Dan Booth led a clean sweep of the podium in the West Midlands Cyclo-Cross League on Sunday as Cult Racing finished the series in style at the AldersleyLeisureVillage in Wolverhampton.
Booth won the 12th and final round of the League by around 20 seconds from team-mate and first Under-23 rider Jamie Harris, while another under-23 rider, Tom Payton, completed the hat-trick for Cult Racing with third spot, another 40 seconds off the pace.
The event also doubled up as the British Universities Championship, and it was Yorkshire visitor Scott Thwaites who took victory in that event, the 21-year-old securing victory in the BUCS event for LeedsMetropolitanUniversity.
Light rain towards the end of the event was the least of the riders’ problems with the ground already well soaked and muddy around a challenging course.
Team Echelon-SPIUK rider Dan Bill was content to finish sixth on the day, safe in the knowledge that he had already done enough to be crowned West Midlands League champion, while the runner-up Craig Ansell (Wolverhampton Wheelers) was ninth.
Mark James won the veterans race from League runner-up Ian Wright (Raleigh Avanti), while Lichfield City CC’s Mick Davies rode to his best finish of the season – and his first podium finish of the year – by taking third spot on the day to push himself up from 14th prior to the final round.
Overall women’s winner Lauren Creamer finished the league in style with another victory for Wolverhampton Wheelers, while similarly, Luke Grivell-Mellor (Mid-Shropshire Wheelers) won the junior race to cap a good season where he has won three events to take victory in the overall junior league.
Also taking his third win of the series was Solihull CC’s Joe Fox in the youth race who held off Halesowen A&CC rival Jacob James, while Hannah Payton (Stourbridge CC) was best girl.
And while Thwaites won the men’s University Championship, LoughbouorghUniversity rider Jessica Roberts scooped the women’s title.
Shaun Aldous wins final round of East Anglian League
Shaun Aldous (Extreme Sports Therapy) won the final round of the East Anglian Daily Times League at Mistley in Essex, making light of the long climbs on the Furze Hill course.
Aldous who was 2008/9 champion but had not previously taken a round this winter, safely negotiated the right-hander where the starting straight joins the circuit and led into the woods.
“I took risks early on,” he said, but his experience carried him through and he was away for a clear win.
Greg Simcock (XRT-Elmy Cycles) did not get clipped in first time at the start but soon made second spot his own and takes the same place overall.
League winner Andrew Nichols (Cambridge University CC) was able to miss the final round, racing in the British Universities Championship instead.
Clive Harrison (Ford CC) had a poor start but recovered to take third place at Mistley, just ahead of fellow elite veterans Ben Paton and Julian Parker.
The non-elite veterans race started with a spectacular stack-up on that first corner. Colin Cracknell (IpswichBC) led after one lap, then tall Martin Graves (Newmarket C&TC) established a small lead and just hung onto it to the finish where Cracknell was two seconds behind and Nick Webber of the promoting Colchester Rovers CC just one second further in arrears.
Eedy wins again at Nottingham
Ben Eedy continued his push for the Notts and Derby Cyclo-Cross League title with another win in the 12th round of the league at Trent Meadows in Nottingham on Saturday.
The Empella Cyclo-Cross.com rider notched up his seventh victory in ten races ridden, crossing the line 51 seconds clear of Cult Racing under-23 Jamie Harris, while Heanor Clarion’s Rob Parkin was third, another two minutes off the pace.
Raleigh Avanti’s Geoff Giddings was best of the veterans, down in 10th spot and just 17 seconds ahead of his nearest rival in the Over-40s category, Duncan Walmsley.
In a quality field of riders, best junior was Sam Brogan of Leicester Rc down in 30th spot, while Matlock CC’s Bruce Dalton continued his good progress with 36th spot, and second junior. And his Matlock club-mate Christone Howard was best of the women.
It was also a good day for Raleigh Avanti in the youth race, with Sam Lowe crossing the line 21 seconds ahead of VC Long Eaton rival Joe Kirkham, while Heanor Clarion’s Keiron Tennyson took third, with Ffion James of Abergavenny CC) the best girl.
Dan Duguid wins 14th round of London Cyclo-Cross League
Sigma Sport RT’s Dan Duguid won the 14th round of the London Cyclo-Cross League at WilmingtonGrammar School in Kent.
He was around 20 seconds ahead of Arctic Premier RT rival Darren Barclay, while top junior Hugo Humphreys (Mosquito Bikes) was third, another 15 seconds back.
On a slightly different course to the usual circuit, Duguid and Barclay were close throughout the race, which featured several new technical areas in the woods.
Results
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