Herne Hill Velodrome

21-04-10 Track League 1

There was a great turnout for the first week (and for being two weeks earlier than originally advertised). 52 riders signed on, for a programme which featured devils, hare and hounds scratch races and the return of the much missed handicap sprint. The final unknown distance scratch race shook the riders up, with many people taking a punt on lone attacks, hoping that the last lap bell would ring while they still had a gap on the bunch. In the end it was Philip Watkins who scooped the £15 cash prize, but with prizes for 2nd, 3rd and two primes, he wasn’t the only one leaving with a bonus.

The battle for overall lead was off to a heated start with last year’s second place Bryan Taylor just getting the better of last year’s winner Symon Lewis. The new format of having one overall league table for A and B category riders seems to be working well. Riders who usually only ride with the B cats scored well in the hare and hounds and handicap sprint, and so now are sitting highly in the overall league table. This also allowed talented B riders to see how they fared against the A’s. Last years B category winner James Solly, proved he could mix it with the best Herne Hill has to offer, with some impressive placings to give him 3rd overall. Kieran Laurie and Euan Cattermole were giving the seniors a run for their money with the under 16 riders singing on as Seniors for the season. Both riders picked up top 6 placings throughout the course of the night placing them well in the overall rankings.

The youth events were split between Under 12 and Over 12. VCL’s Tristan Lambert started his first racing season season strongly racking up the most points ahead of team mate Noah Philips and Sutton CC’s Andrew Bradshaw. The Under 12 racing was close and exciting all night with Freddie Wright  and Freddie Argent battling all night and finishing with only one point separating them.

More riders will be attending over the next few weeks, as stranded VAV’s return from their ash-cloud enforced holiday destinations, and those who didn’t notice the two-week-earlier start date, notice!

With 18 rounds of the Track League there is plenty of time for the league tables (senior/youth) to change completely, and plenty of on the spot primes to be won each night.