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Rally attracts a record number
THE future of Mildenhall Cycling Rally looks bright if this year's event at the weekend is anything to go by.
The bank-holiday event attracted a record number of under-16 year-olds for Saturday's grass-track racing.
This formed just one part of the hugely successful cycling extravaganza organised by Mildenhall Cycling Club based around the town’s Riverside Middle School and which brought people from across the UK.
Organiser Mark Burchett said: “This really was the best Rally yet. All the figures are up on last year, from a record number of campers squeezed into the site and the 800 plus competitors.”
The Rally began on Saturday with 40 hardy cyclists setting off for the 300km Audax ride at 4am, with a further 200 riders riding the later starting 100 and 200km versions.
While they, like the many thousands of touring cyclists were out enjoying the local countryside, the revamped Go-Ride skilful riding was very popular.
Run on behalf of the Rally by West Suffolk Wheelers, they provided a technical circuit that not only tested the children's abilities but was also fun for them as well. It was won by Kiera Jordan, from the Easterly Road Club.
Then the action got more serious with those 70 children on the grass-track, with club's like Welwyn Wheelers, Colchester Rovers, CC Ashwell, West Suffolk Wheelers and even the host club well represented showing the benefits of British Cycling's Go-Ride programme.
Mildenhall's Adam Gough finished fifth in the Boys Under 12 Omnium, while in the Boys Under 14 section Adam Trolove and Ed Ballam (W.Suffolk Whls) finished a very close first and second. The Boys Under 16 was won by up and coming rider Sam Connelley (Maldon & District CC).
Mildenhall's Sarra Boyd and Claire Larbey finished fourth and 13th respectively, with the Elmy Cycles sponsored Ladies Omnium being won by Melissa Bury (SportCity Velo).
In the Mildenhall Club's own Grass-Track Championship, Max Pendleton, father of Olympic gold and world champion sprint cyclist Victoria, as well as organiser of the grass-track racing, comfortably beat Keith Richardson in the final sprint.
Representing the host club in the children’s duathlon, Matthew and Emily Waller from Cavenham, finished third in the 3-5 year-old category and fifteenth in the 6-7 age group, respectively.
Meanwhile Owen Downing, from Cheveley, competed in his first rally duathlon and finished eighth in the 11-13 yr race.
There was some very fast racing (sponsored by Elmy Cycles from Ipswich) from the seniors on the dry and hard grass-track on both Sunday and Monday.
The highlights included the Gem Estate Management 8km Mini-Milk race which was the final counting event for the National Endurance League, which saw Richard Meadows (Velo29) beating Bryan Taylor (VC Londres).
Mildenhall also hosted the final event in the National Short Distance League with riders competing for the Robinson Trophy in the 800m scratch race.
Ben Elliott (VC St Raphael), an ex 8km National Champion, showed he's as good over the shorter sprint distances easing past Adam Duggleby (Shorter Rochford RT).
In roller racing Pendleton achieved third in the 750m scratch and 1000m Handicap races, to take second place overall.
National Coach and top roller-rider Dave LeGrys riding for Team Terminator, retired having suffered two punctures as he looked to come back from a nasty crash earlier this year in which he broke his collar bone and shoulder. After the first of his punctures in his re-run time-trial, he was just half a second behind McClelland.
Jake Norton (Spalding CC) and James Metri (VC Londres) were the winners in the Under-9s and U-12 races in the Cyclo-Cross on Monday.
Mildenhall’s sole representative in these competitions was six-year-old Colin Mantle from Feltwell, who finished fifth.
The senior madison event was won by father and son Kevin and Tom Payton from the West Midlands.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
