Last Sunday Wessex League returned to Reading once again for the Bill Higson Memorial Cyclocross race. Unlike in previous years, the ground was hard and the weather was dry, creating the perfect recipe for CX craziness. Once again, Reading CX featured the infamous Hilly McHillFace and the Chute, plus the usual addition of climbing switchbacks, trips through narrow woodland trails and the long drag to the finish.
The races kicked off later than usual but still great. In the U8 Girls, Summer Zhao came ninth in her first ever cyclocross race. In the U10 Girls, Flo Boustred took second place and Olivia Davies finished eighth. In the Open, Wilf Barlow came ninth and Sunni Muriithi finished eleventh. Harrison Hough came twenty-sixth, Leighton Riley twenty-eighth and Jordan Riley thirtieth. In the U12 Girls, Jess Barry came seventh. Theo Plumb took third in the Open category, followed by Archie Frogley in fourth. Joseph Lovegrove finished eighth and Alfie Hough tenth.
Next up, the older Youth categories. In the U14 Girls, Elsa Varney claimed second place with Emily Williams not far behind in third place. In the Open, Freddie Trosh came seventh, Leeyo Muriithi eleventh, Ruben Davies fourteenth, Reuben Lewis fifteenth, Billy Dyer sixteenth, James Martin nineteenth and James Sutton twentieth. In the U16 Girls, Alexis Barry came fifth. Aneurin Gilbert took eleventh place in the U16 Open with Sam Comben in thirteenth and Morgan Gilbert in fourteenth.
George Boustred came ninth in the Junior Open and Sam Ridgment came eighth in the U23/Senior Open race. Andi Gardiner had an epic battle at the front that resulted in a second place position in the M40 Open. Pete Boustred came fifth, James Gillfillan came seventh and Ian Crocker eighth. Marit Davidse came third in the Junior Women’s and Emma Harrison finished fourteenth in the U23/Senior/Masters Women’s. Jon Dudley finished eighth in the M60 Open and Jon Hall also came eighth in the M50 Open.
Overall, good results for Sotonia last weekend. We’ll see you all this weekend at Candovers for Round Four!!