PREVIEW: South and South Wales BYJL round 4 from Poole

Harbourside Park is the venue for Round 4 of the BYJL tomorrow with entry numbers likely to exceed previous rounds as riders seek to build on their points totals ahead of the eagerly awaited National rounds.

Host club Poole will be taking the opportunity to “blood” a number of its new intake of Clubnight recruits, especially in the U8’s and U.10’s categories.

In the U8 age group, Poole’s Oli Saunders currently sits unbeaten after his 3 A finals and leads the group with 75 points ahead of J.J.Wildman from Exeter who has finished runner up to Oli on all three occasions. Logan Smith from Underwood leads the chasing pack.

There is a neck and neck scrap in the U.10’s with just a point separating group leaders Joe Hurren (65) and Rosie Tidball (64). Joe will have the advantage of his home track against the Exeter rider but will be well aware that Rosie has headed him in two of the three A finals to date.

Josh Evans and Mackenzie Briiggs head the rest of the group.

Last year’s British U.10 champion Nathan Goulden has made an immediate impact this year in the U.12’s with two A final wins and leads Underwood’s Dan Wright by a single point 66 to 65. Nathan will have home track advantage this time around but this one is too close to call.

In the U.14’s, Owen Tidball (Exeter) has been in a class of his own in the first three rounds and sits with a 75 point maximum while Sean Bennett from Newport (54) and Poole’s Callum Smith (52) are the best of the rest.

Callum Albin sits just two points ahead of Adam Bennett in the U.16’s – 65 plays 63 – with key potential players Jay Briggs, Wil Tidball and Rob Croal all missing rounds in the build-up. The inclusion of any of this trio tomorrow could upset the applecart.

Lauren Hookway is clear leader in the Girls event with three straight A final wins with Krissie Mines(60) taking runners-up place and Poole Clubmate Macie Schmidt and Chloe Horton from Exeter on 52 and 50 respectively.

Exeter lead the club table by a point but Poole will be hoping to draw level if the expected additional turnout materialises.

Added interest to the proceedings will be added by recent developments within British Cycling as they seek to implement the Sport England policy to eliminate National championships for under 13’s – a development

which is likely to meet total opposition in the CS community as it has done in other branches of cycle sport catering for younger competitors.