Guildford Town Centre Races 2009 - Wednesday 8th July

Guildford Town Centre Races 2009
Promoted by Charlotteville Cycling Club
Presented by Churchouse Financial Planning and Cycleworks UK Ltd

Following the heavy rain that caused a washout of last years event, this year the Guildford Town Centre Races saw dry and breezy conditions that drew record crowds and record entry levels to Guildford on Wednesday night. Pre race entries had promised some tight racing and they certainly lived up to expectations. The first race of the night saw a full field of 3rd category racers take in the circuit which covers a small circuit taking in the smooth tarmac section of North Street, the bricks of Market Street and finally the uphill cobbles of the High Street and as is always the case it didn’t take many laps for the field to be blown to pieces and different groupings making their way around the course. Hugo Humphreys (Lee Valley Youth CC) took the honours after a very close finish when he just managed to outsprint two former winners of the same event from previous years, namely Sam Sturgeon (Team Terminator) and Paul Hopkins (OffCamber) with Jon Lewis from host club Charlotteville Cycling Club coming in just behind in fourth position. Humphreys gave away many years of experience to the other riders but certainly made up for it in strength and skill to win the race and in fact was a late entry having only decided earlier that afternoon to make the trip down from London for the event but was very pleased that he did.

The Youth Races don’t usually have many advance entries, as was the case again this year, however the good weather meant that 30 riders turned up on the start line for a series of races within the race covering five different age categories ranging from under 16’s down to under 8’s. Jim Lewis (Glendene CC/BikeTrax) led the field home from the Fit-For duo of Patrick Scarboro and Dante Carpenter.

By the time the E12 race started crowds were lining the barriers for the full length of the High Street and in the finish area they were two or three deep with spectators using all possible vantage points to get a good view of the racing. A top field of riders from across the region were present along with many more who had ventured from further afield including some who had returned from racing on the continent. It did not take long for the field to begin to break up with Warrick Spence (Cyclefit RT) , James Millard (Madison.co.uk), Peter Dibben (Hargroves Cycles) and Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport RT) putting in some big turns on the front. Eventually the lead group was down to half a dozen riders who managed to lap the entire field which caused the commissaries to bring the lapped riders race to a premature end with them sprinting for places five laps from the end which left the remaining group to do battle for the title. As they came into the final lap it was Spence and Millard who were neck and neck as they headed up the final climb of the High Street towards the line, each on separate sides of the road with Spence just taking the win on the line for what was his third title on the Guildford cobbles.

The event organisers, Charlotteville Cycling Club, would like to thank all their sponsors, officials and helpers for making the event such a success and look forward to its continued and growing success in the coming years. One item of particular note is that both main sponsors, Churchouse Financial Planning and Cycleworks UK Ltd have confirmed their continued support to the event for 2010 which will mean that next years planning can begin now in order to make next years event even better.

Full Results:

E/1/2
1 Warrick Spence (CycleFit RT) 1
2 James Millard (Madison.co.uk) E
3 Peter Dibben (Hargroves Cycles/Trant/Next/Gsi) 1J
4 Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport/Specialized/Sportful) E
5 Lee Smith (Felt Racing) 1
6 Russell Hampton (Unattached) E
7 Simon Ernest (AWCycles.co.uk) 2
8 Gary Dodd (Sigma Sport/Specialized/Sportful) E
9 Phil Sykes (VC St Raphael) 1
10 Jamie Newall (VC Meudon) 1
11 Darren Barclay (Arctic Premier RT) 1
12 Sam Allen (AWCycles.co.uk) 1
13 Chris McNamara (Team Corley Cycles) E
14 Daniele Santoni (Pearson Cycles) 1
15 Sam Humpheson (London Dynamo) 1
16 Richard Mardle (Felt Racing) 2
17 Ian Paine (London Dynamo) 1
18 Jean Spies (In Gear Development Squad/OneLife)
19 Matt Bailey (Halesowen CC)
20 Felix English (Team Corridori)

3/J Race
1 Hugo Humphreys (Lee Valley Youth CC)
2 Sam Sturgeon (Team Terminator)
3 Paul Hopkins (OffCamber)
4 Jon Lewis (Charlotteville CC)
5 James Wakelin (Team Mule Bar)
6 Jake Martin (Rapha Condor)
7 Ben Spurrier (Team Mule Bar)
8 James Bracey (VC Meudon)
9 Dean Frost (VC Meudon)
10 Tristan Natolie (AWCycles.co.uk)
11 Alec Briggs (Arctic Premier RT)
12 Daniel McCarthy (Redhill CC)
13 Charlie Heffernan (VC Jubilee)
14 Ben Weeks (London Dynamo)
15 David Farmer (Cycleworks.co.uk)

Youths Race:
YA
1 Jim Lewis (Glendene CC)
2 Patrick Scarboro (Fit-For)
3 Dante Carpenter (Fit-For)

YB
1 Harry Franklin (Herne Hill Youth CC)
2 Euan Cattermole (VC Londres)
3 Kieran Laurie (VC Londres)

YC
1 Mark Jacobs (VC Jubilee)
2 Tom Franklin (Herne Hill Youth CC)
3 Henry Dawson (Hillingdon Slipstreamers)

YD
1 Niall Dawkins (Hillingdon Slipstreamers)

YE
1 Joe McGuiness (Palmer Park Velo RT)

and loads of others on the Charlotteville website too (inc. a video):

http://www.charlottevillecc.org.uk/inde ... &Itemid=70