Wessex Cyclocross round 12, Abingdon - Report
Freezing temperatures, snow, rain, wind and some 'proper cross' conditions didn't put our brave cyclo-crossers off at Abingdon on Sunday. The youth races were run in near blizzard conditions but still saw some top results for Sotonia - Isabella Hall 2nd and Skye Martingale 5th in U10 girls. U12s - Loius Kirk 5th. U14s - Max Darnton 9th. U8s - Marit Davidse 5th girl and Tom Wilks 5th boy.
By the time the adult races set off, snow had given way to driving rain with the temperature just above freezing. Many a pre and post race being spent shivering in cars with heaters on full blast. Our v40 men however, coped well with the cold on the flat but challenging and technical Abingdon airfield course. Great starts by Jon Hall, Jez Hart and Ben Darnton led them into top 10 in positions that they would trade until the final lap when the three battled it out, with Jez managing to pass Ben in the last corners to take 4th, Jon 5th and Ben 6th in the category.
There were more top 10 finishes in the v50 men and women's races for Jon Dudley (8th v50) and Gemma Wilks 7th in the senior women race. The senior race also started promisingly for Tom Budden who led for the first lap but succumbed to the arctic conditions and was forced to retire.
That leaves just one final cross race next Sunday at Southampton Sports Centre for round 13 hosted by Crabwood CC, it promises to bookend a very successful season for the club with more testing January weather conditions.
Gold for Fitzjohn in the Southern Cyclocross Championships
It was the Southern Cyclocross Championships last weekend at Popham airfield. A great course with a little bit of MTB tech thrown in! Congratulations to v65-70 men's Southern Cyclocross champion Simon Fitzjohn.
Other highlights were 6th place for Tom Budden in the Seniors, 9th for Jon Hall in the v40 men. Jon Dudley 6th v55 men. John Phillips 4th v60 men. Gemma Wilks 11th Senior women. Izzy Hall 2nd place U10 girl, Tom Wilks 4th U8 boy, Marit Davidse 2nd U8 girl, Tilly Wilks 3rd U8 girl. George Connell 9th place U12 boy. Well done everyone!
Wessex Cyclocross round 9, Fareham - Report
There were 14 youth and 12 adult Sotonia racers this Sunday for round 9 of Wessex Cyclocross league at the Droxford Motor Cross track for the second time this season. Our hosts, Fareham Wheelers, laid on a tough course that once again featured the big hill and nasty descent for the youth and adult races that caught many out to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd! After last weeks heavy mud at Southampton we were surprisingly back to fast and dry conditions. The course had drained from the overnight rain and when racing got underway the sun was out making for a beautiful day’s racing.
Top results for Sotonia were Izzy Hall: 3rd place in the U10 girls, Loius Kirk 14th in the U12s. Phil Connell 11th in the v40s, Jon Dudley 12th v50 and Gemma Wilks 9th senior woman. In the senior men race, Tom Budden eventually finished in 9th place after spending much of the race in a group of three with local riders, Alex Forrester (Zepnat.com) and junior, Barney Clacy (Hargroves Ridley Montezuma) in the chase for 4th. Well done everyone!
Wessex Cyclocross round 8, Sotonia – Report
With the mud now dried on another epic club cyclocross event, there is further proof that cyclocross is the fastest growing discipline in cycling with another record turnout including 27 club riders among the 376 competitors who didn’t let a little mud stop them on Sunday.
Our course designers cooked up a course that was "proper cross” - challenging and technical with sticky mud after overnight rain definitely playing it's part, shin-deep in a couple of places!
In the youth races, Sotonia fielded 11 riders with a tight battle between U12s George Connell and Louis Kirk for 10th and 11th. Marit Davidse (5th U8 girl), Tom Wilks (7th U8 boy), Ella Ridgement (5th U10 girl).
There was a superb 9th, 10th and 13th in the v40s for Jonathan Hall, Ben Darnton and Phil Connell. Followed by 12th in the Women’s senior race for Gemma Wilks. Simon Fitzjohn (36th v50 men).
The final senior race was going to be decided by a very busy pit crew jet washing bikes sometimes twice in a lap as riders tried to keep the mud at bay and saw current league leader Tom Budden take 6th place after being locked in battle with Joe Hickerton for much of the race. Chris Linney (23rd), Craig Hay (27th), Phil Wilks (28th), Phil Godfrey (31st) and Darren Sell (54th).
Big thanks to Jez Hart and Tom Budden for organising, to our riders, supporters, cake makers and most of all marshals and helpers, many of whom stayed long after sunset to take the course down and pack up after a very long day!
Wessex League report and full results here
Club Run to Hill Climb and Dandy's Ford
The club run will start as normal at 9:00 on Sunday 22nd October from Fleming Avenue, North Baddesley. For the day, we have devised three routes for the different groups to all converge on Dean Hill for the hill climb at 10:30, followed by a cafe stop at Dandy’s Ford. Those wishing to take part in the Hill Climb competition should make sure that they arrive at the HQ at the foot of the hill by 10am to sign on and collect race numbers - a direct route is included below for which there will be no nominated leader. There is no guarantee that Groups A to C will arrive in time for riders to take part in the Hill Climb competition.
Riding with Us: All riders are required to read “Riding with Us” and those attending their first clubrun should complete the Sotonia CC New Rider Introduction Form which includes a Parental Consent Form for riders under the age of 18.
Route 1 - A Group (lots of hills!) 88km / 54 Miles to Dandy's Ford
Download Route GPX
Route 2 - B Group 65km / 40 Miles to Dandy’s Ford
Download Route GPX
Route 3 - C Group (more direct) 52km / 33 miles to Dandy’s Ford
Download Route GPX
Route 4 - Direct route to the Hill Climb and Dandy's Ford
Download Route GPX
This route is self-led with no designated leader.
Nick Austin breaks Sotonia 100 mile club record
Sotonia member and long distance rider, Nick Austin recently rode the BDCA 100, breaking the club record and making British Best All Rounder (BBAR) standard. Nick rode to a time of 3 hours 53 minutes and 23 seconds, beating the time of Stuart Martingale of 3:54:15 set in 2007. Here's how it went in his words: "I entered the BDCA 100 last season. It would have been my 3rd 100 mile TT, having done my first and second 100m TTs last year as well. However after a three hour drive to the headquarters they decided they would cancel it, due to poor weather, so I turned round a came home! Luckily this year wasn’t a repeat, and actually conditions were near perfect – around 18 degrees, sunny, with a slight southerly wind.
The BDCA is a fast 100 mile course, as I found out. Having done the National 100m TT on the Bentley course earlier in the year, which is quite a lumpy bumpy course with a very pitted uneven section of road at the top end, the BDCA is flat by comparison, and on smooth concrete. Flat, that is, until you hit what is affectionately known as “Concrete Mountain” – a 5 mile or more uphill section at about 20 miles and 70 miles. First time it isn’t too bad, as your legs are fresh, but second time around it seems to go on for forever, as you watch your average speed slowly drop.
I had a few goals for this race – to beat my 100m time of 4.17 from the National to improve my BBAR average (as I’d already done a 50m TT and a 12 hour TT this season). Secondly, having just turned 40 and being a veteran (a scary concept), I knew a 4 hour time would get the club veteran record, and then I had a final target of the club record of 3.54. Having done a 1 51 for a 50 earlier in the year I knew this was a possibility, but frankly a 100 is a strange beast, and it’s a long distance over which anything can happen.
I went out just below a pace I knew I could probably sustain and because of the weather conditions I was still putting out an average of 26mph (I needed 25.7 for a time of around 3:54). I finished the first 50 in just over 1 hour 54, so I knew I needed around a 1:59 for the next 50, or a shade over 25 mph.
About 55 miles in the first signs of fatigue started to kick in, and Concrete Mountain was a bit of a grind. A tractor in the road followed by a long line of cars, traffic at the roundabout and a red light didn’t help either. The 3rd 25 was done in about 1 hour 1 minute, and I fell slightly short of my target time.
I knew I’d have to push for the last 25, which frankly was pretty hard going. It’s a long distance to push when you’re legs are feeling it. With 10 miles to go it was touch and go, but I pushed on, grimaced and dug really deep. The last section was thankfully more down than up, and the wind seemed favourable. With a good push I finished in 3:53:23. I had so little left in the tank that I struggled to ride the mile back to HQ, averaging about 5 mph!
The upside was also that, not only did I manage the BBAR, but I also averaged just over 25 mph across the 3 events (1:51 for the 50, 3 53 for the 100, 271 miles for the 12 hour). That one is definitely going on the wall when it comes in the post. All in all a cracking end to probably the best season I’ve had on a bike. I seem to be peaking as a veteran!"
Nick Austin
Sotonia Summer Criterium 2 report
Despite the Summer holidays meaning many of our youth riders were absent, there was still a good turnout for us in the younger age categories at last weekend's final Sotonia Summer Criterium of the year at the Winchester Park & Ride Circuit. In the U8 boys, Oskar Ciaramella was 3rd with Ella Ridgment and Poppy Carline 1st and 2nd in the girls race. In the U10s Sam Ridgment was also on the podium in 2nd place with adopted rider, Olivia Allman and Evelyn Mills taking 2nd and 3rd.
In the seniors, the 4th cat race saw the main bunch unusually staying together until the final lap when Nick Barber (Hart Evolution RT) powered away on the back straight to hold on for the win from Jordan Sewry (Casp Racing) and Neil Adlam (Andover Wheelers) with Sotonia’s Justin Menhenett in fourth place to cement his promotion to 3rd cat, junior Harry Parsons, 11th.
In the 3rd cats it was a case of another race, another lapped field for Tom Budden. After a cagey start, a group of three leapt clear of the bunch including Tom, Jed Webber (Andover Wheelers) and Kevin Bell (Langdale Lightweights RT). After a few more laps, the other two were unable to stay with Tom’s pace and cornering skills who went on to lap the field. Jed managed to stay away from the bunch for the last 20 minutes. In the final, the bunch sprint was also won by Tom with Sotonia’s Ben Hames 3rd, Russell Speight in 4th and Phil Godfrey 9th to top off a great team performance.
There was an unexpected twist in a women’s race that needed one more rider with the IRIS race team tempting Mel Mills away from her role at the sign-on desk to give it a go. The race itself was won by Becca Carter (Team WNT Pro Cycling) who lapped the field twice.
Sotonia Summer Road Race - Report
James Boyman carried on where he finished last weekend by winning the latest running of the Sotonia CC Summer Road Race. The twenty eight year old from Farnham riding for the Hoops Velo team was the winner last week on the rolling Stockbridge Down course and today’s race at Owslebury was a similar terrain which obviously suited him.
Boyman came to the front with about two laps to go and built himself a nice little 20secs gap which he managed to hold onto on the final lap as there were attempts from several riders which didn’t manage to come to anything.
The morning started warm and sunny as the peloton of 67 riders rolled through the village and onto the course proper for a first of 7.5 laps of the 8 mile course. This Owslebury course is a hard one with very little respite as it rolls along the North Hampshire countryside.
After the first full lap, two riders Steve Thomas (Ride 24/7) and Ben Lockett (PM) were holding a slender lead and this looked like a decent move early on but Thomas slowly slipped away on the next lap and then on lap two the race all came back together.
The prime on lap 4 was taken by course favourite Matt Downie (Primera-Team Jobs), closely followed by James Peckham (Sotonia CC).
It took another couple of laps before the next meaningful attack came and when it did it was again Matt Downie along with Tom Lane (Latcham Sunwise RT) pulling on the front with Michael Ford (VC St Raphael) and Joe Hickerton (Spokes BPC Racing) a handful of seconds further back. It was around this point when Boyman came through the bunch to take the lead.
As Boyman started to build his lead Downie was looking for help but was unable to find any and he found himself heading backwards towards the bunch. As our leader put 20secs into the bunch it took until the bell before the attacks and first to react was Colin Parry (Ride 24/7) and Frazier Carr (Team Vision Innovative Leisure), followed by Downie and Ford and then the remainder of the bunch.
At the finish Boyman had managed to increase his lead to 36secs with Ford taking second and Christopher Rothwell (Ride 24/7) third in the bunch kick from teammate Parry a further 8secs down.
Video report by Red Walters
Result
| Pos | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Boyman | Hoops Velo |
| 2 | Michael Ford | VC St Raphael @36secs |
| 3 | Christopher Rothwell | Ride 24/7 @44secs |
| 4 | Colin Parry | Ride 24/7 @st |
| 5 | Lewis Winfield | VC Londres |
| 6 | Tom Lane | Latcham Sunwise RT |
| 7 | Brecon Burnett | Cardiff Ajax CC |
| 8 | Alexander Cross | Team Vision Innovative Leisure |
| 9 | Frazier Carr | Team Vision Innovative Leisure |
| 10 | Richard Cartland | |
| 11 | James Horton | |
| 12 | Joe Hickerton | Spokes BPC Racing |
| 13 | Brook Elgie | Sotonia CC |
| 14 | Anthony Roberts | VC Meudon |
| 15 | Nicholas Tyrie | University of Bath CC |
16 |
George Wise | VC Equipe - Flix |
17 |
Ben Lockett | |
18 |
Harry Ribbons | TBW Bottecchia Wigmore RT |
19 |
Pete Ganderton | GS Henley |
20 |
Patrick Rucki | Skinline Race Club |
21 |
Patrick Brown | Spokes BPC Racing |
22 |
David Billings | Radeon Bike Science RT |
23 |
James Peckham | Sotonia CC |
24 |
Jim Hamilton | University of Exeter CC |
25 |
Peter Hodson-Thomas | Latchem Sunwise RT |
26 |
Oliver Winwood Bratchell | VC Venta |
27 |
Ed Slot | Sotonia CC |
28 |
Matt Downie | Primera-Teamjobs |
Thanks to Graham Robins for race report and pics.
Thanks to all the club members and helpers who made this event possible: Jon Dudley, Phil Godfrey, Jim Martin, Dave Davenport, Richard Burch, Russ Davies, John Phillips, Ben Coward, Dan Edwards, Will Weynberg, Red Walters, Hayley Hart, Dave Crocker and Ted Knowlton. Organiser: Jez Hart
Sotonia CC / Andover Wheelers / VC Venta Interclub Time Trial Startlist - 29 June
Startlist
| No. | Name | Club | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julia Baker-Beall | Sotonia CC | 19:01 |
| 2 | Hilary Webber | Andover Wheelers | 19:02 |
| 3 | Millie Chilcott | VC Venta | 19:03 |
| 4 | Jan Burnage | Sotonia CC | 19:04 |
| 5 | Sarah Webber | Andover Wheelers | 19:05 |
| 6 | Hannah Lyons | VC Venta | 19:06 |
| 7 | Sandy Bell | Sotonia CC | 19:07 |
| 8 | Sharon Harding | Andover Wheelers | 19:08 |
| 9 | Suzi Wise | VC Venta | 19:09 |
| 10 | Angela Burnikell | Sotonia CC | 19:10 |
| 11 | Lili McLean | Andover Wheelers | 19:11 |
| 12 | Zoe Robinson | VC Venta | 19:12 |
| 13 | Martin Napier | Sotonia CC | 19:13 |
| 14 | Elaine Gardner | Andover Wheelers | 19:14 |
| 15 | Reece Hoare | VC Venta | 19:15 |
| 16 | Mike Beevor | Sotonia CC | 19:16 |
| 17 | Stuart Thompson | Andover Wheelers | 19:17 |
| 18 | Owen Lewis | VC Venta | 19:18 |
| 19 | Julian Gee | Sotonia CC | 19:19 |
| 20 | Mike Webber | Andover Wheelers | 19:20 |
| 21 | Ollie Winwood-Bratchell | VC Venta | 19:21 |
| 22 | Greg Vint | Sotonia CC | 19:22 |
| 23 | Simon West | Andover Wheelers | 19:23 |
| 24 | Charlie Walters | VC Venta | 19:24 |
| 25 | Daniel Banks | Sotonia CC | 19:25 |
| 26 | Ben Ferris | Andover Wheelers | 19:26 |
| 27 | Adrian Baxter | VC Venta | 19:27 |
| 28 | Geoff Davy | Sotonia CC | 19:28 |
| 29 | Nick Connell-Smith | Andover Wheelers | 19:29 |
| 30 | Toby Leyland | VC Venta | 19:30 |
| 31 | Colin Witt | Sotonia CC | 19:31 |
| 32 | Nick Cooper | Andover Wheelers | 19:32 |
| 33 | Matt Galante | VC Venta | 19:33 |
| 34 | Phil Godfrey | Sotonia CC | 19:34 |
| 35 | Dan Mason | Andover Wheelers | 19:35 |
| 36 | Tim Higgs | VC Venta | 19:36 |
| 37 | John Chapman | Sotonia CC | 19:37 |
| 38 | Will Matthews | Andover Wheelers | 19:38 |
| 39 | Simon Walters | VC Venta | 19:39 |
| 40 | Harry Parsons | Sotonia CC | 19:40 |
| 41 | Russ Wareing | Andover Wheelers | 19:41 |
| 42 | Darren Lyons | VC Venta | 19:42 |
| 43 | John Phillips | Sotonia CC | 19:43 |
| 44 | Dann Colloby | Andover Wheelers | 19:44 |
| 45 | Tom Vaux | VC Venta | 19:45 |
| 46 | Jonathan Wren | Sotonia CC | 19:46 |
| 47 | Su Jim | Andover Wheelers | 19:47 |
| 48 | Ysarn Higgins | VC Venta | 19:48 |
| 49 | Ben Hames | Sotonia CC | 19:49 |
| 50 | Karl Brooks | Andover Wheelers | 19:50 |
| 51 | Andy Gough | VC Venta | 19:51 |
| 52 | Josh Bakker | Sotonia CC | 19:52 |
| 53 | Nick Burrell | Andover Wheelers | 19:53 |
| 54 | Thom Hayward | VC Venta | 19:54 |
| 55 | Red Walters | Sotonia CC | 19:55 |
| 56 | Jan Labrooy | Andover Wheelers | 19:56 |
| 57 | Bill Fleming | VC Venta | 19:57 |
| 58 | Jon Legg | Sotonia CC | 19:58 |
| 59 | Lee Henderson | Andover Wheelers | 19:59 |
| 60 | Jamie Plumb | VC Venta | 20:00 |
| 61 | Graham Harman | Sotonia CC | 20:01 |
| 62 | Rick Jansen | Andover Wheelers | 20:02 |
| 63 | Jamie Franklin | VC Venta | 20:03 |
| 64 | Jon Dudley | Sotonia CC | 20:04 |
| 65 | Pete Harris | Andover Wheelers | 20:05 |
| 66 | Tim Cooke | Sotonia CC | 20:06 |
| 67 | Jonathan Hall | Sotonia CC | 20:07 |
| 68 | Nigel Pratt | Andover Wheelers | 20:08 |
| 69 | Gwain Young | Sotonia CC | 20:09 |
| 70 | Niells Langhout | Sotonia CC | 20:10 |
| 71 | Chris Cain | Andover Wheelers | 20:11 |
| 72 | Nick Austin | Sotonia CC | 20:12 |
| 73 | Phil Wilks | Sotonia CC | 20:13 |
| 74 | Matthew Buckley | Andover Wheelers | 20:14 |
| 75 | James Peckham | Sotonia CC | 20:15 |
HQ
King’s Somborne Village Hall, Recreation Ground, Romsey Road, King’s Somborne, SO20 6PP
HQ open from 18:00hrs. NO cleated shoes allowed in HQ hall.
Course: Course is P140 17km. This has the finish in layby at bottom of hill.
PLEASE, PLEASE call your number out when you cross the finish line.
Event Secretary: Stuart Martingale, Sotonia CC, 07940238452
Timekeepers: Dave Crocker, Mary Corbett and Alan Sharpen
Marshals/helpers" Dan Edwards, Richard Burch, Joffrey Carlier, Dawn Cousins,
Phil Hoare (VC Venta) and Alison Jenning (Andover Wheelers)
Pushers Off: Phill Nightingale and Ted Knowlton