CLUB NEWS: A busy weekend to start 2023 for the Hawks

Words by Mel Perkins MBE

HETHERSETT HAWKS / YELLOW BRICK MORTGAGES had a busy weekend to start the 2023 season. On an overcast, cold and damp Saturday the track stood up well and provided some great entertainment when 62 riders, 28 from Hethersett, contested nine categories in the South-East Grand Prix Round 1 which, in some categories, doubled up as a Regional Round of the British Youth & Junior League.

Riders came from six Clubs, including some from Sussex, so competition was tough throughout. Highlight for the Hawks came in the Under-10s where Oscar Copeland won all his heats and then won the “A” Final from the unfavourable gate 4. Others to impress were Matthew Sidell and Luca El-Labany, the latter having moved up to Under-12s this season. Most entertaining moment came in the Senior final when Mason Martin looked set to win until a lost seat on a straight gave him a nasty surprise on the next bend!!!

Full results –

Grand Prix Finals – (Hethersett unless stated)

U8
A – 1 Archie Rawling (Kesgarve), 2 Freddie Mower (Kesrave), 3 Nyla El-Labany, 4 Freddie Fairs (Gt.Blakenham)
B – 1 Isaac Emms, 2 Josh Morris, 3 Henry Everson

U10
A – 1 Oscar Copeland, 2 Sam Ridley (Hellingly), 3 Oscar Pemberton (Kesgrave), 4 Oliver Spurgeon (Kesgrave)
B – 1 Jasper Johnson (Gt.Blakenham), 2 Lincoln Powling (Kesgrave), 3 Arlo Davies, 4 George Snook
C – 1 Leo Piggott (Gt.Blakenham), 2 Neve Snook, 3 Alfie Gunn, 4 Evie Fenn (Kesgrave)
D – 1 Lauren Fenn (Kesgrave), 2 Michael Whitfield, 3 Owen Stephens (ns)

U12
A – 1 Demi-Blu Harris (Kesgrave), 2 Connor Jarrett (Kesgrave), 3 Maisy Baker (Ipswich), 4 Luca El-Labany
B – 1 Isaac Powling (Kesgrave), 2 Zackery Eastwood (Norwich), 3 Frank Spauls, 4 Lola Martin
C – 1 Austin Brailey, 2 Caiden Rawllings (Kesgrave), 3 Jamal Musa, 4 George Morris (ns)

U14
A – 1 Harvey Shumake (Kesgrave), 2 Will Blackmore (Norwich), 3 Matthew Sidell, 4 Dylan Geer (Hellingly)
B – 1 Mitchell Baker (Ipswich), 2 Charlie Spurgeon (Kesgrave), 3 Will Clarke, 4 Hugo Kemp
C – 1 Oscar Myall (Ipswich)

U16
A – 1 Finley Myall (Ipswich), 2 Paul Edwards (Hellingly), 3 Ethan Keogh-Brown (Kesgrave)

U18 (none)

Girls
A – 1 Amberley Gant (Kesgrave), 2 Aiesha Musa, 3 Amelia Dodson

Seniors
A – 1 Shaun Kell (Ipswich), 2 Fraser Harris (Ipswich), 3 Owen Wells (Ipswich), 4 Mason Martin
B – 1 Ton Blackmore (Norwich), 2 Ross Carman, 3 Jack Western (Norwich)

Veterans
A – 1 Paddy Wenn (Norwich), 2 Glyn Morgan, 3 Rory Freeman, 4 Jamie Neill
B – 1 Gavin Whitehouse (Gt.Blakenham), 2 Steve Copping (Norwich)

British Youth & Junior League Team Scores (U12 – U18 and Girls only)
Kesgrave 98, Hethersett 94, Ipswich 47, Norwich 28, Hellingly 26

62 riders

Referes – Sarah Brailey, Dave Blackmore, Shaun Dyball

The weather was much brighter on Sunday as the Hawks travelled to Great Blakenham for League matches. For the Division 2 match the Hawks had only one senior rider available plus two veterans, one of whom James Neill was having his first team outing for 36 years, and six Under-16s. So it was quite daunting to arrive to find Great Blakenham fielding some top veterans of their own including one major surprise – former Hethersett double British Champion Phil Howells.

Paul Delaiche and Mason Martin led the side well winning four races between them but the biggest cheer came when young Lola Martin passed a tiring Howells n heat 4.

GT BLAKENHAM B 95 HETHERSETT 65
(Mason Martin 18+1, Paul Delaiche 17, James Neill 9+1, Rory Freeman 7, Amelia Dodson 4, Lola Martin 4, Aiesha Musa 2, Matthew Sidell 2, Hugo Kemp 2)

It was role reversal in the Youth League match as the young Hawks showed their experience of the last two seasons was beginning to pay off as they convincing defeated the home side., Aiesha Musa, Lola Martin, Luca El-Labany, Matthew Sidell and Frank Spauls were all unbeaten for the Hawks with Luca’s team riding with novice Hugo Kemp one of the highlights.

GT BLAKENHAM U16 53 HETHERSETT U16 107
(Luca El-Labany 18+2, Lola Martin 16+4, Hugo Kemp 16, Matthew Sidell 14+2, Will Clarke 13+1, Aiesha Musa 12, Frank Spauls 10+2, Amelia Dodson 8+1)

After a break for the Easter weekend it is full on again the weekend after with the second South-East Grand Prix at Great Blakenham on the Saturday and home matches against Kesgrave on the Sunday.