CLUB NEWS: A busy weekend for the Stars
Norwich Stars had a busy weekend with the staging of the 2nd National Round of the British Youth & Junior League on Saturday 20th July and several riders competing in the East Anglian Individual Championships at Spixworth the following day.
In the BYJL there was Norwich representation in all but one of the age groups. Connor Jarrett rode in the Under 8’s scoring 14 points in the qualifying heats before finishing 2nd in the A Final. Will Blackmore rode in the Under 10’s scoring 8 points in the heats before finishing 2nd in the C Final. Shaun Kell rode in the Under 12’s scoring 8 points in the heats before finishing 3rd in the C Final. Tom Blackmore rode in the Under 18’s scoring 5 points in the heats before finishing 4th in the B Final. Josie Kell and Tabby Nierop both rode in the Girls event scoring 8 points each in the heats. Both reached the D Final where Josie finished 2nd and Tabby finished 4th.
The following day at Spixworth there was success at both ends of the age spectrum as Connor won the Under 8’s category with 16 points and Paddy Wenn regained the Over 40’s title with 19 points. Dave Blackmore also rode in the Over 40’s, finishing 6th with 11 points. In the other categories Connor also rode in the Under 10’s and Under 13’s events where he finished 7th with 10 points in the under 10’s and 9th in the Under 13’s with 9 points. Will Blackmore also rode in the Under 10 & Under 13 events scoring 11 points in the Under 10’s where he finished 6th and then scoring 10 points in the Under 13’s where he finished 8th, just behind Shaun Kell who finished 7th in the Under 13’s with 11 points. Shaun’s sister Josie rode in the Under 13 Girls event where she scored 12 points and finished 3rd after losing a run-off to Kesgrave’s Daisy Jackaman. Josie also rode in the combined Under 16 Girls/Ladies Open event where she finished 4th with 6 points. Tom Blackmore rode in the Under 16’s & Under 19’s events scoring 8 points in the Under 16’s finishing 9th and 4 points in the Under 19’s where he finished 7th
Norwich raced a South-East & Eastern League Division 1 match at Hethersett on Wednesday evening (24th) but went down to a 116-62 defeat with Jamie Medler & Chris Cullum joint top scoring with 13 points each.
The World Championships start in Poland on Friday and there will be Norwich representation as Gary & Scott Colby will be involved, as will Paddy Wenn. All 3 riders will put on a Great Britain shirt at some stage during the tour with Scott having been selected for the Junior team for their test match against Poland on Friday at Swietochlowice whilst Paddy & Gary will be in the Veterans team for a test match against Poland on Saturday. On Sunday the inaugural World Veterans Pairs championship will be staged at Swietochlowice and Paddy & Gary will represent Ireland in this event
On Tuesday 30th Paddy will join Hethersett riders Craig Norton, Leigh Cossey & Harley Hamill as the 4 riders who will represent Ireland for the World Cup elimination round which is being staged at Poczesna.
The final 4 days of the Championships will be at Leszno and Thursday 8th August will see Paddy race in the 2nd of the Veterans Semi-Finals where a top 8 place will get him into what will be his 2nd World Final of the day on Sunday 11th August as he also lines up as one of 9 riders in the inaugural Grand Veterans World Championship. Before that he is in the Great Britain squad for the inaugural Veterans Federation Cup which is being staged the previous day