PREVIEW: British Indoor Championships Day 2
Day 2 of the 2022 British Indoor Championships begins at 9.30am with a pre-qualifier for the Over 40’s Individual Championship which features 18 riders, 3 of which have won this championship 7 times between them. Leicester’s Craig Marchant has won the last 4 stagings (2016, 2018, 2019 & 2021) whilst his Leicester team mate Mark Whitehead was victorious in 2013 & 2015. Paul Timms is the other previous winner having won in 2010. Also entered are David Martin (Hethersett), Chris Ward (Horspath), Steve Paver (Exeter), Nicky Whitehead (Leicester), Rory Freeman (Norwich), Andrew Yard (Exeter), Richard Edge (Horspath), Lee Galley (Newport), Jason Ashford (Great Blakenham), Steven Hammond (Kesgrave), Rob Geach (Exeter), Colin Rowles (Poole), Jason Keith (Fife), Craig Whitehead (Leicester) and Toby Millen (Great Blakenham)
Another pre-qualifier will follow at 10.30am, this time for the Open Individual Championship where 24 riders will be chasing 20 spots in the semi-finals where they will join the 12 riders from last year’s final who have entered this year and are seeded to the semi-finals. Contesting the pre-qualifier will be Toby Millen (Great Blakenham), Douglas Morgan (Fife), Torsten Jolly (Kesgrave), Nathan Grover (Birmingham), Andrew Yard (Exeter), Wil Bristowe (Poole), Owen Geach (Exeter), Daniel Bock (Newport), Charlie Parr (Kesgrave), Jake Slight (Edinburgh), Jake Ferguson (Fife), Owen Wells (Ispwich), Jack Ellis (Horspath), Leon Penketh (Southampton), 2019 champion Adam Peck (Great Blakenham), Tom Savage (Coventry), Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham), Steven Beesley (Horspath), Lauren Hookway (Exeter), Scott Millward (Birmingham), Paul Timms (Birmingham), JJ Wildman (Exeter), Callum Goward (Newport) and Luke Harrison (Great Blakenham).
A Women’s Regional team event is scheduled for 11.30am and this will be followed by the 2 Open Individual semi-finals at 12.20pm and 1.30pm. The 12 riders seeded to this stage who qualified for last year’s final and have entered this year are the defending champion Matt Hill (Ipswich), Connor Tucker (Poole), Mark Boaler (Horspath), champion in 2008, 2013 and 2015, Chris Timms (Birmingham), Leon Mower (Great Blakenham), Zac Payne (Horspath), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Aaron Smith (Poole), the current World & European Outdoor Champion Ben Mould (Horspath), James Porter (Ipswich) and the 2013 & 2014 champion Ricki Johnson (Birmingham)
The Over 40’s Individual Final is scheduled for 2.30pm and will be followed by the Women’s Individual Championship at 3.45pm which will see 15 riders take part. Lauren Hookway (Exeter) is the 3 time and defending champion, having also won in 2014 and 2018. 2 previous champions have also entered this year, Lucy Whitehead (Leicester), who won the 2011 & 2016 championships, and Rachel Lammin (Horspath) who won the 2010 title under her maiden name Edge. These 3 are among 8 riders who entered last year and have entered this year, the others being Laura Watson (Sheffield), Michelle Whitehead (Leicester), Shannon Tucker (Exeter), Elizabeth Rigley (Sheffield) and Charlotte Geach (Exeter). Also entered this year are Lily Parr (Kesgrave), Honey Whitehead (Leicester), Phoebe Hammond (Kesgrave), Ella Case (Kesgrave),Chloe Pearce (Ipswich), Emma Johnson (Horspath) and Maddie Saunders (Poole)
The 2022 British Indoor Championships will conclude with the Open Individual Final which is scheduled for 5pm and will feature the top 8 scorers from each of the 2 semi-finals