MATCH REPORT: Little League Championships

July 15, 2023 Steve Copping

Report and photos by Steve Copping

Kesgrave was the venue for the 33/18 Designs sponsored Little league Championships with all the Individual Championships utilising the British Youth & Junior League formulas. The action began with the Under 8 Boys Individual Championship which was contested by 12 riders. Kesgrave’s Tom Parr raced unbeaten throughout the qualifying heats and he would be joined in the A Final by his Kesgrave team mates Freddie Mower and Archie Rawlings as well as Poole’s Izacc Laing. It was Parr who took the win in the A Final with Mower and Rawlings completing a clean sweep of the top 3 placings for Kesgrave ahead of Laing

Tom Parr (Kesgrave) 16, Freddie Mower (Kesgrave) 15, Archie Rawlings (Kesgrave) 13, Izacc Laing (Poole) 13, Adam Palka (Poole) 11, James Vanner (Heckmondwike) 11, Oscar Bartlett (Poole) 10, Isaac Emms (Hethersett) 8, Finley Cattermole (Great Blakenham) 7, Cobie Taylor (Horspath) 6, Niall Coughlan (Great Blakenham) 5, Harry Garnham (Kesgrave) 5

C Final: 1st Finley Cattermole, 2nd Cobie Taylor, 3rd Niall Coughlan, 4th Harry Garnham

B Final: 1st Adam Palka, 2nd Oscar Bartlett, 3rd James Vanner, 4th Isaac Emms

A Final: 1st Tom Parr, 2nd Freddie Mower, 3rd Archie Rawlings, 4th Izacc Laing

Referee: Adrian Powling (Suffolk)

The Under 8 Girls & Under 10 Girls Individual Championships followed with the Under 8 Girls racing on a 8 rider formula and the Under 10 Girls on a 4 rider formula. Horspath rider Tabitha Evans raced unbeaten in the Under 8 Girls heats and would be joined in the A Final by defending champpion Nyla El-Labany (Hethersett), Poole’s Olivia Reeman and Kesgrave’s Sienna Hammond. El-Labany successfully defended her title by winning the A Final ahead of Reeman, Harrison and Evans, the latter suffering a fall on the pits bend on the final lap.

Tabitha Evans (Horspath) 16, Nyla El-Labany (Hethersett) 14, Olivia Reeman (Poole) 14, Sienna Hammond (Kesgrave) 10, Tia Harrison (Kesgrave) 8, Ruby Rawlings (Kesgrave) 7, Ezmae Laing (Poole) 7

B Final: 1st Ruby Rawlings, 2nd Tia Harrison, 3rd Ezmae Laing

A Final: 1st Nyla El-Labany, 2nd Olivia Reeman, 3rd Sienna Hammond, 4th Tabitha Evans

Referee: Leon Mower (Suffolk)

The Under 10 Girls saw defending champion Tallulah Curtis (Poole) retain her title by taking the win in the A Final after scoring 14 points in the heats, the same score as runner-up Alana Barden-Beatty (Kesgrave). Kesgrave riders Ava Harrison and Evie Fenn finished 3rd and 4th respectively

Tallulah Curtis (Poole) 14, Alana Barden-Beatty (Kesgrave) 14, Ava Harrison (Kesgrave) 7, Evie Fenn (Kesgrave) 5

Final: 1st Tallulah Curtis, 2nd Alana Barden-Beatty, 3rd Ava Harrison, 4th Evie Fenn

Referee: Leon Mower (Suffolk)

The Little League Under 10 Boys Individual Championship was contested by 18 riders using the 20 rider formula with E, D, C, B and A Finals at the end. Horspath’s Roman Boaler raced unbeaten in the qualifying heats and he would be joined in the A Final by Kesgrave’s Oscar Pemberton and Bury’s Bobby Dunphy, both of whom scored 15 points each dropping their only point to Boaler. The 4th rider to make the A Final was Kesgrave’s Oliver Spurgeon who defeated Hellingly’s Sam Ridley in a run-off after both riders had scored 14 points. The A Final was won by Boaler ahead of Dunphy, Pemberton and Spurgeon.

Roman Boaler (Horspath) 16, Bobby Dunphy (Bury) 15, Oscar Pemberton (Kesgrave) 15, Oliver Spurgeon (Kesgrave) 14, Sam Ridley (Hellingly) 14, Thomas Comben (Southampton) 12, Jasper Johnson (Great Blakenham) 11, Lincoln Powling (Kesgrave) 11, Oscar Copeland (Hethersett) 11, Ronnie Harding (Hethersett) 10, Leo Piggott (Great Blakenahm) 10, Thomas barnard (Hethersett) 10, Brody Harris (Kesgrave) 9, Jacob Jewkes (Wednesfield) 9, Toby Lammin (Horspath) 7, Arlo Davies (Hethersett) 6, Alfie Gunn (Hethersett) 6, Leo Greening (Ipswich) 6

E Final: 1st Leo Greening, 2nd Alfie Gunn

D Final: 1st Jacob Jewkes, 2nd Brody Harris, 3rd Arlo Davies, 4th Toby Lammin

C Final: 1st Oscar Copeland, 2nd Leo Piggott, 3rd Thomas Barnard, 4th Ronnie Harding

B Final: 1st Sam Ridley, 2nd Thomas Comben, 3rd Jasper Johnson, 4th Lincoln Powling

A Final: 1st Roman Boaler, 2nd Bobby Dunphy, 3rd Oscar Pemberton, 4th Oliver Spurgeon

Referee: Leon Mower (Suffolk)

The Little League Under 10 Club Championship was the final event and was contested by 6 teams, Horspath, Kesgrave Panthers, Great Blakenham, Poole, Hethersett and Kesgrave Pumas. It was the Kesgrave Panthers who brought the championship back to Kesgrave for an 11th time as they amassed 72 points with the 2022 winners Hethersett finishing as runners-up with 60 points. Poole clinched 3rd place with 47 points, 2 ahead of the Kesgrave Pumas who in turn were 1 point ahead of Horspath with Great Blakenham 6th on 32 points. For the victorious Kasgrave Panthers Oscar Pemberton and Oliver Spurgeon were undefeated in their races, Tom Parr dropped 2 points from his 5 races, Freddie Mower scored 11 and Lincoln Powling 7.