If you've been out on your bike this weekend I am sure that you were expecting rain - and lots of it. The forecast wasn't a good one and Sundays divisional races were contested in the most heinous of weather.
We thought this might be the same as we approached Welwyn on Saturday morning, but contrary to the rest of the region the rain stayed away for most of Saturday and a good thing too, as the racing was fast, furious and seriously down to the wire.
With 20 starters facing the slightly altered 5 event format from last year (The Devil replaced by a 16 lap Scratch race and the sprint finals decided by 2 ups rather than 3's), the first event they completed was the 500 metre Standing Start time trial. With windy conditions giving the girls something to think about as they hammered round the track you could visibly see them slowly as they hit the headwind but accelerating amazingly fast when the tailwind kicked in.
Last years Omnium champion, Janet Birkmyre (Planet X) proved that her winter training had been better than even she expected, setting the fastest time of 38.96secs, which was well over a second ahead of up and coming 1st year super junior rider Emma Trott (VC De Londres) at 40.16 with Raliegh ERV's Siobhan Mullan third doing 40.68. This was also quite a remarkable result for Birkmyre who crashed heavily at The 2 days of Bedford only a few weeks ago, suffering deep elbow and knee wounds, as well as concussion.
Scratch race
Second event on the card was the Scratch race, which traditionally starts slowly as the riders work out how much energy to expend knowing there are still 3 more events to come. On the second lap a restless Jo Tindley (VC De Londres & 2004 Omnium champion) took off, using the southern end banking to great effect, opening up a 100 metre lead quickly before the field could respond. This gap grew to 150 and then 200 metres as the field gave chase, but with some blocking by her many VCL team mates (6 VCL riders took part) the gap stayed at 200 mtetres. At about half distance the wind started to take its toll on Tindley and she conceded defeat and swung up the bank, only to realise her team mates had slowed the peletons pace even more and she went on the attack again. This time she got within sight of the tail of the main field, only for Leda Cox (Onimpex) and Planet X's Janet Birkmyre to put insome big turns and close the gap down to 100 metres again. Eventually, she sat up and the field was all back together with 3 laps to go and it was to be a mass charge for the line. With riders five wide coming across the finish, a wheel length decided the top 5 with the biggest surprise being Jo Tindley recovering well to take line honours from Cardiff CC's Rachel Ball with Jo Rowsell (VCL) pipping Birkmyre for 3rd place.
Pursuit
The Pursuit, the third event on the programme, proved to be a close one with 4 laps of the 460 metre track proving tough in the blustery wind conditions. Jo Rowsell of VC De Londres showed that her junior National Title in this discipline is just the start of things to come. At the recent '2 Days of Bedford Womens Tour', Rowsell won both of the time trials on her way to a close overall victory. Rowsell took the pursuit with a super time of 2.28.59 secs from team mate Emma Trott, 2.31.80 with another VCL girl, Jo Tindley, coming 3rd with 2.36.03. At this point in the Omnium in was a close run thing with Rowsell & Trott on 9 points, Birkmyre on 11 and Tindley on 12.
The Sprint
The Sprint competition started with heats of 4, seeded on the overall position in the omnium after the 3 events (who knows why!), with Birkmyre, Rowsell, Mullan, Trott, Ball and Welland Valleys Lorna Marlow all progressing to the semi's, whilst the other riders rode off for the minor placings.
The semi's were 3 up events with Janet Birkmyre (Planet X) up against the VCL twins of Emma Trott and Jo Rowsell plus Siobhan Mullan ( Raleigh ERV), Rachell Ball (Cardiff CC) and Lorna Marlow of Welland Valley. In the first semi, it was Birkmyre who used her blistering pace to come round the 2 VCL girls and take the win with Rowsell taking 2nd, whilst Mullan pipped and ever improving Marlow on the line to book her place in the final. The minor semi saw Marlow push Rowsell all the way to the line but Rowsell took it by a wheel length.
In the major final Mullan held Birkmyre on the fence all the way around the track before dropping down the banking on the home straight. Birkmyre used the speed that took her to a World Masters title and a 3rd in the Sprint at the Senior Nationals last year to sit on Mullan's wheel and then leap past in the final 50 metres to win. This would shuffle the pack a little in the lead up to the final race (The Points) as Birkmyre moved up to be first equal with Rowsell on 12 points, Trott moved to 3rd on 15 with Mullan and Tindley on 23.
The Points Competition
The 16 lap Points competition was everything to be played for, with Birkmyre known for her superior speed but Rowsell with a large team of VCL riders who, on the start line, stated they were working for her, it was to be a “Battle Royale”. First blood went to Birkmyre in the first dash for the line, coming off Jo Tindley's wheel, blasting through a small gap between several other VCL riders and taking the 5 points. This was to be repeated in the next sprint but then a great move from Sutton CC's Louise Mahe who scorched away from the main pack. She was chased shortly afterwards by VCL's Alice Monger-Godfrey and they worked through and off until the finish where Mahe pipped Monger-Godfrey on the line to take the points race win.
Meanwhile in the main pack Birkmyre was being hounded by the VCL girls and at one point had Lara Wann holding her on the fence whilst her team mates took off. Birkmyre was not to be intimidated by her junior competitor and simply rode over top of her on the banking, putting the hammer down again to take the final points on offer for 3rd place across the line. This cemented her standings with 2nd in the points race behind the great ride of Louise Mahe and moved her clear of Rowsell, who could only manage 5th place behind team mates Tindley (4th) and Monger-Godfrey (3rd).
With that second place in the Points race, Janet Birkmyre (Planet X) took overall victory in the Omnium with 14 points, VCL's Jo Rowsell took 2nd with Team mates Emma Trot taking 3rd and Jo Tindley taking 4th.
A great week for Birkmyre who, along with 12 year old Hannah Manley of Cardiff Ajax, took the 5000 metre Pursuit National Title, taking 19 seconds off the record on Tuesday night at the Newport Velodrome.
A fantastic end to an exciting days racing for the women who were very pleased with the adjusted format, especially with the removal of the Devil after causing a few accidents last year.
Thanks must go to Peter Waghorn and his excellent team of officials including the effervescent Rod Scott of the BCF who always has a smile and a cheer for all competitors.
Overall Results for this round:
- 1. Janet Birkmyre (Planet X)
- 2. Joanna Rowsell (VC De Londres)
- 3. Emma Trott (VC De Londres)
- 4. Jo Tindley (VC De Londres)
- 5. Siobhan Mullan (Raleigh ERV)
- 6. Louise Mahe (Sutton CC)
- 7. Lara Wann (VC De Londres)
- 8. Alice Monger-Godfrey (VC De Londres)
- 9. Amy Gallacher (Welwyn Wheelers)
- 10. Gabriella Coates (Evans Cycles)
- 11. Rachel Ball (Cardiff CC)
- 12. Lorna Marlow (Welland Valley)
- 13. Sophie Terry (VC De Londres)
- 14. Leda Cox (Onimpex)
- 15. Sian Richardson (Cardiff CC)
- 16. Jayne Clarke (Fenland Clarion)
- 17. Rohan Battison (Agiskoviner)
- 18. Caroline Gammell (Ipswich CC)
- 19. Noel James (Nottingham CC)
