Some photos from todays grass track can be found on our photo gallery

The full results can be found here

Report

Showery conditions caused a premature end to this Grass Track meeting, but not before 28 races had been run, involving National standard riders, clubmen and local youngsters.

The 400 metre event was dominated by multiple national champion Richard Kennedy in Scunthorpe Polytechnic colours, and the best woman was young Becky Figgitt form the Plomesgate club. The 800 metres event was run as a series of age related races, with Junior rider Tom Eckers from Welwyn beating all those under 30 years of age, and evergreen Max Pendleton (Mildenhall CC) winning the over-45 section.

The 8 kilometre race counted towards the National series and brought entries from contenders near and far. More than twenty riders started, but only about half could stay with the early pace. At about the 3 kilometre mark Leigh Haigh (Race Scene CC) road away from the pack, and mantained a 40 metre advantage, but as the bunch started to catch with about 1000 metres top go, he redoubled his effort and rode to an impressive win. John McClelland (London St Christopher) led the remainder of the bunch home, with Andy Ballentyne (Easterly RC) third.

The Madison event (for club teams of two riders) was a very unusual spectacle for a Grass Track meeting with riders 'hand-slinging' their partners into the action on change-overs. It was a closely contested event, eventually won by the Scunthorpe Polytechnic team of Charles Tennick and Jason Benham, chased home all the way by the Easterly team of Ballentyne and Christopher Burley.

Charles Tennick (Plomesgate) won the Devil (take the hindmost) for Elite, First and Second category riders whilst Pete Whelan (Plomesgate) won the version for other riders, by leading from the very start. The 100 metre Sprint competition saw a win for local rider Ian Pettitt (West Suffolk Wheelers) beating the favourite, Keith Richardson (Mildenhall CC), with Steve Newman (West Suffolk) third.

Several events were held for Novice Youngsters on Freewheel bikes, with Alan Trolove winning the 400 and 800 metre events, Johnny Barry the 100 metres, and Elliot Leathers the handicap event. Other local riders in the main events included father and son Adrian and Ryan Grimwood, Celia Newman, Janet Scoulding, Trevor Figgitt, Sarra and Andrew Whelan.

The next West Suffolk Wheelers Grass Track is at The Priory School on August 15 at noon - for full details phone 01284 386409.