Mercia Report 06-11-11

The first Notts and Derby Cyclo Cross League races to be organised by the Mercia HBM Cycling Club were held at the National Forestry Centre at Rosliston. The races attracted over 300 riders to take part in the 4 separate races for different age categories. The first race was for the under 9’s on a short circuit with 30 riders competing. Then it was the under12’s. Elliott Waters (Plan B) starting near the back managed to get up to 10th in the race, then ran out of steam on the last lap to finish in 19th place out of 44 finishers. James Swadling riding for Nottingham Clarion was the winner.

Mountain biker William Cheaney sponsored by Mercia CC's Lloyd’s Cycles in Swadlincote won the youth’s race for those 15yrs old and younger. Joshua Waters rode well on the muddy circuit around the trees and bends to finish in 2nd place in the under 14’s. He was beaten by William Gascoyne of Heanor Clarion. Sam Jones also Plan B finished in 15th place. Bailey Waters retired because of mechanical problems.

There were 180 starters in the final race for 50 minutes for Seniors, Juniors, Ladies and Veterans, the large number of competitors meant there were plenty of riders colliding with others or falling off, in the muddy conditions (The Church Gresley St John’s Ambulance were kept busy administering first aid). The 7 Mercia HBM riders all finished the race. The best placed was Christian Aucote in 64th place. He would have finished in the top 20 if he hadn’t had mechanical problems. The other 6 were in the following positions: Richard Knott 74th Daniel Partington 102nd, Gareth Fearn 105th, Warren Evans 122nd, Nick Chapman 156th and Gary Bush 162nd 167 riders finished the race. The winner was Belgian rider Kenny Geluykens (Asfra Belgium) who finished 2 minutes in front of the second placed rider. The following day Joshua Waters went to the Leicester Leys Leisure Centre to ride in the National Trophy Series round 2, to compete in the under 14’s race to finish in 5th place out of 22 of the top riders in this age group in the country. The winner was Daniel Tullet (Hargrove’s Cycles).

The previous weekend was round 7 of the Notts and Derby Cyclo Cross League at Bingham Leisure centre organised by Velo Club Nottingham. Joshua Waters was 2nd in the under 14’s, Bailey Waters was 10th and Sam Jones 19th out of 44 finishers. The winner was William Gascoyne. In the Seniors Race Mercia HBM riders Gareth Fearn and Adrian Waters were placed 67th and 125th respectively out of the 127 riders who finished the race. Ben Eedy (Team Empella) was the winner.

David Clarke (Endura Racing) finished in 10th place in the National Hill climb Championship on the 4.4-mile Long Hill between Whaley Bridge and Buxton. At only 3% gradient, it wasn’t David’s type of hill, he likes something steeper. He timed 13 minutes 22.5 seconds. The winner was Gunnar Gronlund (RST Racing Team/ Trigon) from Sweden who timed 12 minutes 49 seconds, who has now taken out British nationality and lives in Chesterfield.