Cyclocross

FWCC Summer Cross round 1, 7.6.2022

Brilliant to see some local Summer cyclocross racing at Romsey on Tuesday evening for round 1 of the Fareham Wheelers Summer Cross series.

Sotonia riders were there in numbers and we saw youth wins for Freddie, Billy and Izzy. Top 3s for Thomas, James, Jaya, Jacob, Samuel, Corden, Tom and Louis.

Andy Gardiner took third place in a 3-up sprint in the combined senior race but bagged the V40 win and Jon Hall won the v50 category. Verity Horner also won the v40 women's race.

Great riding everyone! 🔥🔥🔥

Results

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Southern Regional CX Championships, Keynsham

It was a bitterly cold day at Keynsham near Bristol in the shadow of the old chocolate factory for the Western and Southern Regional Cyclocross Championships. The event hosted by ShamXross brought together some of the top riders from the Western and Wessex cyclocross leagues to battle the mud and obstacles including steep banks, a huge spiral, rollers and a sandpit.

The youth races started with a hard frost on the frozen ground but as the sun rose, a slick top layer formed on the course to send riders sliding on the flat grass corners. Team Sotonia still managed a fine haul of results and podiums and from the first race, with Freddie Trosh who took the U8 boys championship race. In the U10s Matilda Wilks and Jaya Martingale were first and second girls, Billy Dyer taking second place boy. Sophie Jacobs and Tom Wilks also second and third in the U12s. The U14 race saw Izzy Hall pick up another silver medal. Other notable performances were Miles Horner and Louis Kirk with season bests to come 5th and 6th in the U16s.

Great riding everyone!

Provisional results:

https://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16665&RId=3305

Photo: Pitchside Paul

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Round 6, Miche Wessex CX League, Andover

Redenham Park, near Andover was the venue for round 6, hosted by Andover Wheelers who laid on a great spread and plenty of refreshment options for hungry riders and support crews.

The course on the country park estate, a mix of grass meadow and twisting, woodland single track with a short tarmac section and a couple of imposing bomb holes. Heavy mid-week rain failed to dampen the course save for a few squirrelly wood sections and the race pace was fast again. The bomb holes certainly played their part though in detonating the race action, claiming a few victims to the steep crater walls!

Back to back wins for Tom and Tilly in the u12 and u10s, Freddie on the u8 boys top step, joined by Samuel in third. Tom and Niclas third and fourth u14 boys with Miles breaking into the top ten as a first year u16. Finally, ex-Sotonia youth rider, Max Darnton (Nova RT) took his first win in the Junior men. Well done everyone!

Photos: Pitchside Paul

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Round 4, Miche Wessex CX League, Reading

The diehards prayed for rain and they got rain – after three dry rounds, the Gods of Cross decided enough was enough and the heavens duly opened ahead of round four with hosts, Reading CC, working hard to lay out the course early on race day. Riders faced the classic parkland parcours and twisting single track of Prospect Park. In the sunshine however, it was to be no mud bath as the ground dried in most parts with a high pace to some cracking race action.

Luke Hammond won his first race in the U8s and as his dad Roger used to ride a bit, maybe a taste of what's to come? Tom Wilks was also on the top step in the U12s with Billy, Tilly, Eve and Jaya all top 5 in the U10 races, Sophie second in U12s. In the U14s, Izzy proudly wore her series leader jersey and finished a fine second place, Niclas and Monty both riding strongly too.

Special mention to the noisy bunch of Sotonia kids who cheered parents and coaches racing later in the day as they struggled up "Hilly McHillFace" - it certainly put a smile on our faces!

Pitchside Paul

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Round 3, Miche Wessex CX League, Foxhill

Round three of the Miche Wessex CX League was again held at Foxhill on Sunday, hosted by Andy Smith Events. Situated on a hilltop, south of Swindon this moto-cross venue is blessed with views to rival the best - not that many had time to soak it all in as fierce racing was matched by sunny and dry but challenging terrain. Familiar off-camber features like the hillside switchbacks, rutted turns and a super bumpy bank were back to challenge riders but it was an innocuous looking patch of gravel on the exit to a flat turn seemed to claim most victims. 14 Sotonia youth riders were in action after the drive to Swindon, claiming eight top five finishes between them! Big up also to the supporters and team mates who rang their cowbells so enthusiastically and cheered the riders each lap!

Great riding everyone!

Thanks to Pitchside Paul for the photos

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Round 2, Miche Wessex CX League, Swindon

It was another dry and wickedly fast day of cross racing for round 2 of the Miche Wessex Cyclocross league hosted by Cotswold Veldrijden at the old Moredon Golf course venue in Swindon. The action was certainly on par with close fought battles in many of the races. Big race fields and sunshine the order of the day once the early dampness burnt off on the flowing, twisting course with plenty of tricky cambers to test riders’ resolve to stay off the brakes!

A strong showing by Sotonia youths and another hatful of great performances including the Wilks siblings who continued their winning streaks, Tom Allen taking more big steps forward as he pushed for the win all the way to the line in the u14 boys. Sophie Jacobs and Izzy Hall also on the girls u12 and u14 podiums.

Great riding everyone!

Thanks to Pitchside Paul for the photos

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Round 1, Miche Wessex CX League, Romsey

Cross is back! We were stoked to be racing cx with supporters again last weekend. It was great to see the extended Wessex 'cross family' to socialise and see some hot, fast action supplied by hosts Fareham Wheelers in the early season sunshine at a new venue just up the road near Romsey - a rolling grassland course at the New Forest Care Outdoor Learning Centre.

From our squad of 25 youth entrants, we wasted no time in grabbing some hard earned podium places, with a 1-2 for Thomas and Luke in the U8 boys, a 1-2-3 for Tilly, Eva and Eve  in the U10 girls, with Billy taking 2nd in the U10 boys, as well as a win for Tom and a 2nd place for Sophie in the U12s! In the U14 categories, Izzy finished 3rd, Tom Allen was 5th, while the U16 boys, Louis, Miles, Thomas, George and Sam all battled hard in a strong field.

Great riding everyone!

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Round 3, Parentini Wessex CX League, Abingdon

Just before Christmas, 22 of our youths headed up the A34 as Take 3 Tri successfully managed to host round 3 of the Wessex Cyclocross league at Abingdon airfield. We were welcomed with no wind and clear skies making it unusually warm for Dalton and treated to a new course at an old favourite venue, full of tricky offcambers.

Yet again some notable podiums with Billy 2nd U8 boy, Eve and Tilly 2nd & 3rd U10 girls (a battle to watch this year). In the U12 race, an excellent performance by Sophie with a 2nd place and the boys had a right battle with Stanley 2nd and the two Toms battling it out for 3rd and 4th spot with Tom Wilks winning this week.

Moving onto the bigger course with the U14s, a good performance by Izzy and Emma with 2nd and 4th respectively. The boys had a right old ding-dong with Miles coming out on top in 6th. The U16s set off a minute in front of the U14s with an excellent ride by Lucy to finish 2nd U16 girl, with Max finishing 3rd U16 boy.

Well done to all our riders, let's hope for some more racing in 2021.

Thanks to Paul Paxford @pitchsidephoto for the photos. Full albums here

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