PREVIEW: British Individual Championships Day 3

August 29, 2022 Steve Copping

Birmingham is the venue for the final day of the British Individual Championships where the remaining 4 titles will be decided in the Over 40’s, Under 16 Boys, Women and Open categories.

The Over 40’s will open the proceedings at 10am and will feature a full field of 16 for the first time since 2015. The top 6 from last year’s event at Newport are all entered this year, namely the defending champion Mark Winwood (Birmingham), Nicky Whitehead (Leicester), 2019 champion Kevin Burns (Leicester), 6 times champion Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley), the 2018 champion Mark Whitehead (Leicester) and Andy Yard (Exeter). Also entered are Craig Marchant (Leicester), Steven Hammond (Kesgrave), Alan Nation (Poole), Toby Millen (Great Blakenham), Lee Galley (Newport), Craig Guy (Fred Williams Cycles), Gavin Wheeler (Horspath), Lee Ashman (Wednesfield), Paddy Wenn (Norwich) and Lee Grange (Norwich).

Full Draw:

1 Andy Yard (Exeter)
2 Craig Marchant (Leicester)
3 Steve Hammond (Kesgrave)
4 Mark Winwood (Birmingham)
5 Alan Nation (Poole)
6 Toby Millen (Great Blakenham)
7 Lee Galley (Newport)
8 Craig Guy (Fred Williams Cycles)
9 Gavin Wheeler (Horspath)
10 Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley)
11 Lee Ashman (Wednesfield)
12 Paddy Wenn (Norwich)
13 Nicky Whitehead (Leicester)
14 Lee Grange (Norwich)
15 Kevin Burns (Leicester)
16 Mark Whitehead (Leicester)

The British Under 16 Boys Final follows at midday and features 8 riders who rode in last year’s final at Horspath. Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave) returns to defend the title he won last year at Horspath, looking to add this title to the British Junior Championship he won at Leicester on Saturday. His Kesgrave team-mates Torsten Jolly and Charlie Parr are also in the field along with Mason Martin (Hethersett), Leon Penketh (Southampton), Kenzie Bennett (Poole), Kai Gowers (Ipswich) and JJ Wildman (Exeter) from those who rode at Horspath in last year’s final. The line-up is completed by Corey Burt (Wednesfield), Tom Pearson (Leicester), Oliver Saunders (Poole), Luca Woodhouse (Kesgrave), Charlie Buet-Gannon (Birmingham), Sam Stansfield (Sheffield), the current British Under 14 Champion Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave) and Connor Steel (Birmingham).

Full Draw:

1 Corey Burt (Wednesfield)

2 Torsten Jolly (Kesgrave)

3 Tom Pearson (Leicester)

4 Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave)

5 Oliver Saunders (Poole)

6 Mason Martin (Hethersett)

7 Luca Woodhouse (Kesgrave)

8 Charlie Buet-Gnnon (Birmingham)

9 Leon Penketh (Southampton)

10 Sam Stansfield (Sheffield)

11 Kenzie Bennett (Poole)

12 Charlie Parr (Kesgrave)

13 Kai Gowers (Ipswich)

14 JJ Wildman (Exeter)

15 Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave)

16 Connor Steel (Birmingham)

17 Harvey Yard (Exeter) reserve

The British Women’s Final follows at 2pm and is now a straight final following the cancellation of yesterday’s pre-qualifier at East Park. 10 of last year’s finalists have entered this year’s event and they are the defending Champion Emily Burgess (Astley & Tyldesley), Madeline Saunders (Poole), 2016 champion Lauren Hookway (Exeter), Elizabeth Rigley (Sheffield), Rebekah Humphries (Birmingham), Niamh Morton (Sheffield), Laura Watson (Sheffield), the 2006 & 2009 champion Lucy Whitehead (Leicester) and Georgia & Megan Burt (Wednesfield). The line-up is completed by Lexie Curtis (Poole), Shannon Tucker (Leicester), Honey Whitehead (Leicester) Lily Parr (Kesgrave) and Daisy Sherwood (Poole).

Full Draw:

1 Lexie Curtis (Poole)

2 Emily Burgess (Astley & Tyldesley)

3 Lucy Whitehead (Leicester)

4 Lauren Hookway (Exeter)

5 Laura Watson (Sheffield)

6 Lily Parr (Kesgrave)

7 Maddie Saunders (Poole)

8 Elizabeth Rigley (Sheffield)

9 Georgia Burt (Wednesfield)

10 Rebekah Humphries (Birmingham)

11 Daisy Sherwood (Poole)

12 Shannon Tucker (Exeter)

13 Chloe Pearce (Ipswich)

14 Honey Whitehead (Leicester)

15 Niamh Morton (Sheffield)

16 Megan Burt (Wednesfield)

The Open Final will follow at 4pm and like last year 7 previous champions entered this year and all 7 have qualified. Mark Boaler (Horspath) returns to defend the title he won last year on his home track, looking for a 3rd title having won in 2010. Gavin Wheeler (Horspath) is another 2 time winner, having won in 2002 & 2008. Zac Payne (Horspath), Ben Mould (Horspath), Myke Grimes (Coventry), Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham) and Paul Heard (Birmingham) are the other previous winners bidding to add to their previous successes. If Mould does win later today he will become the first rider since Dave Hemsley to be World, European and British Champion at the same time. Also qualified for this year’s final are Chris Timms (Birmingham), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Wil Bristowe (Poole), Mark Carmichael (Newport), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Lewis Brinkhoff (Ipswich), Ed Morton (Sheffield) (his first British Final) and Aaron Smith (Poole). A run-off will be required between Chris Jewkes (Wednesfield) and Reece Pollitt (Astley & Tyldesley) to decide the final spot after they tied on points across the semi-finals. The winner of the run-off will race at number 16 whilst the loser will be the 1st reserve

Full draw:

1 Chris Timms (Birmingham)

2 Ashley Hill (Ipswich)

3 Myke Grimes (Coventry)

4 Wil Bristowe (Poole)

5 Ed Morton (Sheffield)

6 Ben Mould (Horspath)

7 Mark Carmichael (Newport)

8 Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham)

9 Ben Clarke (Ipswich)

10 Lewis Brinkhoff (Ipswich)

11 Paul Heard (Birmingham)