PREVIEW: British Individual Championships Day 2
Day 2 of the British Individual Championships will see 2 more champions crowned. All riders who are racing at Norwich are reminded that the action is at Eaton Park and there is chargeable car parking at £2 for 4 hours
The first of the 2 British Championships to be decided tomorrow will be the Over 50’s title (11am start) which has been won by Norman Venson (Leicester) for the last 3 years. “Storm” was also victorious in 2017. Another previous winner entered is Astley & Tyldesley’s Steve Harris who won the title in 2018 & 2019. Also entered are Jason Ashford (Great Blakenham), Mark Whitehead (Leicester), Alan Nation (Poole), Mark Winwood (Birmingham), Chris Turner (Sheffield), Lee Galley (Newport), Richard Edge (Horspath, Andre Cross (Hethersett) and the Norwich trio of Paddy Wenn, Gary Colby and Steve Copping with the latter competing in what will be his first outdoor British Final of any description.
The British Over 40’s Championship at 12.45pm will need a pre-qualifier with 21 riders competing for the 16 spots in the final at Kesgrave on Monday. Cross, Galley, Wenn, Nation, Ashford, Winwood, Harris and mark Whitehead will also be competing in this event having raced in the Over 50’s Championship. The latter 4 riders are all previous winners of this Championship with Harris winning in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2017. Winwood was successful in 2021, Ashford in 2011 and Mark Whitehead claimed his title in 2018. There are 2 other previous winners also entered, Kevin Burns (Leicester) who won in 2019 & 2022 and the current World & British Over 40’s World Champion Gavin Wheeler (Southampton). Also entered are Craig Marchant (Great Blakenham)(if fit), Nicky Whitehead (Leicester), Andy Yard (Newport), David Martin (Hethersett), Gary Brown (Kesgrave), Rory Freeman (Hethersett), Ewan Tulloch (Edinburgh), Will Banyard (Sheffield), Lee Aris (Wednesfield), Steve Hammond (Kesgrave) and Craig Norton (Birmingham)
Norwich’s final action will be the 6th Qualifying round for the British Open Individual Championship at 3pm. Charlie Parr, Noah & Luca Woodhouse, Torsten Jolly (all Kesgrave), Tom Colling & JJ Wildman (Southampton), Shaun Kell (Ipswich), John White (Astley & Tyldesley), Jack Herbert, Richard Felgett, James Porter & Luke Dunningham (all Ipswich), Ben Mould (Birmingham), and Lewis Foxley (Hull) compete in this round. Harley Hamill (Hethersett) was also scheduled to be riding in this round but he has withdrawn due to injury
Hethersett’s action begins tomorrow with a pre-qualifier for the British Under 16 Open Championship where 17 riders will be competing for the 16 spots in Monday’s final at Kesgrave. 7 of the riders rode in last year’s final at Astley & tyldesley. They are the defending champion Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave), Noah Lyon (Hull), Connor Jarrett (Kesgrave), Luca Woodhouse (Kesgrave), Corey Burt (Wednesfield), Shaun Kell (Ipswich) and George Whale (Southampton). Also competing will be Zackery Eastwood (Norwich), Joe Gillespie (Southampton), Mitchell Baker (Ipswich), Teddy Curtis (Poole), Jude Wilcockson (Coventry), Finley Myall (Ipswich), Charlie Spurgeon (Kesgrave), Frank White (Astley & Tyldesley), Harvey Yard (Newport) and James Randall (Poole)
The next British Championship to be decided will be the Under 16 Girls at midday and of the 8 riders entered 3 of them were in last year’s final at Hull. The Kesgrave duo of Lily Parr & Ella Case are back for another shot at this title, as is Poole’s Nataleigh Goulden. Also competing are Millie Shear (Poole), Maisy Baker (Ipswich), Lola Martin (Hethersett), Demi-Blu Harris (Kesgrave) and Amelia Dodson (Hethersett)
The Women’s Championship originally had 17 riiders entered which would have meant a pre-qualifier at 1pm but due to the withdrawal of Emily Burgess (Astley & Tyldesley) the pre-qualifying round has been cancelled. The defending champion Maddie Saunders (Poole) is one of 11 riders entered on this occasion who rode in last year’s final at Astley & Tyldesley, the others being Ella Case (Kesgrave), Lexie Curtis (Poole), Elizabeth Rigley (Leicester), Georgia Burt (Wednesfield), Lily Parr (Kesgrave), Nataleigh Goulden (Poole), Rebekah Humphries (Birmingham), Daisy Sherwood (Poole) and Laura Watson (Sheffield). Also entered are Amberley Gant (kesgrave), Amy baynes (Cobentry), Kayleigh Clarke (Independent), Amelia Dodson (Hethersett), Demi-Blu Harris (Kesgrave) and Lucy Whitehead (Leicester
Open Qualifying Rounds 4 & 5 complete the action at Hethersett (3pm and 4.30pm starts respectively). Round 4 will see Leon Wild (Sheffield), Aiden Owen (Sheffield), Sean Bennett (East Newport), Feroze Langoo (Poole), Noah Lyon (Hull), Mark Boaler (Horspath), Leon Penketh (Southampton), Gavin Wheeler (Southampton), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham), Ryker Jolly (Kesgrave), Chris Timms (Birmingham), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Wil Bristowe (Poole) and Sonny Whale (Southampton) take part. Newport’s Callum Goward should have completed the line-up but he has withdrawn due to injury
Round 5 will see George Whale (Southampton), Lewis Brinkhoff (Great Blakenham), Owen Wells (Ipswich), leon Wild (Sheffield), Kenzie Bennett (Poole), Kieran Hale (Sheffield), Oliver Saunders (Poole), Adam Bennett (East Newport), Matt Hill (Ipswich), Paul Heard (Birmingham), Zac Payne (Kesgrave), Kyle Holland (Sheffield) and Andre Cross (Hethersett) take part. Aaron Smith (Poole) has withdrawn due to injury and will be replaced by Juse Wilcockson (Coventry). Emily Burgess (Astley & Tyldesley) has also withdrawn
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