The GDW youth training academy at Henstridge Airfield has been attracting a good turn out every week of both junior and senior riders. At last week’s penultimate session organiser Mark Geddes put on a series of crit-style races for the regulars to have a go at.
The under 12s put on a good show in their 10 minutes plus a lap event. Toby Easby led throughout, with Elliot Simpson glued to his rear wheel until the final lap when Toby managed to shake him off and win. Behind Elliot, Nathanial Brooks was third and Lawrence Kinnison fourth.
The under 16s’ race was even closer. James Hywel-Davies set the pace with James Howell showing some good race craft sitting on his wheel and refusing to come through. As the bell rang for the final lap, James Howell made his move and quickly opened up what looked like a decisive gap. However, Hywel-Davies wasn’t done and managed to reel back the leader as they hit the long runway straight for the final time. After a bit of cat-and mouse, James Howell took the sprint by a bike length. Behind them, Connor and James Geddes and Kieran Ball scrapped over third, with James getting away for a while until crashing out just as Kieran had caught him again. Kieran took third ahead of Connor who was the first of the under 14 riders home.
Charles Rees was given an extra three quarters of a lap to do in the seniors’ race but he made light work of that and had caught the main group by just over half distance. An initial break from the start by Liam Teesdale and James Chant was shut down, as was a mid-race escape attempt by Chris Gray. In the end, Charles was the winner, out sprinting Mike Smith.
A big thank you to Mark Geddes for getting the training nights established and for his training, and to Charles for keeping the seniors pointing the right way each week. On the race night, there was help from Pete Humphreys who was on start and finish line duties while Roger Limerick proved his cooking prowess on the barbecue.
The pictures below are – some of the under 12s as they start, Toby Easby and Elliot Simpson heading the under 12s’ race and Jameses Hywel-Davies, Howell and Geddes leading the under 16s’ event.
There are more photos from Emily Courtney on the GDW Facebook page
