The week leading into Round 4 at Killingworth Lake was an organisers nightmare with strong winds, heavy rain, dark skies and a forecast scary as Halloween! Thankfully it was warm and dry on the day but it was showing some signs of the effects of the weather, with a few soggy spots scattered across the length of the course sure to make the legs ache. The course itself was yet another variation to test every rider including an altered direction and some testing off camber turns and short climbs.
In the Under 12s Matthew Worton made the very best of the shortened senior course making a break off the front and pulling out a gap to second place Angus Brown. Matthew held onto his first place to take the win with Angus claiming second and Nick McWhirter coming in a very respectable 3rd.
Activ Cycles’ Adam Martin dominated the U16/u14/Novice Lady pulling out all the stops and taking a well deserved top spot with Alex Hopper pushing hard coming in a fine second with Joe Brown chasing hard for second but ultimately settling for 3rd.
The Senior race had a 63 strong field and a great team presence, it was a real spectacle. When the whistle blew, to coin a phrase it really was a “cavalry charge” with everyone exploding off the start line and belting down the long straight fighting for the first bend.
Once the pace “settled” if you could call it that, Tony Fawcett stamped his authority on the race and began pulling away from a chasing pack that contained James Anderson (Picarsso Pulman), Tony Glover(Derwentside CC) and the two Hambleton RC boys Darren Binks and Steve Middleton.
Tony Fawcett however continued to stretch out his lead until the final two laps when James Anderson began to slowly pull the leader back but time was against him and Tony took the win. Tony Glover came across the line in 3rd followed by a great battle between Darren Binks and Steve Middleton seeing Darren taking the honours and coming in 4th.
What a great day – big thanks to everyone that came, racers, spectators and organisers including Geoff Turner, Jason McCourt, Brian Bayne, Dave McLean and the boys from the Sage Cycle Club: Andy Palmer, Colin Edgar and Phil Healey who we expect to see racing shortly (no pressure!)