CLUB NEWS: A busy weekend for the Hawks
HETHERSETT HAWKS / YELLOW BRICK MORTGAGES had a busy weekend starting with the staging of the National Round 2 of the British Youth & Junior League and the Little League for Under-8s and Under-10s. A total of 72 riders took part and there were top youngsters present from across the country.
Best home performances came from brother and sister Luca and Nyla El-Labany with Nyla finishing third in the Under-8s and Luca fourth in the Under-12s. Other notable performances came from Austin Brailey – his best match to date – and ever-improving first-year rider Thomas Barnard. Jax Lockhart also made his competitive debut.
Hethersett results –
U8s – Nyla El-Labany 3rd, Isaac Emms 9th, Henry Everson 11th, Jax Lockhart 12th, Josh Morris 13th
U10s – Oscar Copeland 5th, Thomas Barnard 6th, Arlo Davies 12th, Alfie Gunn 15th, Dakoya Ridge 16th.
U12s – Luca El-Labany 4th, Austin Brailey 8th, Frank Spauls 9th, Lola Martin 12thJamal Musa 16th, George Morris 18th
U16s – Mason Martin 6th
Girls – Aiesha Musa 5th, Amelia Dodson 6th.
The next round is at Leicester on August12th.
The following day the Hawks travelled to Kesgrave for three League matches. Events started with the Youth team facing the youngest Kesgrave team – the Pumas and after a close match the young Hawks won by one point. Kesgrave were six points up after two heats and still held a five-point advantage until teamwork from Oscar Copeland and Frank Spauls secured a 7-3 win in heat 11 In the penultimate heat Lola Martin steered Austin Brailey home for another 7-3 win to take the lead and Martin was out again in the final heat to secure the second place and overall victory. Amelia Dodson excelled with three good wins.
KESGRAVE PUMAS U16 79 HETHERSETT U16 80
(Amelia Dodson 17 Lola Martin 16+2 Frank Spauls 15+1 Austin Brailey 12+2 Hugo Kamp 9+2 Arlo Davies 6 Oscar Copeland 5+2)
Next on track was the Division 2 match and all seven youth team riders had to play some part with only four older riders being available, including trainee coach Nick Davies making his team debut. High-flying Kesgrave were always in command although Dave Martin scored one heat win and there was a surprise one later for Oscar Copeland after hard work for no result by Mason Martin.
KESGRAVE B 100 HETHERSETT 60
(Mason Martin 12 Lola Martin 10 Paul Delaiche 9 Dave Martin 8 Oscar Copeland 7 Nick Davies 6 Austin Brailey 5 Frank Spauls 1 Arlo Davies 1 Amelia Dodson 1)
By this time the youth riders were getting tired and lining up against runaway League leaders the Panthers they knew they had a hard time ahead. They battled to the end and when Frank Spauls and Arlo Davies got a 5-5 in heat 6 a whitewash was avoided. Even substitute Mason Martin could not break the stranglehold in his two rides.
KESGRAVE PANTHERS U16 110 HETHERSETT U16 50
(Frank Spauls 12 Lola Martin 9 Austin Brailey 8 Amelia Dodson 7 Arlo Davies 4+1 Mason Martin 4 Oscar Copeland 3 Hugo Kemp 3)
No local racing this weekend but some Hawks should have been at East London on Saturday August 5th for the sixth round of the South East Grand Prix, however that was rained off while Katie Adams was in action at Fife in the Scottish Open. Glyn Morgan did not make the trip to Glasgow for the Eurovets round on Sunday 6th, preferring to use this round as the one he can miss in the final reckonings.