PREVIEW: British Individual Championships Day 2
Day 2 of the British Championships will see 3 more titles decided, 2 at East Park and 1 at Coventry. An Open Semi-Final will take place at both tracks also.
The British Over 50’s Individual Championship will be decided on Hearsall Common starting at midday and the top 7 from last year’s event have entered this year, They are the 2017 and defending champion Norman Venson (Leicester), World Over 50’s Champion Paddy Wenn (Norwich), 2018 & 2019 champion Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley), Lee Galley (Newport), Lee Ashman (Wednesfield) and Alan Nation (Poole). Stuart Marsh (Newport), who finished 10th in last year’s event, is also entered this year along with Paul Graham (Astley & Tyldesley), Jason Keith (Edinburgh), Chris Turner (Sheffield) and Darren Busby (unattached)
Open Semi-Final 3 follows at 2pm which features Leon Penketh (Southampton), Nathan Groves (Birmingham), Zac Payne (Horspath), Mark Carmichael (Newport), Jake Steel (Birmingham), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Adam Watson (Coventry), Chris Jewkes (Wednesfield), Lewis Brinkhoff (Ipswich), Owen Wells (Ipswich), Will Jeffery (Horspath), Connor Tucker (Poole), Aaron Smith (Poole), Paul Heard (Birmingham), Ed Morton (Sheffield) and Tom Savage (Coventry)
Coventry’s action is scheduled to conclude at 4pm with a pre-qualifier for the British Under 16 Boys Individual Championship. 18 riders have entered but if 16 riders or less sign on by 3.40pm then the pre-qualifier will not take place. 9 of the 16 riders who rode in last year’s final at Horspath are entered this year. they are the defending champion Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave), Kai Gowers (Ipswich), Torsten Jolly (Kesgrave), JJ Wildman (Exeter), Charlie Parr (Kesgrave), Kenzie Bennett (Poole), Mason Martin (Hethersett), Leon Penketh (Southampton) and Edward Selwood (Exeter). Also entered are Connor Steel (Birmingham), Oliver Saunders (Poole), Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave), Corey Burt (Wednesfield), Tom Pearson (Leicester), Luca Woodhouse (Kesgrave), Charlie Buet-Gannon (Birmingham), Harvey Yard (Exeter) and Sam Stansfield (Sheffield)
East Park’s action gets underway at 11am with the British Under 12 Boys Individual Championship. Of the 15 riders entered 12 of them feature in the top 20 placings in the British Youth & Junior League National Under 12’s. kesgrave have 4 riders entered with Oliver Edmunds, Connor Jarrett, Isaac Powling and Charlie Spurgeon all entered. Luie Lewis, Tyler Davies and Jayden Jenkins will carry the colours of Newport. Teddy Curtis and Jamie Randall will represent Poole whilst Leicester also have 2 riders entered in Riley Sinclair & Harry-Jack Whitehead. Completing the line-up are Oliver Banyard (Sheffield), Frank White (Astley & Tyldesley), Jayden Hancock (Bury) and Will Blackmore (Norwich), the latter looking to complete the event this year after a heavy crash in his first race last year at Southampton necessitated a trip to hospital.
Just 5 riders will contest the British Under 16 Girld Individual Championship at 1pm. Poole’s Natalie Goulden returns to defend the title she won last year at East Newport. Shannon Tucker (Exeter), who finished 4th last year, is also entered this year as are Lily Parr (Kesgrave), Daisy Sherwood (Poole) and Lexie Curtis (Poole)
East Park’s action concludes with Open Semi-Final 4 at 2pm which will see Mark Boaler (Horspath), Niall Morton (Sheffield), Reece Pollitt (Astley & Tyldesley), James Porter (Ipswich), Myke Grimes (Coventry), Ricki Johnson (Birmingham), Michael Baldock (Bury), Lewis Foxley (Hull), Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Matt Hill (Ipswich), Ben Mould (Horspath), Leon Mower (Great Blakenham), Gavin Wheeler (Horspath), Chris Timms (Birmingham) and Will Bristowe (Poole)
17 riders originally entered the British Women’s Championship which would have necessitated a pre-qualifier but that will not take place due to 2010 champion Rachel Lammin (Horspath) withdrawing due to injury. Therefore Lexie Curtis (Poole), Shannon Tucker (Exeter), Honey Whitehead (Leicester), Georgia Burt (Wednesfield), Elizabeth Rigley (Sheffield), Chloe Pearce (Ipswich), Maddie Saunders (Poole), Lauren Hookway (Exeter), Niamh Morton (Sheffield), Rebekah Humphries (Birmingham), Lily Parr (Kesgrave), Daisy Sherwood (Poole), Lucy Whitehead (Leicester), Emily Burgess (Astley & Tyldesley), Laura Watson (Sheffield) and Megan Burt (Wednesfield) will contest the final on Monday, the draw for which will take place on Sunday evening