Results

The sun shone on West Suffolk Wheelers Grass Track Cycle Races, held on Sunday in Bury St Edmunds. The full programme at Priory School playing field incorporated a round of British Cycling's Eastern Region Championship.

Photos

WSW Grass Track 9 Aug 2009 by Stephen Hill  View Album Play slideshow

Overall championship victor was Team Welwyn’s Tom Gosbee, who, at just 17 years of age beat all the senior riders.

Equally impressive was West Suffolk Wheeler Alan Trolove, who led the 3 Kilometre Juvenile race from the start, lapping the entire field to take the under-14 title, beating the U16s in the process.

The under-12 winner was Elliott Jarvis (Colchester Rovers), under-16 George Bateman (Welwyn Wheelers) and the Ladies’ title went to Caroline Gammell (XRT Elmy Cycles).

The non-championship part of the programme included open races, in which Bryan Taylor (VC Londres) dominated.

There were freewheel events for youngsters, including a cyclo-cross circuit.

There were events for the ever-entertaining Tricycles, bringing three-wheeled enthusiasts from miles away. The prolific winner of all these being Geoff Booker (Oxonian CC).

The Madison event saw Brian Taylor team up with Max Pendleton (Mildenhall CC and father of Olympic gold medal winner, Victoria Pendleton) but, in an exciting finish, just failed to hold off Gosbee and Phil Lisher (Team Welwyn) on the line.

Alan Trolove also shone in this event, bending the rules slightly by doing several laps at a time, at a speed to match the senior riders.

The last events were the Win and Outs. In an early heat, West Suffolk Wheeler U14, Ed Ballam, recovered from pulling his foot just after the start, coming all the way round the outside to overhaul Matt Ellis (Spalding CC) and win.

In a later heat, Adam Kier (Ipswich BC) got round Ian Pettitt (West Suffolk Wheelers) to claim a second place behind Alan Trolove (WSW).

The effort seemed to do for Ian, who lost third to Bryan Taylor (VCL).

Win & Out winners. C: Simon Layfield. B: Withington (from Sheringham, but riding for a Carlisle club). A: Gosbee.

Other West Suffolk Wheelers taking part included Polly Hill from Norton (U16), in her first grass track in the fixed-wheel category; Lewis and Dominic Freeman (U12) from Stanton, riding in the freewheel events (Lewis showing great promise by coming second in his first two competitive events), and regulars 11-year old Harvey Newman, dad Steve Newman, Ian Pettitt and Ixworth Criterium races organiser, Adrian Grimwood.