Plomesgate CC Grass Track Meeting , 13^th August 2005

Plomesgate CC hosted their third grass track meeting at St Mary's School playing field in Woodbridge on a warm, sunny 208m track, with the threat of rain always on the horizon, if the weather forecast was accurate.  What should have been a free flowing, stress free programme of events got a little disturbed when there was a spill in the minor final of the mens 3 lap scratch race, with Tony Goodall, Norwich ABC, falling after a touch of wheels resulting in a broken collarbone. As he didn't feel too well, sitting just inside the track edge, we delayed further events, except for an under-12 ride, (with first aiders protecting him) until the ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.

The day progressed very well from there, with stiff competition from local riders and from also those who had travelled from all parts of the country.  The displayed prizes from Elmy Cycles, Ipswich, Tekno Fuel and Seckford Wines, Woodbridge may have helped spur people on for hard, determined racing.

Visiting rider, Neil Withington (Anderson Racing), from Cumbria and junior Richard Lambert (Rossington Wheelers) from Doncaster were always at the front of the senior races, whilst Sarra Whelan (Mildenhall CC) dominated the ladies races.  In the under 16s races, the prizes were shared almost equally between the three riders, with William Hare (Spalding CC) just managing to take most.  The under 12 fun races, for local children, was dominated, no matter how much they were handicapped, by some of the children who ride Friday evenings at the local Foxhall banger racing track in Ipswich (Jack Hardwicke, Lewis Parker, Andrew Crowe and Joshua Holloway)

The main race of the day, for those who have the stamina, was the 5km scratch race, of 24 laps.  This started off at a reasonable pace, but by midway had fragmented into a small group breaking off the front and stragglers all around the track determined to finsh.  With five laps to go the pace increased and rain threatening in the air.  Neil Withington managed to break off the front, closely followed by Andy Ballentyne (Easterley RC) and Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion), with Neil gaining about 10m with one lap to go, when Andy Ballentyne stepped up the pace coming into the corner, with Ian Clarke less than a metre away.  Ballentyne lost traction and fell, leaving Clarke nowhere to go but over the top.  With the riders spread over the track.  The race was stopped and the result declared as the positions into the final lap (which all the other riders were happy with).  Unfortunately, Ian Clarke suffered a broken collarbone and Andy Ballentyne  nasty bit of bruising and grazes to his shin and knee.

With the track starting to get damp after this race it was felt too dangerous to hold the team sprint and we called it a day.  Apart form the two spills, the racing was good and everything cleared away before the rain fell.  Same time next year?

Results

Ladies 4 Lap Scratch (832m)

1^st   Sarra Whelan (Mildenhall CC)

2^nd Emma Hurrell (CC Breckland)

3^rd  Karen Lifford (Sherwood CC)

Mens 4 Lap Scratch (832m)

1^st     Richard Lambert (Rossington Wheelers)

2^nd  Neil Withington  (Andersons Racing)

3^rd   Neil Lewis (Southborough & Dist. Wheelers)

4^th  Andy Ballentyne  (Easterley RC)

5^th  Keith Richardson (Mildenhall CC)

6^th Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion)

(Minor Final )

7^th Jim Hardwicke (Plomesgate CC)

8^th Andrew Whelan (Mildenhall CC)

9^th Mark Howlett (Plomesgate CC)

10^th Carl Read (East Anglian CC)

11^th Peter Lifford (Becontree Wheelers)

U16 3 lap TT

1^st   Ellen Trigg (Colchester Rovers)

2^nd  William Hare (Spalding CC)

3^rd  Andrew Street (Welwyn Wheelers)

500m Handicap (E/1/2/3/4/J/W)

1^st     Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion)

2^nd   Richard Jordan  (Easterley RC)

3^rd     Neil Withington (Andersons Racing)

4^th   Sarra Whelan ( Mildenhall CC)

5^th   Andy Ballentyne (Easterley RC)

6^th   Andrew Whelan (Mildenhall CC)

U16 2 lap Scratch

1^st   Andrew Street (Welwyn Wheelers)

2^nd  Ellen Trigg (Colchester Rovers)

3^rd  William Hare (Spalding CC)

Devil take the Hindmost (E/1/2/3/4/J/W)

1^st     Richard Lambert (Rossington Wheelers) 

2^nd  Andy Ballentyne  (Easterley RC)

3^rd    Neil Withington (Andersons Racing)

4^th  Simon Layfield  (Team Welwyn)

5^th  Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion)

6^th  Neil Lewis (Southborough & Dist. Wheelers)

U16 3 lap Handicap

1^st   William Hare (Spalding CC)

2^nd  Andrew Street (Welwyn Wheelers)

3^rd  Ellen Trigg (Colchester Rovers)

Ladies 8 Lap Points

1^st   Sarra Whelan (Mildenhall CC)

2^nd Emma Hurrell (CC Breckland)

3^rd  Karen Lifford (Sherwood CC)

Mens 8 Lap Scratch

1^st     Neil Withington (Andersons Racing)

2^nd  Andy Ballentyne (Easterley RC)

3^rd    Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion) 

4^th  Simon Layfield (Team Wlewyn)

5^th  Neil Lewis (Southboough & Dist. Wheelers)

6^th Jim Hardwicke (Plomesgate CC)

U16 1 lap scratch

1^st   William Hare (Spalding CC)

2^nd  Andrew Street (Welwyn Wheelers)

3^rd  Ellen Trigg (Colchester Rovers)

5km  Scratch E/1/2/3/4/J/W 

1^st     Neil Withington  (Andersons Racing)

2^nd  Andy Ballentyne  (Easterley RC)

3^rd    Ian Clarke (Fenland Clarion)

4^th  Richard Lambert (Rossington Wheelers)

5^th  Keith Richardson (Mildenhall CC)

6^th  Simon Layfield (Team Welwyn)

7^th Mark Howlett (Plomesgate CC)

8^th Jim Hardwicke (Plomesgate CC)

Lady – Sarra Whelan (Mildenhall CC)

Primes:- Ian Clarke & Neil Withington