A unique event took place at Lichfield’s Friary Grange Leisure Centre on Friday 9th January as the Worlds first ever Wattbike Racing League held its first event.
A field of 27 riders had entered the inaugural event using the revolutionary Wattbikes, as used by Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and other members of the GB Olympic Cycling Team.
The entrants had all been split into 3 groups and would take it in turn to contest the 6 races for each group. The initial event of the evening was a 750m sprint, equivalent to 3 laps of a velodrome, the all out effort was however not a gentle introduction to the evenings races. Group 1 winner was Neil Lawford in a time of 55.01, Dave Smith won Group 2 in 52.21 and Steve Clayton won group 3 in 46.60. Fastest Lady was Julie Cooper in 56.83
Lichfield Wattbike League
The next event was the Devil take the Hindmost. In this event the last rider over a set distance, usually 250metres, is eliminated until just 3 riders remain. These then contest the final finish line sprint to determine final placing.
A short respite led riders into the 500m handicap event. This short sprint sees riders set off at different time intervals with the intention being to achieve a massed sprint for the finish line. The Points race in which the first 4 riders to reach set distances scores points then followed.
The 500metre Team Sprint saw riders paired up, in order to race 250metres each and their cumulative time used to determine finish positions. The fastest time of the evening went to Paul Askey and Gary Gee with a combined time of 26.69. Second and third places were close with Dave Nelson and Steve Clayton achieving 28.14secs and Paul Smith and matt Gee achieving 28.15 secs.
The final event of the evening was a scratch race, quite simply a race over a set distance with the first person over the finish line being the winner.
In Group 1 Dave Kershaw was 1st over the 3km distance followed by Debbie Capewell and then Sue Smith Group 2’s event again over 3km was won by Graham Birch, followed by Mark Stodgell and Stuart Clayton. Group 3 racing over the longer 4km was won by Steve Clayton, with Matt Gee in 2nd and Ed Coppinger in 3rd place.
The overall group placing for the league means that in Group 1 Neil Lawford leads followed by Dave Kershaw and Stuart Clark. Group 2 is led by Graham Birch followed by Warren Holmes, with Stuart Clayton and Mark Stodgell in equal 3rd In Group 3 Steve Clayton leads with Paul Askey 2nd and Ed Coppinger in 3rd.
The next event takes place on Friday 16th January at the Friary Leisure Centre. For more information please contact Phil Kelly at the leisure centre on 01543 308842 or Nigel Capewell on 07768 560 932
