Freezing temperatures, snow, rain, wind and some ‘proper cross’ conditions didn’t put our brave cyclo-crossers off at Abingdon on Sunday. The youth races were run in near blizzard conditions but still saw some top results for Sotonia – Isabella Hall 2nd and Skye Martingale 5th in U10 girls. U12s – Loius Kirk 5th. U14s – Max Darnton 9th. U8s – Marit Davidse 5th girl and Tom Wilks 5th boy.
By the time the adult races set off, snow had given way to driving rain with the temperature just above freezing. Many a pre and post race being spent shivering in cars with heaters on full blast. Our v40 men however, coped well with the cold on the flat but challenging and technical Abingdon airfield course. Great starts by Jon Hall, Jez Hart and Ben Darnton led them into top 10 in positions that they would trade until the final lap when the three battled it out, with Jez managing to pass Ben in the last corners to take 4th, Jon 5th and Ben 6th in the category.
There were more top 10 finishes in the v50 men and women’s races for Jon Dudley (8th v50) and Gemma Wilks 7th in the senior women race. The senior race also started promisingly for Tom Budden who led for the first lap but succumbed to the arctic conditions and was forced to retire.
That leaves just one final cross race next Sunday at Southampton Sports Centre for round 13 hosted by Crabwood CC, it promises to bookend a very successful season for the club with more testing January weather conditions.
