Spalding Cycling Club’s 2014 grass track event was a resounding success over the weekend.
The Sir John Gleed School was the venue once again, with riders of all ages and supporters travelling from as far as Colchester, Chesterfield and Great Yarmouth – as well as more locally – to enjoy a varied and exciting race programme organised by Shane and Lisa Norton.
Despite a thunderstorm at the start of racing, spectators were treated to some fast and furious racing in all age groups and categories.
And while there was no National Championship race this year, all of the riders were still able to make up points for their British Cycling Category standings.
Tilly Gurney earned three points for her first place in the under-16 girls’ Omnium, meaning she has now scored sufficient points to apply for dispensation to race at the next level at Mildenhall in August.
Spalding riders dominated the results in the Omnium events as Sophie Wright and Megan Kendall made up the other podium places in the under-16 girls’ event. Similar clean sweeps were to be found in the under-12 boys thanks to Tom Wright, Bryn Richards and Edward Gurney and the under-10 girls with Emily Richards and Mimi Gurney.
Ben Norton took top honours in the under-10 boys and Molly Peel rode a great race being narrowly beaten by Ellie-Mae Pledger from Colchester Rovers in the under-12 girls’ race.
Spalding’s two second claim members, Jake Norton and Matt Ellis, in their Sherwood Pines Cycles SRAM RT kit finished seventh and fifth respectively in the 8km race. Ellis also took top spot in the under-16 boys’ Omnium.
Elsewhere, Dave Thornley and Rob Boothman both clocked 27.48mins, while other PB’s were recorded by Ross McGivern (26.50mins), Mark Hills (28.56mins) and Brian Johnson (30.06mins).
