did not chase but the rest of the riders did not chase either, as they waited for the second scratch rider to tow them to the leader. With a lap to go the gap was over a 100 metres and still the field had not passed the second scratch rider at the 200 metres to go mark it was apparent that the winner would do so comfortably and riders finally moved past the second scratch rider to make it a limp bid for second and third. While the finish was not close or contested the tactics applied and how it affected the outcome of the race was fascinating.
The club 500 metre time trials was most notable for the consistent battle in the girls under 17 grade between Kate Stewart and Ruby Perry. In this event there is just the one rider on the track racing the clock. The story of this clash was in the timing. To allow the time to be official and be considered for the record books three watches must operate with the middle time put forward as the final time. Ruby Perry’s three watches recorded 40.77 sec, 40.78sec and 40.70 sec making her official time 40.77sec. Kate Stewart’s three watches recorded 40.77 sec, 40.78 sec and 40.84 sec making her official time 40.78 sec, this made Ruby the winner and new record holder by the smallest margin possible of just 0.01 sec, absolutely remarkable. Because of this outstanding feat of timekeeping the award for best of the night went to the timekeepers Mr Shearman, Mrs Denholm and Mr Barber. The timekeepers role was more physical than usual as they would walk 80 metres up the home straight to be closer to the starters gun and then walk briskly or run to the finish line so they were in position for when the rider completed the 500 metre sprint. The night had three records broken and one record established.
Results for Tuesday 14th of February.
Under 15 Boys 5 Lap Scratch Club Championship
1 Campbell Stewart,2 Chris Denholm,3 Carne Groube
Under 17 Boys 5 Lap Scratch Club Championship
1 George Roberts,2 James Cuff,3 James Denholm,4 Jake van Lienen
Under 17 Girls 5 Lap Scratch Club Championship
1 Kate Stewart,2 Ruby Perry
Under 15 Girls 5 Lap Scratch Club Championship
1 Michaela Drummond,2 Emily Shearman,3 Libby Arbuckle.
The Rest 10 Lap scratch Club Championship
1 Jaycob Humphreys,2 Brent Zimmerman,3 Luuk van Wangtendonk,4 Kelsi Eccles
Under 15 Boys and Girls 3 Lap Handicap Race
1 Emily Shearman,2 Libby Arbuckle,3 Chris Denholm,4 Carne Groube
Heat 1 3 Lap Handicap race
1 Jaycob Humphreys,2 George Roberts,3 James Denholm,4 Kate Stewart
Heat 2 3 Lap Handicap Race
1 Brent Zimmerman,2 Campbell Stewart,3 Liam Barber,4 James Cuff
Under 15 and Under 17 Boys and Girls 7 lap handicap
1 Campbell Stewart, 2 Chris Denholm,3 Emily Shearman,4 Libby Arbuckle.
The Rest 13 lap handicap
1 George Roberts, 2 Luuk van Wangtendonk, 3 Kate Stewart, 4 Jaycob Humphreys.
Results for Thursday 16th February
Under 15 Girls
1 Michaela Drummond 40.92 (new record, old record 44.32),2 Emily Shearman 43.98,3 Libby Arbuckle 45.01
Under 15 Boys
1 Campbell Stewart 38.80 (new record, old record 39.80),2 Chris Denholm 41.86,3 Carne Groube 42.73
Under 17 Boys
1 Jordan Castle 38.38,2 Liam Barber 42.43,3 Jake van Lienen,4 James Cuff.
Under 17 Girls
1 Ruby Perry 40.77 (new record, old record 40.86),2 Kate Stewart 40.78
Under 19 Women
1 Kelsi Eccles 43.36,2 Teagan Roffe 44.18
Under 19 Men
1 Jaycob Humphreys 37.34
Masters Men
1 Brent Zimmerman 38.20 Established new record