Final Night, yet the season's not over
Track League finished last night leaving only our Omnium on Sunday 13th September (entries are already open). There will be a post about our League standings and our Champions in due course.
Last night looked likely to be cancelled but the weather pulled through for us to allow an exciting evening's racing. Highlights included: 6 different winners across 8 Senior races with all C races being won by a different rider. This has been one of the strengths of the C league this season with a good turn out and competitive racing. Within this race group we saw the return of Idha Hicks, worthy of mention for her second place finish in the Elimination and for the fact I neglected to include her in our last news item about our Women riders. Thus we already have four women riding this season, two more and all entering on the same night and we have a Women's league; fingers crossed for next season.
Other notable performances that caught the attention of those on the finish line included: Tom Marchment's attack in the Unknown Distance, it was powerful and well executed and, with just over a lap to go looked certain to win, but it was not to be.
In that same race the two primes created razor thin distances between pairs or riders. It is a sign of how close the finish is when the riders don't know who was first. In the first prime Harley Clarke edged Ben Griffin, and in the second the same was the case with Nathan Cozens edging Clive Spicer. It raises the question of how much is enough to make riders commit fully, certainly £10 seems to be enough and we have no plans to lower the value of primes next season to find their minimum point for exciting racing.
In the Youth racing the racing story is quite different to the C league. Mason Paschal Law and Thor Spicer dominated the evening in their respective leagues.
In the A league Nathan Cozens secured the overall Senior title but it was Jack Smith, last season's Champion, who capped his half season participation with three wins from four races. Jack is one of at least three riders who could potentially have won the league this season but, winning the league needs full on attendance and whilst Jack only did the second half of the season so was never a realistic winner it was different for two other riders. Both Jack Patten and then Freddie Hick looked the likely League winners, all they needed to do was turn up and race defensively to protect the League leads they had established. However, both dropped from the top spot to allow Nathan Cozens to rack up enough wins to claim top spot most convincingly.
Thanks to the volunteers this season. A name check risks missing someone but ... Our Committee: Freddie Hick Chair, Anthony Rogers Promoter, Sharon Spicer Chief Judge, Charlie Booth Secretary, Oli Phillips Treasurer, Jack Hibberd Sign-On, Kim Fortescue Talwar Commissaire.
Also many marshals, though especially Tracey Harris under the pop up shelter on the far side all season, and many parents of youth riders who staffed the gate, including Jessamy Hibberd and Thomasina Frank and more.
In addition we were very well served by Phil Jemmison, our most regular commissaire.