**Events

Racing continues at Beastway

Steve Hambling leads Baker, Riley, Holmes and Webber

Racing in the Brixton Cycles Beastway Mountain Bike Series, the London-based mid-week evening cross-country. reached round six when it went ahead earlier this week.

Another week and with it heavy rain during the day but come race time it was sunny and warm. It was also another evening of sparkling racing across the categories and the race order.

For the second week running a lead group developed at the front of the race, featuring Matt Holmes, Alex Baker, Callam Riley, Steve Hambling and Matthew Webber. These five were joined by Adam French who was to fall off the pace as the battle continued.

For lap after lap the leaders exchanged positions and into the final straight before the s-bend run to the line, Holmes got ahead and the finishing order was made.

Baker and Riley have now been fighting for junior honours for some weeks now and the two were stuck wheel to wheel this evening, but they were to be outwitted by Holmes for the overall. Baker edged the category from Riley and ahead of Daniel Barford.

A minute or so back from lead scrap, the Masters were also locked together and this time it was Gabor Doroghaz who won from Rob Purcell and Michael Blaen.

John Cordery and Graham Pentney were not to be outshone by the younger riders as they took each other on in the Veteran’s. The two gained a little when Iain Kirkpatrick chain became stuck on the start line and he spent most of the race in the company of Iain Kirkpatrick who in turn had a host of riders on his wheel. At the flag Cordery won from Pentnry and then Fitzpatrick.

Birthday boy Dennis Dix gave himself a present by winning the Grand Veteran’s from Peter Barton and Martin Cowell.

Sport men saw the most winning rider Adam French not featuring at the front of the category, and it was Robert Moore who claimed first from Paul Maughan and French.

Paul Warner was top Single Speed on a benign course. The Women’s race saw Leona Kadir fend of a good challenge from Sylva Skacelova, Isobel Cashman and Sarah-Anne Keenan.

The Youth races like the sun shone brightly. In Youth A Josh Parkin won with a not so big a lead from Sean Dunlea who had spent the race fighting off Liam Cowell. A little further back was Sam Judd who continues to make progress in his first Beastway season. Gretel Warner was first girl.

In Youth B Ruairi Phelan had to work very hard to beat Sam Titmarsh, Joe Pitt, Luke Mitchie, Tom Skacel and the rest.