Spalding Cycling Club members are celebrating after completing another successful Lincs League Cyclo Cross season.
This year saw less attendance and a shift in the results away from the dominance shown by the younger members in the previous seasons.
With no junior category members riding, those racing in the senior and veteran categories once again produced impressive and consistent results.
The under-12 boys’ category saw Bourne Wheelers and VC Lincoln taking the podium awards, while Spalding’s Ben Norton finished 13th after completing only three races in the series.
Jack Bowser, in his first season, finished 36th.
A similar result followed in the under-12 girls’ category, which featured a clean sweep of the podium by Bourne Wheelers – headed by Emily Richards. Strong rides from Spalding’s Velvet Bowser netted her 12th place in her first season, while team-mate Mimi Gurney’s one ride of the season saw her finish in 20th overall.
The under-16 boys’ category featured another win by Bourne Wheeler’s Bryn Richards, this time shared with Paul Milnes Cycles’ Bradley Sproggins.
Despite more of their attention being on MTB racing this season, Spalding’s second claim riders Matt Ellis and Jake Norton (Sherwood Pines RT) posted sufficiently good results in the races they rode to finish 12th and 13th respectively.
Having ridden well in the few events they started Thomas Wright, Ed Gurney and Will Gurney finished 15th, 18th and 20th respectively.
In the ladies’ championship Spalding’s Tilly Gurney, riding for Squadra Donne, swapped the comparative comfort of the Velodrome for a couple of cross events – earning her sixth place overall.
Her Sainsbury’s School Games team-mate Maddie Gammons, of Sherwood Pines RT, took the win.
Won by George Thompson (Sleaford Wheelers), the seniors’ championship overall standings featured four Spalding riders in a field of 53 riders.
Consistent good results in the early part of the season enabled Ben Moore to finish in 27th place ahead of Sam Bentley in 30th. Andy Bowser and Thomas Webster made up the quartet, posting 35th and 37th places.
The veteran category is always hard fought – and this year was no exception.
Won by Martin Kennedy (Ellmore Factory Racing), six Spalding riders appeared in the overall league standings.
Heading up the group was Chris Peel. His results from five rides gave him 21st spot overall.
Next in the standings was Adam Ellis in 31st place, ahead of Shane Norton and Simon Wright with 36th and 39th.
Neil Palmer’s ride at the Spalding CC round netted him enough points to complete the overall standings in 45th place. Stewart Elderkin was also 53rd overall.
A quartet of Spalding riders made it into the Vets 50+ category overall standings – with quietly impressive results.
From a field of 37, Gary Bentley’s seven completed races meant a fine tenth place overall. Just 30 points behind was Chris Bettinson, who posted 15th overall while Tom Webster made his four rides count for 19th.
In his first season with Spalding and recovering from injury Andy Barnard’s ride at Sleaford at the beginning of the season sealed 36th place.
