The 2025 British Individual Championships get underway tomorrow (Saturday 23rd August) and it is the trun of the South & South Wales region to stage the championships this year. The action on day 1 is at Southampton and Poole

Southampton

The first 3 Open Qualifying Rounds will all be staged at Southampton and of the 40 riders entered 14 of them rode at some stage in last year’s final at Kesgrave with 6 of those riders having previously been crowned as British Champion. The first qualifying round at midday has 5 of last year’s finalist entered, namely the 2016 British Champion and current European Open Champion Ben Mould (Birmingham), Ben Clarke (Ipswich), Matt Hill (Ipswich), Lewis Brinkhoff (Great Blakenham and Chris Timms (Birmingham). Also competing in this round are Sheffield’s Aiden Owen, the Southampton trio of Joe Gillespie, George Whale & Sonny Whale, Birminghm’s Scott Millward and Ricki Johnson, Ipswich’s james Porter, Newport’s Adam Bennett and Exeter rider Mark Carmichael who was 3rd in 2022 at Birmingham.

6 of last year’s finalists compete in Round 2 at 1.30pm and 3 of those riders are previous winners, namely the defending champion Josh Brooke (Great Blakenham), who was also victorious at Hul in 2018, 2015 champion Zac payne (Horspath) and the 2002 & 2008 champion gavin Wheeler (Southampton). Lewis Foxley (Great Blakenham), Noah Woodhouse (Kesgrave), who was 3rd in 2023 & 2024, and Shaun Kell (Ipswich) are also competing in this round, as are Will Jeffery (Horspath), James Colling (Southampton), Jack Herbert (Ipswich), Tom Savage (Coventry), Jude Wilcockson (Coventry), Robert Croal (Exeter) and Corey Burt (Wednesfield)

The 3rd round at 3pm sees the other 3 finalist from last year Mark Boaler (Horspath), Paul heard (Birmingham) and Tom Colling (Southampton) all begin their attempt to qualify for another final. Heard is a 3 time winner (2019, 2022 and 2023) whilst Boaler won in 2010 & 2021. Also ompeting in this round are Tom Alexander (East Newport), Leon Penketh (Southampton), Oliver Saunders (Poole), Finley Myall (Ipswich), Ashley Hill (Ipswich), Feroze langoo (Poole), Luca Woodhouse (Great Blakenham), Reece Pollitt (Bury), Torsten Jolly (Great Blakenham) and Sean bennett (Horspath)

The British Over 60’s Individual Championship follows at 4.30pm and of the 8 riders entered 2 are previous winners, namely Exeter’s Dave Murphy who was champion in 2019 & 2021 as well as the defending Champion Richard Edge (Horspath). Also entered are Nicky Davies (Newport), Colin Rowles (poole), Tony Birch (East London), Steve Paver (Exeter), Chris Ward (Horspath) and Andy Collett (Exeter)

Day 1 at Southampton concludes with the British Over 50’s Individual Championship at 6pm and it will see a new champion crowned as none of the 9 riders entered have previously won this championship although Kevin Burns (Leicester), Jason Ashford (Great Blakenham), mark Winwood (Birmingham) and Mark Whitehead (Leicester) are all previous Over 40’s Champions. The latter trio all rode in last years event at Norwich as did Alan Nation (Poole) and the Norwich duo of Paddy Wenn and Steve Copping. The line up is completed by Craig marchant (Great Blakenham) and Steve Paver (Exeter0

Poole

Both the Open and Girls British Individual Championships for the Under 12’s and Under 14’s will be decided at Poole on saturday. The Under 12’s Open Championship will be the first title to be decided starting at 1pm and 3 riders who rode in last year’s event at Hethersett are entered on this occasion, namely jacob jewkes (Wednesfield), Oliver Spurgeon (Kesgrave) and the defending champion Roman Boaler (Horspath). Also enteres are Boaler’s Horspath colleagues Tommy Smith, Toby Lammin and Bobby-Ross Doyle, Kesgrave’s Lincoln Powling, Southampton’s Leeyo Muriithi and Tom Comben, Oliver Hawkins from East newport, Lincoln Ackroyd from Sheffield, Edward Geach from Exeter and the Poole Trio of Jackson Chapman, Tilly Shear and Tallulah Curtis.

The Under 14 Girls Championship will be next on track at 3pm and this will incorporate the Under 12 Girls Championship. of the 7 riders contesting the event 5 of them rode in last year’s event at hethersett, namely Maisy Baker (Ipswich), Millie Shear (Poole), Lola,Martin (Hethersett), Tilly Shear (Poole) and Tallulah Curtis (Poole). The latter 2 riders are the only Under 12 Girls entered so whoever finishes higher of those 2 will be crowned as Under 12 Girls Champion. Nyla Aris (Wednesfield) and Ava Chapman (Poole) complete the line-up

Day 1 at Poole concludes with the Under 14 Open British Individual Championship (4.30pm start) and 4 riders who contested last year’s final at Hethersett have entered this year. they are Isaac Powling (Kesgrave), Connor Jarrett (Kesgrave), Oliver Banyard (Sheffield) and Roman Boaler (Horspath). Also entered are Riley Jarvis (Exeter), Leeyo Muriithi (Southampton), Mac Brodie (Fife), Austin Brailey (Hethersett), Tom & Sam Comben (Southampton), Theo Case (Southampton), Harry Gibson (Hull), Kalem Martin (Newport) and Caiden Rawlings (Kesgrave)