MATCH REPORT: Hookway and Saunders claim Women’s League titles
Last Sunday was the final round of the Supertrax Women’s League,where the formula offered up something a bit different from the usual team event. The formula consisted of a pairs match, made up of two categories, elite and intermediate, with all the names picked out of a hat.
It turned out to deliver some fantastic racing. There was a run off for first and second in the elite class between Macie Schmidt and Elizabeth Rigley. Macie pulled an advantage after the second lap to go on and take the win. In the intermediate pairs, Georgia Burt and Alice Neighbour took the win, with a run off for second between Gemma Hill and Maddie Saunders. Gemma drew grid two and managed to take the win, with Maddie not giving Gemma a second to relax for the four laps.
In the end, the pairs turned out to be a great success, with all the girl saying how enjoyable the day was to bring an end to the new format of the women’s league.
The individuals turned out to be just as competitive as the pairs, with Lauren Hookway going across the school board in the heats to get in the A final with maximum 16 points. The A final consisted of Elizabeth Rigley on grid one, Laura Watson on grid two, Lauren Hookway grid 3 and Macie Schmidt on grid 4.
The tapes went up with Elizabeth getting cracking gate and managing to keep the lead, which gave her the advantage as Macie and Lauren battled out for the four laps behind.
Elizabeth raced away as all the attention turned to second and third with Macie and Lauren changing places at least 16 times in the the race, which turned out to be the final of the year. Rigley took the A final win, Schmidt was second ahead of Hookway and Watson.
The overall winer of the elite class was Lauren Hookway on 88 points, Macie Schmidt came in second on 79 and Elizabeth Rigley third on 79.
The intermediate class again saw some fantastic racing, with Maddie Saunders, Gemma Hill Emily Burgess and Alice Neighbour all very tight and close across the board making into the A final.
The final lined up with Neighbour on the inside, with Burgess, Saunders and Hill filling the other grids respectively.
Again, it was a brilliant a final, with everyone pushing hard for the win, but it was Emily Burgess who crossed the line first, followed by Alice Neighbour, Gemma Hill and Maddie Saunders.
The overall winner for the intermediate competition overall was Maddie Saunders on 81 points, Gemma Hill was runner up on 73 points and Emily Burgess third on 68 points.
Afterwards, Women’s League manager, Pete Clarke commented: “I must say it was a fantastic end to a fantastic competition this year. I would like to thank Emily Morton and Kev Saunders for all their help this year, and all the girls that made the effort and turned up to race to make it possible. I’m looking forward to next year already.”