PREVIEW: 2023 British Individual Championships day 2
Day 2 of the 2023 British Individual Championships tomorrow (Sunday 27th August) will see 2 more champions crowned. All riders who are racing at Sheffield are reminded that Cookson Park is the venue and that is where the first of the day’s British Champions will be crowned in the Over 50’s (11am start) where Norman Venson (Leicester) returns to defend the title he won in 2021 and last year. “Storm” is one of 7 riders in this year’s event who rode in last year’s event at Coventry, the others being the Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley), who was champion in 2018 and 2019, Lee Galley (Newport), the reigning Over 50’s World Champion Paddy Wenn (Norwich), Chris Turner (Sheffield), Jason Keith (Fife) and Alan Nation (Poole), Also riding will be Terry Norman (Stockport), Steve Nation (Poole), Phil Gard (Poole), Lee Phillips (Astley & Tyldesley), Mark Whitehead (Leicester) and Richard Edge (Horspath).
The British Over 40’s Individual Championship has 18 entries so a pre-qualifier will be needed to find the 16 finalists (12.30pm start). 4 previous champions have entered and they are Kevin Burns (Leicester), winner in 2019 and last year, Steve Harris (Astley & Tyldesley),champion on 6 occasions, 2018 champion Mark Whitehead (Leicester) and 2021 champion Mark Winwood (Birmingham). Those 4 riders were among 10 riders entered this year who rode in last year’s final at Birmingham, the others being Andrew Yard (Exeter), Nicky Whitehead (Leicester), Craig Marchant (Great Blakenham), Gavin Wheeler (Poole), Alan Nation (Poole) and Paddy Wenn (Norwich). Also entered this year are Jason Keith (Fife), Lee Aris (Wednesfield), Terry Norman (Stockport), Craig Whitehead (Birmingham), Phil Gard (Poole), Ewan Tulloch (Edinburgh) and Will Banyard (Sheffield). The final takes place on Monday at Astley & Tyldesley at 10am
The British Open Individual Championship Qualifying Rounds 4 and 5 will round off the action at Sheffield. Round 4 at 2pm will feature Luke Whitehead (Leicester), Reece Pollitt (Bury), Matt Hill (Ipswich), Wil Bristowe (Poole), Daniel Taylor (Bury), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Will Jeffery (Birmingham), Feroze Langoo (Poole) Owen Johnson (Horspath), Jack Herbert (Ipswich), Callum Goward (Newport), Kristian Ramsden (Bury), Gavin Wheeler (Poole), Leon Mower (Kesgrave) and, if fit, Tom Bewick (Wednesfield)
Round 5 at 3.30pm will feature Lewis Foxley (Hull), Ricki Johnson (Birmingham), Jack Lister (Hull), Owen Simcock (Astley & Tyldesley), Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Ben Mould (Newport), Aaron Smith (Poole), Mike baldock (Bury), Chris Timms (Birmingham), Mark Boaler (Poole), Torsten Jolly (Kesgrave), Mark Carmichael (Newport) and Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham)
Hull’s action gets underway at 12.30pm with a pre-qualifying round for the British Under 16 Boys Individual Championship. Originally 21 riders were entered but Bury’s Tom Dunphy has withdrawn so it is expected that all those drawn below Tom will move up 1 space. Of the 20 riders left in the competition 12 of them rraced in last year’s final at Birmingham, namely Charlie Parr, Ryker Jolly and Luca Woodhouse (all kesgrave), Kenzie Bennett and Oliver Saunders (both Poole), Corey Burt (Wednesfield), JJ Wildman (Exeter), Leon Penketh (Southampton), Mason Martin (Hethersett), Harvey Yard (Exeter) and Sam Stansfield (Sheffield). Also entered are Shaun Kell (Ipswich), Sonny & George Whale (both Southampton), Joe Brownell (Sheffield), Duncan Whalley (Astley & Tyldesley), Teddy Curtis (Poole) and the Hull duo of Noah Lyon & Liam Bennett. The final for this event is at Astley & Tyldesley on Monday at 2pm
The British Under 16 Girls Individual Championship will be decided at 2pm with 8 riders taking part. Of those 8 riders 4 were in last year’s event at East Park, namely the defending champion Lily Parr (Kesgrave), and the Poole trio of Nataleigh Goulden, Lexie Curtis and Daisy Sherwood. Also riding are Charlotte Geach (Exeter), Ella Case (kesgrave), Kacey bennett (Hull) and Lacey Ackroyd (Sheffield)
The last of the British Open Individual Championship Qualifying Rounds follows at 3.30 and will feature James Porter (Ipswich), Kenzie Bennett (Poole), Kielan Burton (Sheffield), Charlie Parr (Kesgrave), Zac Payne (Kesgrave), Harley Hamill (Hethersett), Leon Penketh (Southampton), John White (Astley & Tyldesley), Elizabeth Rigley (Leicester), Kyle Holland (Sheffield), Ed Morton (Sheffield), JJ Wildman (Exeter), Paul Heard (Birmingham) and Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave)