MATCH REPORT: McWhitehead pairing win first couples championship
The first couple’s championship staged at Leicester last Saturday proved to be a highly successful and enjoyable event, with all relationships still intact by the end!
The late addition of the Leicester pairing of Lizzie Rigley and Luke Whitehead to the field led to a certain amount of head scratching in the Leicester clubhouse as the original format had to be re-designed on the spot. Double points were on offer to any of the girls who beat the male partner of the other pair, which caught a few pairs out early on as the male trapped his opposite number at the back and realised too late he too was giving away double points, which led to some desperate last lap dashes.
To try to get an even an event as possible the men were also subject to the Mee-Jarvis make-it-up on the spot handicap system – special mention must be made of Bobby McMillan who fully entered into the spirit of the occasion by going off bigger and bigger handicaps, eventually starting somewhere on bend 3 in one heat.
Ashley Hill & Charlie Jane Herbert, Michelle Whitehead & Bobby McMillan and Dan Chambers & Laura Watson on the podium. Pictures by Mark Phillips.
Despite that it was the pairing of Bobby and Michelle Whitehead who were winners on 63 points, with Charlie-Jane Herbert and Ashley Hill second on 56 points and Laura Watson and Dan Chambers third with 52 points. Behind them came Rebecca Davies and Adam Watson on 50 points, Chloe and Nicky Whitehead on 42 points, Lizzie Rigley and Luke Whitehead on 36 points, Lily Gedge and Matt Hill on 31 points and Sophie Middleton and James Bunting on 27 points. Despite the points score James put in some highly impressive rides against older and experienced riders.
Credit goes to the girls who took part in this 7 ride event, with many of them also having ridden 4 times in the Women’s Club event which preceded this Thanks also go to Ian Brown for providing the trophies.
The event had been put together due to requests from many of the riders and the Leicester club promise that they will look to stage this again in the future, hopefully with more than a week to plan it next time. This will enable all those couples too shy to take part this time another chance, so you better get working on CJ, Nat!