First Grass Track race of 2007

Victoria Pendleton wins the 800m. Photos thanks to Max Pendleton

Gem Estate Management and Elmy Cycles sponsored Mildenhall CC Grass Track Meeting 2nd June 2007

On Saturday 2nd June everything came together for a first class grass track meeting at Fearnhill School at Letchworth. The elements were bright sunny weather, a safe and fairly smooth track (if a little heavy), two generous sponsors, a group of talented riders and an able and experienced team of officials. The heats of the National Womens 800m included three Grass Track ex-National Champions in Sarra Whellan of Mildenhall, Emma Trott of VC Londres and Victoria Pendleton of SIS, making this was unlikely to be a race for outsiders. In the final the line up was all three post champions plus grass novice Caroline Gammel from Elmy Cycles. The 800m at Letchworth on Saturday was not a short race and Victoria Pendleton held a watching brief on the front on the inside for most of the event and as accelerations came these were matched by the others. Coming out of the final bend Pendleton made her strike for home to win by over a length. This is Victoria's first National Championship of the year, the next to ride for will be the National Motor Paced event at Cardiff on 16th June, this though is run over 30Km, a rather different discipline for a rider more used to 500m.

Photos thanks to Max Pendleton

During the meeting there was an attempt to establish a new fairer handicap system based on a 400m time trial. This did not work quite perfectly as the riders in each event were rather too numerous resulting in traffic jams as short markers caught long markers as they went through the end of the last bend. The result of the senior final was a win for Martin Smith, Sarra Whellan second and Peter Lifford of Beacontree Wheelers third. The National Endurance league event that was run over 8km was a race of attrition with a series of attacks, notably coming from Leigh Haigh of Victoria CC and Adam Duggleby, these two eventually drew clear of a fast depleting bunch. This event was for male and female riders, with Emma Trott was shed from the remnants of the bunch only in the last two laps, she is also riding the Women's motor paced champs in two weeks.

800m podium. Photos thanks to Max Pendleton

Ladies Devil