2nd Aug 2010
by Charlotte Crossley

Solihull Cycling Club's Cath Ward takes first place

Solihull Cycling Club’s top female time trial rider Cath Ward took another first place in a fiercely contested five mile time trial race organised by the Midlands Cycling and Athletics Club. The course - which was on home turf - commenced in Chadwick End and finished at Fen End. Cath’s time of 14 mins, 14 secs meant that she won comfortably out of the seven female competitors, with Chris Jones from the host club taking second place with a time of 14 mins, 51 secs.

At the same event, Solihull CC’s Doug Clements and Ian Sharman took fourth and fifth place in the men’s event, with respective times of 13 mins, 28 secs and 14 mins, 4 secs. Grigor Wallace representing Midland Racing won the men’s race with an impressive time of 10 mins, 22 secs.

The European Track Masters Championships took place at Manchester between 27th and 31st July and veteran racer David Rutherford headed north to represent Solihull CC. David competed in the 60-64 Individual 2K Pursuit on Friday 30th and got through qualifying into the ride-off for the bronze medal in the evening with his time of 2 mins, 42 secs. However, David’s similar time in the ride-off event was not competitive enough to challenge fellow Midlander Graham Truelove of Lichfield CC for the bronze and he settled for fourth place.

In the 40 lap Points race on Sat 31st David took a highly respectable sixth place in the strong European field, having grabbed one sprint point and one disqualified for passing on the grey. Over the course of the four day Championships, British riders took many of the medals on offer.

Cath Ward on her way to winning the 5 mile TT

27th July 2010
by Charlotte Crossley

Solihull CC's Jack Rootkin-Gray gets a podium place at the National Youth Circuit Championship

Solihull Cycling Club’s Jack Rootkin-Gray demonstrated fine form once again this season by taking third place on the podium and a bronze medal in the Under 8 category at British Cycling’s National Youth Circuit Championships 2010. Held on Saturday 24th July, the highly prestigious event was at Hog Hill in Redbridge London and was organised by Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club.
Two other members of Solihull CC’s youth team made the trip down to London to compete in the Championship event, with both Alex Mitchell and Danny Fox featuring in the Under 14 race. No less than 60 elite youth riders competed in the best assembled field all year, racing over 10 laps of the two kilometre circuit. Alex produced his best ride of the season to make the front group as the race split in the final few laps, finally finishing in 15th place. With another year left to compete in the Under 14 age category, 13 year old Alex has a very promising future. Sadly Danny Fox’s race in the Under 14 group was not as successful. While he rode well from the outset, he became unwell towards the end and was unable to make an impact in the top of the results table.

On Sunday 25 July Solihull CC held its annual Veterans race at Bearley, near Stratford upon Avon. In the age 40-50 race - held over seven laps of the challenging circuit which passed through Wolverton - it was Solihull CC’s own Conor O’Brien who made an early break off the front with another rider. They opened up a gap before another trio broke free to pursue them. It was only in the last lap that these three riders caught the leading two and in the final sprint Conor was pipped to the line by John Tonks, leaving Conor to take a superb second place. In the main bunch Solihull CC’s Mark Paveley, Paul Mann, Russell Perry, Mark Wevill and Dave Stockill had all worked hard to nullify any counter attacks to bring back their team mate and most of them finished in the main group, with Mark Wevill taking 11th place.
In the age 50-60 race it was Ian Cowan flying the flag for Solihull CC, and he was aggressive in trying to form a lasting break. However the key break was formed by riders from other clubs; Keith Jones and Steve Johnson, and it was Jones who prevailed on his own near the end to win the race. The main group fragmented further in the later stages with Ian Cowan taking a hard fought 10th place, just outside the prizes.
The last and shortest race was for riders of 60+ and predictably it was Les West, Alan Kemp and Don Parry who broke early and were never caught by the main field. Kemp took the honours as well as the 60-65 category prize, with Parry finishing second, while West took the third spot but also the 65+ category win. In the main field Bob Richards, Pete Bye and Dave Elliott represented Solihull CC, with Dave Elliott coming back to racing after a long injury lay-off. Pete Bye lost touch due to the fast pace, Richards finished in the bunch, but Elliott showed he is back to good form by finishing 12th and taking a deserved third in the 70+ age group.