Povey Preston Park Sprint Champion

A cracking series of sprint championship races took place tonight in all categories, followed by several supporting events. As always, the packed programme was only possible due to the hard work of the officials led by organiser Vern McClelland and the co-operation of the riders in getting to the start-line on time. And, as a bonus for sprint championship evening, Keith Baldock of Brighton & Hove City Council Road Safety Department was in attendance with a speed indicator device (SID) to display riders’ speeds as they rocketed up the finishing straight.

SENIORS

A 200-metre TT was in store for all seniors who entered the sprint championship, with only the top eight qualifying. With a fairly strong headwind for most of the distance and chilly conditions, times were not predicted to be rapid. However, early starter Lee Povey declared his hand straight away in style, powering along to the finish in a highly impressive time of 11.92sec and making SID display a speed of 41mph which, as it transpired, was the fastest of the night. Povey’s team-mate Mark Burgess posted the next fastest time, 12.20, a personal best by no less than half-a-second which confirmed his fine form. Other riders who beat 13 seconds were Felix English (12.51), Adam Gent (12.68) and Martyn Potter (12.96), and they were followed by the other qualifiers Charlie Sayer, Lee Smith and Phil Smith. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first four in the TT all stormed through to the semis. Next up, Povey beat Gent to book his berth in the final, then Burgess rode a good tactical race against English to take the other final place.

After English had beaten Gent in the minor final to bag the bronze, it was down to business for the major race of the night. Hot favourite was of course Preston Park sprint king Lee Povey, but would Burgess be able to steal the championship? After all, he is the fastest-improving senior at Preston Park and - like Povey - has tactical awareness and a jack-in-the-box kick. Compared to some of the previous senior sprint head-to-heads, there was little messing around here and before we knew it the duo were into the final 200 metres. Povey, on the outside, appeared to have things under control, and so it turned out as he powered along the final metres to take a great victory. “The final was good”, he said afterwards, “I got Mark exactly where I wanted him then just matched his speed to hold him on my hip then accelerated up the finishing straight.” The first four in the championship were also the first four in the TT, in the same order, prompting one trackside spectator to suggest that we needn’t run the sprints next year, just the TT.

Between the sprint rounds, an 8-lap scratch race took place. Brock Duncumb-Rogers, Christian Yates and George Webster were the early animators, but it was young Charlie Heffernan who won the two £5 primes later on. Duncumb-Rogers had the last laugh, though, with a great sprint for victory, ahead of Heffernan, with Christian Yates third.

Neil McClelland broke away near the start of the 6-lap points race, grabbing the first maximum. Next time round, it was Adam Gent in the lead, before Felix English took over control with the next two 5-point pay-outs. Christian Yates was first over the line at the bell, but English stamped his authority on the last lap and took a fine race victory with Yates second and Gent third.

Organiser McClelland offered riders a longer-than-usual final event over 20 laps (just over 7 miles). Phil Smith escaped the bunch from the start, and did well to survive out front for two laps before Lee Povey swept past to take the first prime of the race before promptly offering it back for distribution. With seventeen to go, youngsters Charlie Heffernan and Felix English had formed a useful partnership ahead of the peloton, though Heffernan eventually succumbed to his companion’s pace and fell back. English took the £5 prime with nine to go, just before the bunch overhauled him. Perhaps inspired by recently passing his driving test, Lewis Earthrowl-Gould pushed down on the accelerator and broke away, earning a fiver for his efforts. With the pace seemingly increasing all the time, he was joined by Charlie Sayer, Felix English, Adam Gent and Christian Yates and this quintet appeared to have the race well and truly sewn up. Charlie Heffernan had other ideas, though, and he stormed forward from the bunch to gradually catch the break with two to go - a stupendous ride from the 14-year-old. Sayer led through at the bell, and with 200 metres to go English was still lurking back in fifth spot. It was all change by the finish, though, as English tore past all his opponents to brilliantly triumph ahead of Gent, Earthrowl-Gould, Yates, Sayer and Heffernan.

YOUTHS

With sprint titles at stake, double league points for championship events and a chance to be photographed on the podium, the youth riders were keyed up for tonight’s racing. The £10 AD Cycles voucher this week went to U16 Nick Smith, mainly for his excellent ride in the scratch race.

U16/U14

Numbers were as usual high for this joint category, so four heats and the two semis led to the final. In the end it was very close, but James McCarron stormed through to take the title ahead of Nick Smith and Tom Jamieson. First U14 Ashley Dennis was fourth, but had ridden very strongly to get to the final. Tom Jamieson broke away from the start of the joint 6-lap scratch race, taking the first £5 AD Cycles voucher prime. James McCarron won the next fiver with two to go, but on the last lap Nick Smith rocketed away, successfully staying ahead to take the win. Nick’s very strong ride impressed organiser Vern McClelland and won him the evening’s £10 youth award. A great display from U14 Ashley Dennis won him the bunch sprint for second spot, ahead of Tom Goldsmith in third. Kim English also rode particularly well to take fourth place. The handicap race was won by Matthew Wise from Tom Goldsmith and Nick Smith.

U12

League leader Gabriel Parle was first over the line in the title-race final, beating Jack Barnett, Jake Marley and Amy Barnes in that order. Gabriel also rode very well in the block handicap to win ahead of Jake and Amy. The individual handicap was dominated by Megan Lewis in front of Amy and Jake.

U10/U8

Douglas McCauley left it very late in the U10 sprint championship, overtaking Luke Stacey just before the line to take the title, with Ben O’Brien third. Harry Stacey won the equivalent U8 race, beating Cory Anderson and Bethany Lewis to the line. Luke romped home first in the individual handicap ahead of Bethany Lewis and Douglas McCauley. Finally, Luke also triumphed in the block handicap in front of Charlie Brooker and Tom Martin.

Report by Gavin Smith, Photos by Sally Page/Daniel Bunbar