A great start to the new cross season came early this year at Clanfield, home to hosts Solent Pirates who put on a great event. It was one for the climbers with an extended route that this time went further up the unforgiving South Downs hillside for some long ascents and boneshaking descents in the dry and bumpy conditions on a course not short on technical features.
Five year old Leighton Riley bagged our first of many podium spots in the U8 boys, Freddie Trosh 3rd U10 boy. Billy Dyer, Matilda Wilks, Cordon Eccleston and Eve Carline taking 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th in their U12 races.
Top club finishers in other categories read as follows… in the U14s, Tom Wilks impressed with 5th place in his first race after moving up from the U12s. In the U16s, Izzy Hall also moving up a category, finished an equally impressive 5th.
In a larger than expected Junior men’s race, Louis was 17th in his first outing in the category.
The v40 mens race saw a strong Sotonia presence in the top 10 with a fine second place for Tom Budden and 4th for Andy Gardiner. Ian Crocker 8th and Phil Wilks 11th.
In the women’s race, Gemma Wilks was 10th senior and Donna Bennett was 8th v40.
Jon Dudley also got on the podium with 5th place in the v60 men’s race.
Great riding everyone!
