MATCH REPORT: Bumper turnout gets Women’s League off to excellent start

Sunday welcomed the first of the Supertrax Women’s League matches on a well-prepared, very friendly East Park track, with the three teams, North & Scotland/South East & East, Midlands and South West & Wales, coming together for the first time this season.

Women and girls racing is firmly back on the rise, with a bumper turn out of riders, which included a full field for the intermediate class individual. Hopefully this will continue for the remaining three rounds.

The fantastic racing from last season continued, with the racing being extremely close and competitive all the way through, but just edging the win by a single point was the North & Scotland/South East & East on 91 points. South West & Wales brought home second place on 90 points, with the Midlands just behind on 88 points.

Emily Burgess leads Miah Laing in the team event. Photo by 57media.

The team riding was of a high quality all day, with neither team giving an inch. The South West & Wales managed edge away, but a rather costly tape exclusion for Lauren Hookway in heat 24 took them off the top spot for the day.

North & Scotland/South East & East 91
Emily Burgess 20, Chloe Pearce 17, Niamh Morton 16, Gemma Hill 16, Laura Watson 11, Charlie-Jane Herbert 11

South & South West 90
Macie Schmidt 23, Krissy Mines 20, Lauren Hookway 14, Miah Laing 14, Maddie Saunders 9, Anna Tuttle 7, Alice Neighbour 3

Midlands 88
Lucy Whitehead 23, Michelle Whitehead 20, Lizzie Rigley 18, Chloe Whitehead 10, Becca Humphries 6, Natalie Timms 6, Georgia Burt 4, Megan Burt 1

The individual event saw a solid lineup for the experts class, with the racing at a level that you would expect to be. The battle to get to the final spot of the finals always on their minds, but taking the win in the A Final on the day was Macie Schmidt, followed closely by teammate Lauren Hookway. Lucy Whitehead and Laura Watson took the final podium places, finishing third and fourth.

Qualifying Scores: Macie Schmidt 16, Lauren Hookway 14,Lucy Whitehead 12, Michelle Whitehead 12, Laura Watson 12, Niamh Morton 10, Krissy Mines 10, Emily Burgess 10, Lizzie Rigley 8, Charlie-Jane Herbert 8

Macie Schmidt takes the A-final win. Photo by 57media.

A Final: 1st Macie Schmidt, 2nd Lauren Hookway, 3rd Lucy Whitehead, 4th Laura Watson

B Final: 1st Emily Burgess, 2nd Krissy Mines, 3rd Niamh Morton, 4th Michelle Whitehead

C Final: 1st Charlie-Jane Herbert, 2nd Lizzie Rigley

It was smiles all round at the opening Women’s League of 2018! Photo by 57media.

The Intermediates saw an increased number of riders, which was good to see, and the racing from the younger riders did not disappoint either. There was a spectacular crash between Miah Laing and Georgia Burt, but thankfully both riders managed to get back up to their feet and are okay, ultimately both girls ended up withdrawing from the meeting though.

The A Final saw a fierce battle between Chloe Whitehead and Maddie Saunders, with Maddie taking the win to take the top spot on the day, going through unbeaten. Gemma Hill and Becca Humphries took the final podium places.

Qualifying Scores: Maddie Saunders 16, Becca Humphries 14, Gemma Hill 14, Chloe Whitehead 13, Georgia Burt 13, Natalie Timms 11, Anna Tuttle 11, Honey Whitehead 10, Lisa Matthews 10, Megan Burt 8, Louise Price 8, Amy Baynes 7, Charmaine Wells 7, Miah Lang 7, Alicia Grabowska 5, Bethany Price 4

Maddie Saunders won the intermediate class. Photo by 57media.

A Final: 1st Maddie Saunders, 2nd Chloe Whitehead, 3rd Gemma hill, 4th Becca Humphries

B Final: 1st Anna Tuttle, 2nd Natalie Timms, 3rd Lisa Matthews, 4th Georgia Burt(NS)

C Final: 1st Honey Whitehead, 2nd Louise Price, 3rd Megan Burt, 4th Amy Baynes

D Final: 1st Charmaine Wells, 2nd Alicia Grabowska, 3rd Bethany Price, 4th Miah Lang(NS)

The next round of the Women’s League is at Poole on July 22nd, with further rounds at Norwich on August 19th and Sheffield on September 16th.

Photos by 57media.