Hounslow Spring RR 2008

Peter Young Memorial 85m Spring RR held at Valley End / Chobham on Sunday 16th March 2008

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Paul writes; Due to the dangers involved in getting through Virginia Water village because of the narrow bridge, the race organiser had changed the course for the event which is really just as well because due to the heavy rain the night before and on race day, there was between four and six inches of standing water under the bridge.!!

The day started cold and wet and basically stayed that way for the entire race, and as the riders rolled away from the changing room towards the official start it was clear that this was going to be a hard race for everyone concerned.

After a few tentative moves, the first break of the day involving Neil Coleman (Plowman Craven RT), Tim Elverson (Felt Racing) and Grant Bayton (Sports Beans) – 44371 - pulled away. Elverson was soon distanced leaving Coleman and Bayton to set about building a lead.

Although they appeared to be pulling away from the field especially with their teams controlling the pack, there freedom was short lived.

Several more attempts to escape were made, including one by Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles) – 44380 – but he was never allowed any great leeway and was soon back in the field.

Another rider to try his luck was Matthew Higgins (Alpha RC) – 44399 - but again his freedom was short lived as his lead reached twenty seconds at best. Next to go away was Jonathan Tierran-Locke (Mid Devon CC) and, again, Grant Bayton (Sports Beans) - 44409 – who was for me one of the days most aggressive riders. Chris McNamara (Wildside RT) – 44416 – tried to solo across to the leaders and was joined by in his efforts by Ben Thompson (Glendene CC) – 44424 – but they were pulled back as Gibb’s Plowman Craven Team gathered on the front of the pack and began to narrow the gap to the leaders - 44426.

As they moved onto the smaller finishing circuit Locke and Bayton were coming into sight of the pack still lead by the Plowman Craven’s, but their efforts to keep Gibb at the front were beginning to tell as one by one they began to drop off the back. The break was reeled in – 44452- and again it was the Plowman Craven’s trying to control matters but with some of the team beginning to lose contact it wasn’t long before a new break had formed.

With three laps of the finishing circuit to go Andy Lyons (Heron Cyclesport) and Marc Perry (Sports Beans) – 44461- attacked through the finish area causing a break of six riders to pull away - 44465. Lyons and Perry were joined by Andrew Bye (Sigma Sport RT), Mark Perry (Bournemouth Arrow), Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven RT) and Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles).

As the break passed through the finish area with two laps to go they hade a lead of just over forty five seconds which would almost certainly mean that the winner would come from these six riders – 44471.

At the bell Bye had jumped, opening a gap of just a few seconds. There was a brief hesitation as the others looked around to see who was going to chase. That was all the time Bye needed to open a small gap. Personally I didn’t think he’d stay away, but as he approached the bottom of the Staple Hill for the final time it was clear that the victory was his. He crossed the line twenty three seconds to the good, but no victory salute.!! – 44478. Marc Perry (Sports Beans) held off Tony Gibb to take second – 44481 - with Mark Perry (Bournemouth Arrow) taking fourth ahead of Lyons and birthday-boy Chamberlain – 44485.

Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven RT) led in the chasers almost a minute later - 44486. Chris McNamara finished in tenth spot – 44488 – and Gary Dodd (Sigma Sport RT) let the pack home in twelfth – 44489.

I spoke to briefly to Andrew Bye after the finish suggesting he was probably to tired to raise his arms but he told me that he thought that there were still two riders away and that he was racing for third place.!!

Once again, a special thanks goes to the Motorcycle Marshalls, and to all the roadside marshals who stood out in some horrible weather to guide the race through to an excellent conclusion.

Pictures by Paul J Wright, contact him for more pictures and Hi-Res - pjw2409@tiscali.co.uk
Paul's website - www.pjwphotos.co.uk