The final round of the Wessex cyclocross league 2023/2024 season brought the curtain down on a great year for the club. Round 12 was held at Crow in the New Forest once again and saw some cracking, fast racing on a course full of cambered, twisting turns and slippery MTB singletrack.
In the U10s, Freddie Trosh took 5th place, the U12 girls Eve Carline and Matilda Wilks were 3rd and 4th, Lorenzo Scarponi taking 3rd in the U12 boys. Tom Wilks took 2nd in u14 boys. Izzy Hall 2nd U16 girl with Niclas Olley and Tom Allen 2nd and 5th in the U16 boys.
Gemma Wilks had a great race in the v40 women despite a wardrobe malfunction on the startline (safety pins saved the day!) she achieved an impressive first race win in her category. Emma Harrison was 2nd Junior woman. The Junior Open race had 2 Sotonians on the podium – George Connell finishing off his season well in 2nd and Sam Ridgment’s best race of the season in 4th.
The v40 Open race had three club riders on the podium – Tom Budden, Pete Boustred and Andy Gardiner rounding off a dominant season in 2rd, 4th and 5th places.
Our top rider in the v50 Open was Jon Hall, in 6th position.
Lewis Revill finished 10th in the final event of the day, the Senior Open race.
The final individual league standings
A highly successful season saw highlights of:
- Tom Wilks – 2nd U14 Boy (including 2 race wins)
- Marit Davidse – 5th U14 Girl
- Izzy Hall – 2nd U16 girl (including 5 race wins)
- Niclas Olley – 2nd U16 Boy (including 2 race wins)
- Tom Allen – 3rd U16 Boy (including 1 race win)
- Emma Harrison – 3rd Junior Woman (including 1 race win)
- George Connell – 3rd Junior Open
- Gemma Wilks – 6th V40 Woman (including 1 race win)
- Andy Gardiner – 2nd V40 Open (including 1 race win)
- Tom Budden – 5th v40 Open
- Jez Hart – 8th v50 Open
The team league standings
- v40 Open (A team of Andy Gardiner, Tom Budden and Pete Boustred) – 1st place
- v40 Open (B team of Phil Banks, Phil Wilks and Mark Allen) – 2nd place
- v50 Open (A team of Jez Hart, Jason Harrison and Phil Connell) – 2nd place
- U14 Boys (A team of Tom Wilks, Reuben Harrington and Jos Robson) – 2nd place
- U14 Boys (B team of Morgan Gilbert, Aneurin Gilbert and George Boustred) – 4th place
- U16 Boys (A team of Niclas Olley, Tom Allen and Monty Flavell) – 1st place
- U16 Boys (B team of Danny Forsyth, Benji Pike and Finlay Banks) – 3rd place
- U16 Girls (A team of Izzy Hall, Poppy Carline and Ella Ridgment) – 2nd place
- Junior Women (Emma Harrison and Lucy Phillips) – 2nd place
- Junior Open (Emma Harrison and Lucy Phillips) – 2nd place
So some fantastic results in a highly competitive league – well done everyone who raced for our club this year!
Photos: Pitchside Paul