Race Results

30/04/2012 - DEREK SMITH MEMORIAL RACE REPORTS

Location :

HALIFAX

Results :

In common with most events taking place in April this year, conditions were not exactly conducive to racing, with heavy showers and cold temperatures greeting the riders as they made their way to the start. There were one or two pleas to shorten the race distance from 45 miles but this is Yorkshire and the words fell on deaf ears.

All the action seemed to be taking place in races 1 and 2 with the depleted field in race 3 huddled together for mutual protection for much of the 10 laps.

In race 1 the gaps were starting to show in the bunch on the second ascent of the finishing hill, it reformed but with the loss of several stragglers. This pattern set in for the next few laps before Steven Ellis (Out of the Saddle) broke clear and quickly built up a sizeable lead to eventually finish 2 ½ minutes up. The chasing bunch split in the closing miles under the impetus of Darren Otter of the Rutland CC, who was beaten to the line by Mark Hammersley, Team Guru, and trailed by Steven Stoneman. 20 seconds later Rob Blackburn led the remnants of the bunch in.

Race 2 saw an early break going clear on the first lap, with Mick Day (Paul Milnes Cycles) , Mark Hammersley (Fietsen Tempo) and local rider Melvin Hartley of the Condor RC all keen to get the blood pumping. They worked well together to build up a lead that would deter their chasers. Melvin is more accustomed to 100 mile plus sportives these days and succumed to the relentless speed on lap 5. His companions pressed on, eventually finishing 3 minutes up on the rest of the field with Day comfortably outsprinting Mark Hammersley. Meanwhile Hartley wasn’t fairing too well, having spent half the race on his own, and was literally caught on the line by the bunch led in by Dennis Lang (Clayton Velo) and Fred Easton (Doncaster Whs).

Race 3 was undoubtedly more active than it seemed from the sidelines but nevertheless resulted in a large bunch gallop. Kenneth Corbett of the Wakefield CC taking the honours from Richard Booth (Middridge CRT) and Dave Hargreaves (North Lancs). Lantern Rouge went to Derrick Woodings of Team MI who spent at least half the race on his own but doggedly continued to the finish. He was no doubt spurred on by the memory of his ex-teammate Derek Smith and by the lure of first prize in group G!

The Derek Smith memorial trophy was presented to race 3 winner Ken Corbett this year. This is the third time that the trophy has been awarded having been kindly donated by Derek’s team mates in MI Racing.

2012 Race Results

27/11/2012 -