Gent Impresses at Preston Park

In dry and sunny but cold conditions, the usual friendly and competitive racing took place in all categories with over fifty riders signing on. With regular judges Dave and Daniel Gerrey absent, their finish-line places were filled by Ben Miller and the under-the-weather but chirpy-as-ever Lee Povey.

SENIORS

Tim Hill was the surprising but welcome initial attacker in the 8-lap opener, though his effort was short-lived as Christian Yates then moved away, with a speeding Nigel Foskett attempting but failing to hold his wheel. Yates’s lone lead grew to a maximum of 100 metres, but behind him the pack had itchy pedals, with Mark Burgess, Charlie Heffernan, Andy Parle, Martyn Potter and Charlie Sayer being noticed at the head of affairs. Just before the bell, Yates was swept up by the fast-moving bunch. Adam Gent put on a highly impressive sprint to take victory ahead of English, Potter and Sayer, while Yates salvaged fifth spot and Oliver Pepper won the bunch gallop for sixth.

Ben Sherwood made excellent use of his allowance to win the handicap final, holding off the fast-approaching duo of Heffernan and Potter. Next, it was English who well and truly took over the evening, beginning with the points race. A second-lap effort by Mark Burgess bagged him five points which were sufficient for an eventual fifth. Thereafter, it was English all the way, as the 15-year-old speedster went away alone with six to go to give a master-class to his rivals. And while the spectators were enjoying the English lesson, the battle was on for second place, Yates and Gent detaching themselves from the bunch in a thrilling head-to-head. At each pay-out bar one, it was Gent who took more points than Yates, so the race order of merit was: English, Gent, Yates. In the scramble for the minor placings, Sayer notched up the next position thanks to his fourth spot over the line at the finish, Burgess was fifth courtesy of his early attack and Heffernan managed sixth.

Sean Brasington and Tim Hill disappeared upfront from the start of the 3-lap dash and gained a useful lead. But, as we all know, there is too much at stake in all these seaside league events for any of the riders to be generously allowed too much freedom. After all, this IS the 3-lap dash race at Preston Park. By the bell, the bunch had caught the courageous duo, and the judges were beginning to dread the prospect of a 20-up sprint. Fortunately for them, though, the peloton was strung out by the line, English inevitably getting the verdict, ahead of Gent, Sayer, Potter, Rupert Rivett and Brock Duncumb-Rogers.

Organiser Vern McClelland has taken a liking to running a longer-than-usual final senior race, and today was no exception, with the bonus of three £5 primes on offer during the 20-lap contest. On the suggestion of Lee Povey in his new role of judge, there was an element of handicapping, the B riders being given half-a-lap or so at the start. The first action came when the whistle blew to announce a prime, Charlie Heffernan taking the cash and leading a breakaway with Rob Dean, Andy Parle, Anthony Rogers and Oliver Pepper. This group enjoyed three laps of liberty before the arrival of the A-train. Adam Gent took the next prime, then Felix English and Christian Yates vanished ahead, the latter taking the final prime with seven to go. This pair worked exceedingly well together, staying ahead to the finish where a fine sprint took English to victory. Adam Gent was fastest from the bunch to claim third, Brock Duncumb-Rogers achieved fourth, followed by Charlie Sayer and Oliver Pepper.

YOUTHS

Competition is hotting up in all age-groups and racing was very close tonight in several races. The AD Cycles £10 voucher went to U12 Amy Barnes for her fine displays of attacking racing.

U16/U14

Nick Smith was the dominant rider early on in the joint 4-lap scratch race, and he won the £5 AD Cycles voucher prime at the bell. Perhaps paying for his efforts, though, he only managed third by the finish, as Sam Cheesman took the win and a delighted U14 Ashley Dennis was second. Ashley achieved a wonderful win in the U14 2-lap dash, followed by Milo Burdeau and Kim English. Matthew Wise put up an outstanding display to win the parallel U16 race ahead of Nick and Sam. The final youth race was a 6-lap block handicap, with the U14s allowed around 250 metres at the start. U14s Ashley, Milo, and Sara Gent powered away after two laps, while behind there was a super chase by U16 Nick. At the finish, Milo returned to his winning ways, Ashley was runner-up and Sara third. Nick stayed away from his former companions to take fourth, and he was followed in by Sam in fifth spot and Tom Jamieson in sixth.

U12

Amy Barnes broke away soon after the start of the 2-lap scratch, her aggression – along with her other results – clinching her the weekly £10 voucher. A lap later she was caught, however, then in a classic elbow-to-elbow sprint finish Jack Barnett shaded the win ahead of Gabriel Parle, with Jake Marley next in line. Theo Duncumb-Rogers rode very well to win the handicap race ahead of Jack, with Megan Lewis third.  After the usual whittling-down process in the devil-take-the-hindmost, Gabriel dominated the sprint to take the win, beating Jake Marley and Jack Barnett in that order.

U10/U8

There were no upsets in the U8 1-lap scratch race, Harry Stacey coming home ahead of Cory Anderson and Bethany Lewis. The U10 one-lapper featured a close sprint between Douglas McCauley and Ted O’Brien, the former getting the verdict from the judges. Joe Hill followed up in third. Bethany won the joint handicap event with Ted O’Brien and Charlie Brooker next over the line. Spectators were treated to a great joint block handicap race, very well designed by organiser Vern McClelland, the result of which was in serious doubt until right up to the line. Ted triumphed in front of Douglas and Bethany.

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