Snow Cross Footscray 27 Dec

[Sylv]

After the Herne Hill 19th Dec cross got cancelled because of the amount of fresh snow, it looked like the Boxing day round of the London League might be our last chance to race in the snow. George and I went to Footscray near Bromley, which still had copious quantities of the white stuff. We did a lap and a half as warm up, I took off half of my clothes as it wasn't as cold as it first felt (didn't race in shorts and short sleeves as some though).

Got gridded on the first line, which I now realised I'm not that fond of, not being such a powerful starter. Still, got off to a reasonably good start, on the long straight to the first hairpin, and managed to stay in the top 8 by then. A Dulwich rider had shot off the front and was closely followed by Jamie Newall and Billy Joe Whenman (who later snapped the bars on his borrowed spare bike). He soon tired though, and now in 3rd Andy Waterman was chasing solo, not even looking like he was trying?!, before a group of about 5, with which I was slowly losing contact. I have not been near a turbo or powemeter for over six months now, and even though keeping fit (ran hilly 12kms both days before), not feeling quite there on the bike at the moment when the going gets tough.

The course was good fun in parts, because of the snow, although that made the high gears slip from time to time, but very bumpy in the mole-hole infested fields, and not technical, so not really my cup of tea. Still the race was interesting, as for focus I had both the group in front, with which I almost made contact at some point halfway through, before someone there attacked and left me behind, but then Kevin Knox also lost touch with them and I tried but did not manage to catch him up, and also people behind me catching up and passing me, I managed to overcome all of them, well one a young VCL guy came off in a tight corner and I almost had to ride over his front wheel on the ground, I passed Hugo Humpheys who looked like he was going backwards, and then on the last lap James Wilson and I kept switching places, before he gave up as I accelerated on the run to the finish line, which I crossed in 8th. Not sure yet where George finished, but where the course was backing onto itself I could see him every lap, and he wasn't losing much ground.

1 Jamie Newall 16 Corley Cycles 6 laps
2 Billy Whenman 22 Whyte Bikes @ 9 secs
3 Andy Waterman 36 Dulwich Paragon @ 16 secs
4 Andy Nicols 5 Cambridge Uni CC @ 1.05
5 Paul Sheers 26 PM @ 1.30
6 James Wilson 4 Sigma RT @ 1.45
7 Kevin Knox 197 Dulwich Paragon @ 2.20
8 Sylvain Garde 6 Addiscombe CC @ 2.50
9 Dan Braid 38 Sigma Sport S/T
10 Phil Hersey Eagle RC 12 @ 3m
11 James Duguid Sigma Sport 27 -
12 Martin O'Grady Team Toachim 159 @ 3.40
13 Brendan Divall 202 @ 3.50
14 10 @ 4.15
15 Matt Gator VC Deal 131 @ 4.30
16 Jon Lyons Invicta RT 155 @ 4.35
17 Paul Beales Orange Monkey 14 @ 5.10
18 Robert Howden 15 @ 5.11
19 James Wilson Sigma Sport 11 S/T
20 Bruce Mackie Lee Valley Youth CC 164 @ 5.30
21 Jack Finch VC Deal 135 -
22 Dave Nicols 8 @ 6.55
23 George Brent Addiscombe CC 9 @ 7.25
24 Dougie Fox Crawley Whlrs 204 @ 7.40
25 Ciaran O'Grady Team Toachim 2 @ 7.45
26 Matt Seaton Mosquito 203 @ 8m
27 Jason Cattermoll VC Londres 19 @ 8.29
28 23 S/T
29 Mick Bell London Fire Brigade 198 S/T
30 Sam Williamson 180
31 Phil Murrell Finsbury Pk 185
32 Rob Kennison Medway Velo 190
33 Andy Seltzer 157
34 Kevin Ball Dulwich Paragon 34
35 Ben Spurrier Rapha Condor 39
36 Ed Clark Redmon CC 25
37 Alex Baker Orange Monkey 141
38 Matt Zeitz Pearson Cycles 24
39 Corrine Hall Corridori 104
40 Matt Gallagher Brixton Cycles 188
41 Russell Jones Brixton Cycles 195
42 Ian Lobley 160
43 Charlie Codrington Dulwich Paragon 184
44 James Booth Specialized 1
45 Ian Craig 167
46 Kevin Perkins 173 @ 5 laps
47 Leona Kadir Sigma Sport 109
48 179
49 Nigel Longridge 205
50 Matt Levett 191
51 Phil Cooper 178
52 Stuart Nisbett 41
53 Duncan Rimmer 32
54 Neil McCann VC Elan 189
55 Phil Burnett Mosquito 161
56 Jon Lewis 42
57 James Drain 18
58 Steve Blackmore 162
59 Rob Wood 198
60 David Rees 11
61 Paul Gibbs 171
62 Rob Purcell 23 Winner of the Kaaboom Man of the Day
63 David Rose 21
64 103
65 182
66 James Solly 33
67 110
68 Kevin Day 37
69 Antony Lockyer 35
70 Andy Dumbigon 172
71 Paul Neville 165 4 laps
72 A Shaw 200
73 Nick Herlihy 30
74 N Barnes 183
75 Julian McGovern 163
76 199
77 201
78 170
79 169
80 174
81 108



http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60809524

Some great photos by Graham Stacey http://www.flickr.com/photos/23318875@N ... 565599799/


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