Main
Results from Round Three at Glasgow, I hope someone will scribble some words for this one as I was a bit wrapped up in my starting gate duties to recall much of the action!
There was one event which raised the temperature a little, for a few moments at least. This is the aftermath:
And although I remain staunchly neutral here (unless I'm directly involved!) I was guilty of grabbing the preceeding few seconds on video for your edification :)
Here's the link. Unfortunately the video section of this site is crippled until I can circumvent the disappearance of Adobe's Flash Player which was used to display them all on here tthus far, so meantime I have to send you out to my collection.
And here's Heat One of the Over35/40s with Kev Burns inside and Lukasz Nowacki out, one of them wasn't prepared for a long tape hold! (OK then, a v - e - r - y long hold :)), but then...
MC for the day, our EuroMaster Fred Rothwell passes instructions to the amazing Charles "Chick" Mackie who sponsored and presented the trophies. Over 35s and 40s podium.
Here's Freddie looking for a recharge from my gate batteries as he presents the Over 50s podium.
Finally, and happily, the Over 60s get their rewards with two Glasgow stalwarts on the box.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU SPOT ERRORS ANYWHERE!
The Squad! Euro-Vets co-organisers Geoff Gamage (left), Fred Rothwell (right) and Norman Venson (3rd left kneeling) pose after a very entertaining and successful event where Glasgow CSC raised an incredible £178 for our Orchid Fighting Male Cancer charity.
21 April 2012
Report: the late John Whiting
Twenty riders contested the first round of the Euro-Vets at Coventry on a very heavy track testament to the heavy rain in the preceding days.
Fifteen over 50/60 riders contested the first match of what will be a long series, certainly in terms of miles. Homester Joe McLaughlin took race 1 from Woodruff and Hemming and really good to see Chic Mackie back on a bike after his recent illness. Meeting favourite Mick Skinner took race 2 from Timms and Dyson and Dennis Hubble won the next race from Stevens Burgess and Smith.
Race 4 saw Mick Aris leading home Rothwell and Whiting. Skinner Hubble took goods wins from difficult grids, as it became apparent those who had been racing and those who hadn't. Paul Timms lead home Phil Hemming with Mick Skinner making it three wins beating returnee Mike Burgess. Kev Greaves took the tenth from Whiting and Smith. Three races in and Skinner/Hubble were unbeaten with Timms Burgess and Aris all close behind.
Race 13 was lucky for Mick Aris and Burgess won a tough encounter with Timms in the fourteenth. Steve Woodruff took his first victory in the fifteenth, and race sixteen brought the clash of Skinner /Hubble, Mick quickly away from the start and leading to the line. Timms took the seventeenth to ensure a place in the A final from Joe McLaughlin who faded a bit after a bright start. Hubble and Skinner both won their final rides with Burgess taking a good 4 points in the twentieth and Mick Aris gaining a good second place.
In the first final of the over 60s Mick Aris (25) made good use of his grid 1 to lead home the consistent Les Stevens (23) and Fred Rothwell (22), Whiting (21,) missing the gate and Chic Mackie scoring 20. The over 50 B-final saw Mick Aris take the points from Stevens and Woodruff with Phil Hemming disappointed to be excluded at the start. In the A-final Mick Skinner led from grid 1 with Hubble close behind and Timms Burgess having their own battle, after three laps Dennis managed to just find the gap and squeezed through on the inside, with Paul Timms taking a good third.
Result
Over 50s/60s
Dennis Hubble 25, Mick Skinner 23, Paul Timms 22, Mike Burgess 21, Mick Aris 20, Steve Woodruff 18, Les Stevens 17, Phil Hemming 16, Joe McLaughlin 12, Paul Dyson 12, Kev Greaves 9, Kev Smith 9, Fred Rothwell 11, John Whiting 8, Chic Mackie 6.
Over 40s
Thriteen riders contested the 40s, with everyone keen to beat the rain, the cold, the wind and the track still heavy.
Mark Griffith set out his stall with a gate to line win from Dave Meanly and Woodruff, Hubble got a good gate from four to beat Aris Rothwell and Dyson, with home rider Dave Frith having a comfortable win in the third. Paul Gibbs took the honours from Stevie Mullinder and Whiting.
The next four races saw Griffith Hubble and Frith remain unbeaten with Mullinder a point behind and Aris and Meanley on six. Race 9 Dyson beating Whiting in the Bury match-race, race 10 was rerun after Greaves was pushed over the inside, Griffiths winning from Greaves and Mullinder. Clash of the unbeaten riders saw Frith win from Hubble then Meanley and Gibbs won their next races as the racing hotted up.
Race 14 and a great gate saw mark round Dennis to remain unbeaten. Woodruff beat Aris and Stevens, Dave Frith taking the sixteenth for his fourth win. With places in the finals to ain for Griffith, Frith had 16 with Hubble Gibbs Meanley all very much in contention. Race 17 and Hubble won from team-mate Stevens with Mullinder third. Griffith remained unbeaten leading home frith and Whiting. Kev Greaves sealed a good afternoon with a win in the nineteenth, Gibbs beating Meanley in the twentieth in an important race.
In the B-Final Dave Meanley took a gate to line win from Greaves Stevens and Mullinder. The A-Final saw Mark Griffith jet away from one whilst Hubble and Frith had a real battle for second, Hubble again taking the points from Frith and Gibbs who locked up on lap 2.
Result
Over 40s
Mark Griffith 25, Dennis Hubble 23, Dave Frith 22, Paul Gibbs 21, Dave Meanley 20, Kev Greaves 18, Les Stevens 17, Steve Mullinder 16, Steve Woodruff 12, Mick Aris 12, Paul Dyson 10, Fred Rothwell 10, John Whiting 9.