INDOOR SPLIT - posted 7 February 2012

Following a re-surgence of interest in indoor racing, the 2012 championships will be split over two weekends. Organisers struggled to accommodate the tournaments into one weekend last year, so the Commisison has decided to spilt the programme.

The open, over-40s and under-19s will be held on Saturday 24 November with the junior and open team taking place on the following day.  Sunday 4 December will be the date for the under-13s, under-16s and women's individual championships.

It is expected the two weekends will be at two different venues. Applications for hosting the championships close on 31st July.

NATALIE RECOVERING AFTER HORROR FALL - posted 30 November 2011

Birmingham rider Natalie Timms is back home after breaking her arm in the national women's indoor championship at the weekend.

Natalie was involved in a horrific crash which left her in obvious pain as she laid motionless on the sports hall floor. Centre medical staff were quickly on hand to apply first aid and, realising the seriousness of the situation, summonsed an ambulance.  Hospital X-rays showed that Natalie had broken her arm.

"After being taken away in the ambulance and dosed with morphine, I had a few x-rays which showed that I had broke the top of my arm, my humorous" brave Natalie told Spokesman.

"Fortunately it hadn't come out of the socket and was a straight break, so I got out of having an operation.  Unfortunately the break is too high to have a cast fitted. My recovery time is about six weeks.
 
"I'd like to thank everyone who helped me and carried me out and for everyone's kind wishes" said Natalie "I'm hoping to be fit and back on a bike in March."

Editor's Note - I am sure that I speak for everyone who witnessed Natalie's spectacular crash in wishing her a full and speedy recovery.  Natalie is one brave girl!

BIRKS RIDES WITH BROKEN ARM - posted 30 November 2011

Sheffield Stars enjoyed a successful weekend at the British indoor
championships, which saw them pick up the silver medal in the open
fours.  A great team effort saw them win their semi final, just ahead of
Stoke who also progressed to the final being the highest scoring second placed team.

Perhaps what is more remarkable is Jono Birks rode the matches with a broken arm which he has since had to have put in plaster. Jono damaged his arm as goalkeeper playing for Wosskow Brown Solicitors in the local "Loads Of Money" five-a-side event in Sheffield some two weeks previously.

Jono commented, "I stopped a shot from one of the players and the
sheer force of it knocked my arm back.  By the end of the evening it had swollen up to the size of Ian's wallet!!!"

"Having kept my arm strapped up, I thought it was on the mend.  However the rigours of indoor racing proved just to much and I was in a lot of pain on the Sunday and ended up at the local hospital who diagnosed a fracture" Jono explained.

"I was pleased with the team effort and thought everybody gave 100%.  It was especially pleasing to see young riders like Richard Hudson and Aiden Owen mixing it with the top riders and my brother Ashley and Ryan Hoyland were on fire" Birks added.

MORGANS MASTERCLASS - posted 28 November 2011

Mike Morgans caused a major upset when he sped to victory in the national indoor championships at Eccles, Manchester.  Showing unbelievable skill and bravery, the Horspath star produced five scintillating riders, full of determination and controlled aggression, to claim the title.

Morgans's technique was simply breath-taking.  Cornering at unbelievable speed, at times his frameset almost touching the floor, he produced a real racing master-class, skillfully passing riders inside and out, epitomised by a glorious pass inside Chris Jewkes in heat four and an even more spectacular manoeuvre in race 11 when somehow he managed to sweep past Craig Marchant on the outside in the length of a straight!  It was simply amazing! 

Morgans's only defeat came in a wonderfully entertaining race 13 when he was involved in a terrific scrap with team-mate Mark Boaler for second place, the former champion getting the decision on the line.

By the last race, Morgans knew a win would give him the title that had always eluded him.  This was his moment and he wasn't going to be denied   In another swash-buckling heart-in-the-mouth race, Morgans powered his way past Matt Beharrell, to snatch victory from Horspath team-mate Mark Boaler.

In recent years Mark Boaler has been the championship's most consistent racer, a reputation built on his ability to stay out of trouble, hold his nerve and seize ever opportunity going - characteristics that again held him in good stead as he spectacularly pieced together 17 hard-earned points to take the silver medal.

Before the match, many pundits were predicting that this would be the best, most competitive and open finals in years and so it proved, illustrated by the remarkable fact that Wednesfield's Chris Jewkes won the bronze medal on just 14 points - and didn't even need a run-off!  

Jewkes is always a steady if unspectacular rider, dependable and cool under pressure.  After notching seven points from his opening two races, both from the inside gate, he consolidated well to take a deserved third place.

Meanwhile all the pre-match favourites were going down like nine-pins, literally!  After winning his first race, defending champion Thomas Reed made an almighty blunder in heat six.  Chasing Mike Morgans and comfortably in second place, the Exeter-based rider lost traction, slipped and went crashing spectacularly through the safety barriers, his championship hopes in tatters.

Another favourites, Chris Timms, who had finished second to Reed in our readers' poll, saw his chances disappear in his opening race.  Going too fast into the corner, he lost control, went careering through the boards and was excluded as the cause of the stoppage.

After opening with two useful seconds, indoor legend Steve Harris saw his title hopes dashed in his third outing.  Finding himself relegated to the rear of the field and straining to salvage at least two points, he uncharacteristically fell off.

Ben Scranage had, well what can only be described as a typical Ben Scranage day!  Brilliance punctuated with unforced errors - three wins and two exclusions, the first coming in his opening race when he hit Shaun Rudman's back wheel head-on and went spread-eagled across the floor, earning an exclusion as the cause of the stoppage.

Lee Aris started well enough, taking 10 points from his opening three races but the Wednesfield super-star could only add another three points from his remaining two rides from the difficult number one draw, leaving him a point short of a potential rostrum place.

Ben Higham, Craig Marchant and Mark Carmichael had their moments, each wining a race without ever really threatening the top three while Matt Beharrell, with two exclusions and a fall, had a match he would sooner forget.

Finally a word of praise for referee Bob Prince.  It's never easy refereeing indoor racing, especially at this level where reputations and pride are at stake as well as the national title.  Showing fairness and decisiveness, Prince authoritatively contributed to a wonderfully entertaining match, littered with no fewer than 12 exclusions, divided evenly between stoppage infringements and over-aggressive racing.

British Open Individual 
















Mike Morgans 18, Mark Boaler 17, Chris Jewkes 14, Lee Aris 13, Craig Marchant 13, Tom Reed 12, Ben Scranage 12, Shaun Rudman 12, Chris Timms 11, Steve Harris 11, Ben Higham 10, Mark Carmichael 10, Chris Parish 10, Matt Coulter 9, Dylan Radcliffe 6, Matt Beharrell 3
Referee: Bob Prince

WHITEHEAD THE ULTIMATE PROFESSIONAL - posted 28 November 2011

Lucy Whitehead dominated the women's indoor champion at Eccles in Manchester.  The Leicester legend never put a wheel wrong as she sped to an impressive 20 point maximum to win her first indoor jersey.  Making full use of a favourable number 15 draw which saw her start inside most of her biggest rivals, Whitehead comfortably saw off all challengers to claim the title.

Pre-tournament favourite Livvy Horsley, not the best gater in the field, really struggled from the starts.  While is is great entertainment seeing her pick-off the journeywomen racers one-by-one, Horsley can ill-afford to give the likes of Lucy Whitehead and Co four or fives lengths going into the first bend.  Still all credit to the Horspath racer for giving 100% effort, losing out only to Lucy Whitehead and Tiffany Collins to claim the silver medal with 18 points.

The bronze tie-break between Vicky Brown and Laura Watson was a very competitive affair.  At the first attempt both riders came down in a spectacular crash.  The re-run swas just as exciting when Watson collided with Brown's back wheel, locking the bikes in a vice-like grip.  Referee Mike Hack adjudged that Watson was the cause, gifting the third place medal to Vicky Brown.

Lauren Hookway can consider herself unlucky not to feature in the frame.  In her second race, the Exeter rider was comfortably second behind Michelle Whitehead when she slipped and fell, bringing down the chasing pack.  The resultant exclusion proved costly, leaving Hookway on 14 points.

Norfolk favourite Tiff Collins had a mixed day, winning two races and being excluded in two others.  An exclusion also cost Michelle Whitehead dearly.

The match was marred by an injury to Natalie Timms.  Coming in as a last-minute replacement, filling the vacant space, Timms crashed heavily in her opening race.  An ambulance was summonsed and Natalie was given oxygen before being rushed to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder.  We hope to bring you more news of Natalie's condition soon.

British Women's Individual
















Lucy Whitehead 20, Livvy Horsley 18, Vicki Brown 17, Laura Watson 17, Charlie Herbert 16, Lauren Hookway 14, Rebecca Davies 12, Michelle Whitehead 12, Courtney Aris 10, Charlie Ellitts 10, Tiffany Collins 10, Carly Grimes 9, Jenna Whitehead 8, Caris Glover 8, Chloe Whitehead 6, Natalie Timms 0 (injured)
Referee: Mike Hack

ETHAN TOP-OF-THE-CLASS - posted 28 November 2011

Ethan Greenslade stood head and shoulders above the opposition in the under-13s - literally!  Using all his power and strength, the East Newport youngster raced to an immaculate 20 point victory but he didn't have things easy.

Greenslade's most difficult race came in heat nine when he trailed defending champion Jake Neighbour and Adam Phillips for the best part of two laps before the Astley rider fell, bringing down Greenslade in the process.

With Phillips sidelined, Greenslade again found himself out-trapped by Neighbour in the re-start.  Working hard to get himself into a challenging position, the Welsh lad dived inside Neighbour going into the bend (see pic below).  The Horspath rider, looking very different from the 'Goldilocks' image of twelve month ago, was unable to fend off Greenslade's strong challenge, crashed into the boards and limped home for two points, eventually good enough to secure the silver medal.

Phillips, to his immense credit, never gave up.  Despite his disappointment and obvious frustration, the Astley rider won his remaining races, falling just short of a podium place on 16 points.  That honour went to Will Tidball who took the bronze medal after another typical gutsy performance, notching two wins and three seconds to finish on 17 points and a place in the frame.

After a terrific first bend drop in race six, George Horsley unexpectedly fell while leading, bringing down the following pack.  Horsley's nose and chin took the full impact of the fall, leaving the 2010 runner-up clearly shaken and out of the running (see pic below)

There was an unusual incident in heat eleven when Horspath's Jordan Richardson was excluded after failing to beat the 30 seconds time allowance.  Head in his hands, or rather his bright blue gloves, Richardson had to sit it out while his three opponents took to the track.

British Under-13 Individual
















Ethan Greenslade 20, Jake Neighbour 18, Will Tidball 17, Adam Phillips 16, Lee Kemp 14, Brandon Wretton 14, Adam Watson 13, Jack Chaplin 12, Mark Lee 12, George Horsley 11, James Elston 10, Liam Wood 8, Jordan Richardson 8, Adam Bennett 8, Joe Guy 7, Sean Bennett 5
Referee: Bob Prince

POOLE SNATCH JUNIOR TEAM CLASSIC - posted 29 November 2011

The junior team was a classic - drama, excitement, heart-break and a last hear decider - this match had it all.

It's still hard to believe that Stockport didn't win.  Four points behind Horspath going into the last quarter and inside gates to come, the outlook looked academic - but indoor cycle speedway is anything but predictable.

Newly crowned under-16 champion Jack Lush experienced the lows of indoor racing when he was disqualified at the start of heat 13, gifting the advantage to Poole and Horspath.

Going in to the last race, only three points separated the top three teams (Poole 41, Horspath 40, Stockport 38).  Stockport's Dylan Radcliffe secured the win but with Will Bristowe picking up the vital third place after Zak Payne (Horspath) fell, Poole edged home by a single point on 43, ahead of Stockport 42 and Horspath 40.

Poole, inspired by the brilliant Leyton Glover (three wins and a second from his five outings), deserved their victory.  Even when Thomas Reed fell in the penultimate race, the Dorset side remained unphased, clinching victory in a grandstand finish.

Using Matt Coulter to good effect as tactical reserve, Horspath led going into the last quarter but couldn't capitalise as their riders failed to finished in two of the races.  Stockport's three exclusions, including two to Jack Lush, probably cost them the match.  Ipswich battled for every point but simply didn't have the fire-power to match the big boys.

British Junior Team
















Poole 43
Leyton Glover 15, Tom Reed 12, Aaron Smith 8, Will Bristowe 8
Stockport 42
Ben Higham 15, Dylan Radcliffe 12, Matt Lush 8, Jack Lush 7, Jake Read 0
Horspath 40
Mark Carmichael 14, Matt Coulter 13, Wayne Clarke 7, Lee Clarke 4, Zak Payne 2
Ipswich 25
Jack Chaplin 7, Lewis Robert 6, Ashley Hill 6, Matt Hill 6
Referee: Mark Winwood

HORSPATH SIMPLY INVINCIBLE - posted 27 November 2011

As expected, Horspath had little trouble in defending the indoor team team championship, an event the Oxford side have really made their own in the last decade.  

They demolished the opposition to take the title for the third year running - their sixth success in the past eight years.  In fact so dominate were they, that had it not been for a gate exclusion by Mike Morgans in race two, Horspath could well have beaten Wednesfield's all-time top score of 57 points in 2001.

Gallant Stockport, inspired by Ben Higham, managed to hold Horspath in the first quarter, the teams tieing on 11 points after the first period before Horspath went into overdrive to pull well clear of the field by the halfway stage.

After their good start, the young Stockport side, wilted, a gate exclusion by a decidely off-form Dylan Radcliffe not helping their cause.  Meanwhile Sheffield came into their own notching 14 points out of a possible 16 in the second quarter, an impressive display which set them up for the silver medals.

After making the final as the highest scoring second placed team, Stoke will be disappointed with their performance.  Only Lance Bates managed a solitary race win, ironically in the opening heat but the Potters' remaining races were punctuated with third and fourth places which left them trailing in last.

In the final analysis there was no holding Horspath.  With majestic Boaler back to his best, the Hammers were simply invincible.  Whether or not their run will extend to four back-to-back victories next year remains the be seen, especially as there were strong rumours circulating that kingpin Mark Carmichael would be plying his trade with Newport next season.

British Indoor Team Championship
















Horspath 55
Mar Boaler 16, Steve Harris 14, Mark Carmichael 14, Mike Morgans 11, Matt Coulter dnr
Sheffield 38
Ryan Hoyland 13, Jono Birks 10, Anthony Birks 8, Aiden Owen 7, Richard Hudson dnr
Stockport 33
Ben Higham 11, Dylan Radcliffe 6, Jack Lush 8, Jake Read 8, Matt Lush dnr
Stoke 29
Lewis Bates 9, Errol Thaw 8, Simon Munden 7, Trevor Hulton 5
Referee: Mike Hack

HARRIS CLASS SHINES THROUGH - posted 27 November 2011

Steve Harris again demonstrated why he has been six-times national indoor champion when he sped to a brilliant 20 point maximum to regain the veterans' title he 'voluntarily relinquished' last year.

In an all-star heat 14 which brought together the three unbeaten riders, Jason Ashford on one, Harris on two and defending champion Paul Timms on four, something simply had to give - and it did.

At the first time if asking, Ashford, determined to hold his inside grid, gave Harris a friendly nudge going into the first corner which sent the Horspath rider careering through the crash barrier.  In a flash, champion Timms was through but the scent of victory was short-lived as referee Wayne Aris blew his whistle to stop the race.

After several minutes laying prostrate on the floor, Harris recovered his composure, this time outmanoeuvring Ashford on the first bend.  Again Timms was through like greased lightning.  Showing all his class, Harris quickly pegged the Birmingham man back, to take regain his title with consummate ease.

Southampton's Peter Chant turned in an impressive display, losing out only to the top three, finishing overall fourth on 17 poiints.  Swindon's Jim Collins was always in the thick of the action, winning most of his points from the back.

Cycle speedway's own entertainer Chic Mackie kept the crowd amused by his backward bike riding skills and an uncanny impression of Quasimodo, the only notable difference being that Quasimodo was better looking!!!!

British Veterans Individual
















Steve Harris 20, Paul Timms 19, Jason Ashford 18, Peter Chant 17, Chris Turner 16, Richard Edge 14, Dave Meanley 13, Johnny Murphy 12, Paul Mourant 11, Jim Collier 10, Chic Mackie 10, Tim Grimes 9
Referee: Wayne Aris

REED RETAINS UNDER-19 CROWN - posted 30 November 2011

An explosive gate and a blistering turn of speed saw Thomas Reed sucessfully defend his national under-19 title as he sped away from Mark Carmichael in a tie-break race for the title.

The run-off came into play after both riders tied on 19 points.  Carmichael beat Reed when the pair met in heat two but the Horspath star lost out to Dylan Radcliffe in what was easily the best race of the day.  

Literally going wheel-to-wheel for four laps flat out, Radcliffe on the line and Carmichael like a parrot on his shoulder, the talented Stockport rider managed to hold off Carmichael's challenge to take the overall lead on eight points after two outings.

Then, in race 12, disaster struck.  A powerful gate by Radcliffe left him three or four lengths up against moderate opposition going in to the first bend.  Then, just as he exited the first turn unchallenged, the under-16 champion inexplicably fell and was excluded as the cause of the stoppage.

Third place and the bronze medal deservedly went to Paul Heard.  Winning three of his five races, the Birmingham star only lost out to Reed and Carmichael, finishing well clear of the field on 18 points.

After struggling to make the final (he was one of the last to qualify) East Newport's Ben Mould looked more confident and could well have challenged the top three had he not fell after Reed has passed him in an all-action all-star heat nine.

British Under-19 Individual 
















Thomas Reed 19, Mark Carmichael 19, Paul Heard 15, Dylan Radcliffe 14, Ben Mould 14, Joe Kemp 13, Matt Coulter 11, Scott Millward 11, Jake Read 11, Ricki Johnson 11, Leyton Glover 11, Jake Slight 11, Aaron Smith 10, Aiden Owen 8, Ashley Hill 7, Wayne Clark 3
Referee: Mark Winwood

STOCKPORT DUO REIGN SUPREME - posted 30 November 2011
                  
Jack Lush and Jake Read provided Stockport with their finest hour since the club was reformed from the ashes of Tameside in 2006 when the new-style 'Terrbile Twins' scooped first and second places in the national under-16 championships.

In a match littered with spills, thrills and flying perimeter boards, the Stockport duo held their nerves and raced sensibily, taking their chances cleanly and crisply, and keeping out of trouble.

The big race came in heat 16 - and what a scrap it turned out to be.  After four re-starts, Lush raced clear ahead of Adam Phillips and Jake Read.  By the time Read has worked his way past Phillips, Lush had bagged another four points.

Earlier, Lush had cemented his position in heat eight with as sweet as pass as you ever could wish to see.  This time Ricky Johnson, who would go on to finished third overall, was the victim.

Ashley Hill and Aaron Smith, who finished in the top five in the corresponding outdoor event, both had their moments, winning three races between them without really challenging for a top-three position.

British Under-16 Individual
















Jack Lush 20, Jake Read 19, Ricki Johnson 17, Matt Lush 16, Zak Payne 15, Ashley Hill 15, Aiden Owen 13, Lee Clarke 12, Aaron Smith 11, Will Bristowe 11, Ethan Greensalde 10, Adam Phillips 10, Richard Hudson 10, Ben Swanborough 6, George Horsley 6, Scott Grimes 5
Referee: Wayne Aris

REED AND HORSLEY FAVOURITES FOR INDOOR TITLES - posted 26 November 2011

As the tapes go up on today's national indoor championships, Spokesman readers are predicting that Thomas Reed and Livvy Horsley will emerge as the individual champions.

In the men's section Reed topped the poll with 23% of votes, ahead of Chris Timms who wasn't far behind on 19%.  Livvy Horsley is the overwhleming favourite for the women's crown, polling a remarkable 29% of votes, well clear of her nearest rival Lucy Whitehead.

The top six competitors in each class were
Men - Thomas Reed 23%, Chris Timms 19%, Mark Boaler 12%, Lee Aris 8%, Steve Harris 7%, Mark Carmichael 6%
Women - Livvy Horsley 29%, Lucy Whitehead 15%, Vikki Brown 11%, Tiffany Collins 7%, Charlie Herbert 7%, Laura Watson 7%
In total 249 votes were cast.

BURY SET TO CHALLENGE TOP TWO - posted 24 November 2011

After finishing third behind Horspath and Wednesfield last year, Bury are confident they can improve on their 2010 performance and even press for the title.

Club officials feel their team is stronger this time round with the inclusion of former indoor champion Chris Finnigan and Stephen Ward, augmenting ex British number one Ben Scranage and Chris Parish.  Tom Doyle and Neil Howarth are likely to be vying for the reserve berth.