Imperial Winter Circuit Series 11
Imperial Winter Circuit Series 11 2013/14
Imperial RT/Lucy Collins, pitures by Jonathan Bentham
The Final round of the Hillingdon Imperial Winter Circuit Series
The 11th and final round of the Imperial Winter Series held at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit, West London on February 8 2014.
Vince Halpern is the 2013/14 Champion
A gale force wind provided the final day’s conditions but even that was a welcome break from the torrential rain in the previous few days!
The final Ladies Go Ride race run at the same as the 4ths and it was a cagey affair with the overall still undecided: this coupled with the wind made it even more challenging as the group was only 10 in number. A bunch was therefore not unexpected and resulted in a win for Hannah Cannell (VC Londres) from team mate Christine Robson with Christine Pout (Verulam CC) in third place.
The overall results for the Go Ride Race for Ladies resulted in a win for the ever consistent Nasima Siddiqui (Wyndy Milla) from Christine Pout with Sally Stubbs (Imperial Racing Team) in third place after working so hard in all the races and missing out in the finishes.
The 4th cat race was a high voltage one with many attacks from the start and some good efforts considering the wind and it was perhaps the best of the series. The Twickenham C.C. riders were very dominant from the start with Richard Anderson and Daren Austin riding from the front but this didn’t stop Matthew Thorne (Paul Milnes Cycles) powering away solo and remaining there for the win – a classy ride. Behind him 4 riders broke clear – Huw Dymond (Reading CC), Nick Stagg (Hounslow), Ben Nichol (Amersham CC) and Rupert Baker (London Dynamo) they rode strongly to stay away from the peloton only to be caught in the final laps by Will Ranoe (VC Godalming Haslemere) and Daniel Marett.
The E123 race ran with the top overall position decided before the start, however, this was not apparent from the way the race started with the field stretched out over 150m. Oliver Moors (Speg Project 51) started the action with James Wilson (VC St Raphael) and Ed Clemens (Spirit Race Team) helping out at the front and this formed the pattern for the race. Also very active was Tim Allen (Arrow Cycles) and Clive Nicholls (Zappi’s CC) keeping the speed very high. The key move of the race occurred soon after this with four riders getting clear – consistent Josh Jones (Cambridge Uni CC), evergreen Phil Holloway (Southend Wheelers), Clemens, Wilson and Gavin Shuttleworth (Speg Project 51). The 5 worked well together all pulling hard and increasing their lead, so much so that Holloway was dropped. However, Nicholls who missed the original move saw the danger and went off on a lone chase and after 4 km latched on to the break, the effort was to tell later. With 3 km to go Clemens left the group and finished alone with Wilson just holding off Jones for second with Nicholls fourth, followed in by Shuttleworth and another Spirit Race Team Chris Dredge in the void between the break and the main group. With the overall leader Vince Halpern (Handsling Racing) making sure of his position by finishing 7th, leading in Dan Gardner (Speg Project 51) and Jerzy Kuzminski (High Wycombe CC).
Within the race the 3rd Cat. winner was Robert Seeley (Brixton CC) with two Twickenham riders performing consistently in the elite group with James Bradley and Graeme York taking second and third.
E 1 2 3 cat race
Place Club Series Points
1st Ed Clemens Spirit Race Team 1 200
2nd James Wilson VC St Raphael 1 190
3rd Josh Jones Cambridge University CC 2 180
4th Clive Nicholls Zappi’s CC 2 170
5th Gavin Shuttleworth Speg Project 51 2 160
6th Chris Dredge Spirit Race Team 1 150
7th Vincent Halpern Handsling racing 1 140
8th Dan Gardner SPEG – Project 51 1 130
9th Jerzy Kuzminski High Wycombe 2 120
10th Tim Allen Arrow Cycles 1 110
11th James Norris High Wycombe CC 2 100
12th Robert Seeley Brixton CC 3 90
13th James Bradley Twickenham CC 3 80
14th Mark Baines Spirit Race Team E 70
15th Graeme York Twickenham CC 3 60
16th Gavin Spiers GS Henley 3 50
17th Adam Thompson Reading CC 3 40
18th Angelo Christides Unattached 3 30
19th Ralph De Kanter Norwood Paragon CC 3 20
20th Jon Freeman Unattached 3 10
21st Matthew Cryer Army Cycle Union 3
22nd Nathan Hereward Kingston Wheelers 3
23rd Oliver Moors SPEG – Project 51 2
24th Phil Dempsey Aprire Bicycles 1
25th Neil Heffernan Inverse – Cycling Components RT 3
26th Riyadh Khamis Personal bike fit 3
27th Kevin Argent Sigma Sport La Fuga 3
28th Phillip Aubert Velosport
29th Will Houghton Hillingdon CC 3
30th Peter Hale Speg – Project51 Racing 2
31st Robin Basford Wyndymilla 3
32nd Damien Lodge Imperial Racing Team 3
33rd Dani Christmas SPEG – Project 51 2w
34th Mike Saunders Unattached 3
35th Louis Francis Watford Velo Sport 3
36th Jo Skelton Look Mum No Hands! 2
37th Anna Marie Hughes Bike Pure-LeMond-Aspire Velotech 2
38th Jon Shillingford Unattached 3
39th Andrew Rigg Handsling Racing 3
40th Bill Butterworth Twickenham CC 3
41st Andrew Marriott Spirit Race Team 2
42nd Matt Kerr Ipswich Bicycle club 3
43rd Mario Manelfi Blazing Saddles 3
44th Alvaro Alves Da Cunha Unattached 3
45th Ralph Keeler Cambridge CC 3
46th James Leech London Dynamo 3
4th cat race
Place Club
1st Matthew Thorne Paul Milnes Cycles/Bradford Olympic RC 4 10
2nd Will Ranoe VC Godalming Haslemere 4 8
3rd Daniel Marett Unattached 4 7
4th Nic Stagg Hounslow & District Wlrs 4 6
5th Ben Nichol Amersham RCC 4 5
6th Huw Dymond Reading. CC 4 4
7th Steve Morgan Twickenham CC 4 3
8th Sam Owen London Dynamo 4 2
9th Jim Whewell London Dynamo 4 1
10th Elwyn Powell Twickenham CC 4 1
11th Shaun Holburn Haverhill CC 4
12th Richard Anderson Twickenham CC 4
13th Alex Woods Unattached 4
14th Alberto Battaglia Dulwich paragon CC 4
15th james spackman London Dynamo 4
16th Daren Austin Twickenham CC 4
17th Steven pellowe Hounslow District Wheelers 4
18th Kerry Scotson VC Godalming&Haslemere 4
19th Mark Davison London Dynamo 4
20th Calvin Tucker Southgate CC 4
21st Elliot Brown VC Meudon 4
22nd Mark Stock Farnborough & Camberley CC 4
23rd Tim Marshall Unattached 4
24th Michael Weekes London Dynamo 4
25th Tim Childs Westerley CC 4
26th Alan Nixon Amersham RCC 4
27th Tom O’Connell Velosport CC 4
28th George Eyles Maidenhead & District CC 4
29th Ross Lindsay Unattached 4
30th Duncan Knight Hemel Hempstead CC 4
31st Carrie Hartwell Cowley Road Condors 4
32nd Simon Potter Haverhill CC 4
33rd Bonnie Van Wilgenburg Zappi’s CC 4
34th Steven Green Thames Velo 4
35th Keith Loveman Verulam CC 4
36th Jake Phipps SW Rouleurs 4
37th Tom James London Dynamo 4
Nasima Siddiqui claimed the 2013/14 title
Series Round Up – Vinnie, Vidi, Vici
This has been a year of firsts, the snow from last year being replaced by endless rain and flood, leading us to pump water off the circuit in order to race: thanks for everyone’s support with this.
Lucy produced and directed her ‘how to race at Hillingdon’ film which seemed to go down well both with new comers and the more experienced.
New venture Imperial Cycles has stepped up as principal sponsor providing 3rd (posting soon!) and 4th cat prizes. We have also enjoyed continued support from WyndyMilla – both founders now racing – and long termers Sigma Sport. Thanks to you all.
On a sombre note we had the air ambulance land on the circuit which was slightly bizarre and led to us having to abandon the race. Fortunately the Thames Velo rider is now OK and recovering well.
We introduced a Women’s Go-Race event and the support from the riders has been great and certainly looks good for the future; we will do more if we can fit them into the ridiculously tight schedule.
Apart from a few minor blips the 4ths raced without crashing the whole series and produced some great rides; anyone doubting the standard of riding needs to step up and give it a try!
It was fitting that we wrap up the series at the prize presentation with Lewis Atkins (Pedal Heaven) as guest of honour and as a recent series winner. Absent Jake Martin received the most combative rider award – when he was there he shredded everyone – so it was fortunate he was in Mallorca!
Overall winner Vince Halpern (Handsling racing) has supported us over the years and is no doubt a deserving winner – his first outright race win and overall series win after 14 years of trying just a week after Monica gave birth to their first child. He was flanked on the podium by relative newcomers James Norris (High Wycombe CC) and Josh Jones (Cambridge Uni CC).
Finally chapeau again to all our team both immediate family and extended Imperial Series crew – Doug, Maureen, Isabel, Harry, JB, Tracey, Maisy, Sally, Dan, John Mulineaux and Barry Hollis.
And I guess that’s pretty much what keeps us coming back – meeting the challenges we create and managing those that are presented to us – we hoped you enjoyed it – we did. See you next year.
Imperial Winter Series Information
Go-Race 5 of 5
Place Club Series Points
1st Hannah Cannell VC Londres 4 100
2nd Christine Robson VC Londres 4 90
3rd Christine Pout Verulam CC 4 80
4th Nasima Siddiqui WyndyMilla 4 70
5th Alexandra Hamilton Kingston Wheelers 4 60
6th Tamala McGee London Phoenix 4 50
7th Sally Stubbs Imperial Racing Team 4 40
8th Emma Derby VCL n 30
9th Hedvika Toncrova Zappis Ladies 4 20
10th Sarah Henderson VCL 4 10
11th Harriet Hollis Imperial Racing Team
12th Lise Richards Wyndymilla 4
13th Sarah Cashman WyndyMilla 4
Go-Race Leader Board
Place Club Series Points
1st Nasima Siddiqui WyndyMilla 240
2nd Christine Pout Verulam CC 220
3rd Sally Stubbs Imperial Racing Team 200
4th Hannah Cannell VC Londres 200
5th Alexandra Hamilton Kingston Wheelers 180
6th Clarice Chung Twickenham 170
7th Gem Atkinson unattached 160
8th Sasha Quarrington zappis ladies team 100
8th Sarah Odell Boom 100
8th Patricia Keegan London Dynamo 100
Series Leader Board after 11 rounds of 11 (Best of 9)
Place Club Series Points
1st Vincent Halpern Handsling Racing 1750
2nd James Norris High Wycombe CC 1380
3rd Josh Jones Cambridge University CC 1280
4th Jerzy Kuzminski High Wycombe 1090
5th Jake Martin Pedal Heaven RT 1000
6th Rory Townsend Pedal Heaven RT 690
7th Jacek Reder Unattached 690
8th Jo Skelton Look Mum No Hands! 650
9th Joshua Mitchell Bicester Millenium 620
10th Lawrence Carpenter Catford Equipe Banks 580
11th Tyler Lemmon Medway Velo 550
12th James Bradley Twickenham CC 550
13th Graham Crow Twickenham cc 520
14th Phil Holloway Southend Wheelers 460
15th Henry Furniss WyndyMilla 390
16th Dan Gardner SPEG – Project 51 310
17th Angelo Christides Unattached 300
18th Sam Humpheson Look mum no hands! 300
19th Si Cox NFTO 300
20th Alex Tinsley Twickenham CC 280
Next race 6th December 2014
