Location: Bournemouth Cycling Centre, Dorset
Event: 13 July 2013
Report and Photos: Eamonn Deane
Matt Gittings (AW Cycles.co.uk) was an emphatic winner of the Bournemouth Arrow DernyFest, the reigning national champion laying down a marker for this year’s title.
Janet Birkmyre (Champion Systems/Maxgear/Base), while not so dominant as Gittings, did enough to win the Women’s Omnium and secure the series title with one round remaining.
On a blisteringly hot day at the Bournemouth track, Birkmyre got the first ever open meeting at the venue of to a flyer, winning the 500 metre time trial. A problem with timing saw her given a manually adjusted time, good enough to beat Ellie Coster (Bush Healthcare RT) and Anna Railton (Team ASL 360).
Two 10km Derny heats followed another first for the track. Matt Gittings, Ollie Hitchens (Peter Hansford Racing) and David Jack (BC PM) all safely negotiating their way into the major final from heat 1. Progressing from heat 2, Joshua Mitchell (Bicester Millenium), Harrison Fielding (Peter Hansford Racing) and Alex Wise (VC ST Raphael).
Back to the Omnium and Anna Railton, currently second in the national series, took the 8km points race after some aggressive riding. Ellie Coster then proved she was the best sprinter, winning the 500m event. Temperature’s continued to soar as the 30km, 120 lap, Derny final got underway.
After a heat induced, sluggish start, Ollie Hitchens was the first to show, gaining half a lap at 4km, while Gittings was content to sit at the back and watch. Hitchens started to regret his attack and as he was reeled in Gittings made his move, riding through the field and off the front. Alex Wise (VC ST Raphael) tried to respond and got within 3 bike lengths but know more.
At 7km Gittings had a lap and from there it was a master class in Derny riding. Taking pace from pilot George Gilbert he would go on to take three laps on Wise and ten on the field. Wise never gave up, working hard to the finish. Chasing Coster, Birkmyre won the 2km pursuit, clocking 2:42:31 with Railton 2:44:28.
Sarah Brook (Mulebar girl/Sigma Sport) deserves a mention, her 2:54:92 coming shortly after she had contested the minor Derny final won by John Heffernan (New Forest CC). A tactical 8km scratch race brought the meeting to a close, with the favourites watching each other, Vikki Filsel (Les Filles RT) and Laura Cheesman (Prestige VC) enjoyed some space off the front.
The move came to nothing but when Danielle Christmas (Team ASL 360) went at 5km the intent was clear. Christmas deserved the win with Cheesman and Ellie Gilham (VC ST Raphael) taking the minor places.
Members and friends of Bournemouth Arrow CC had worked hard to make this first open meeting a success and were rewarded with fine weather and hard racing. Promoter Graham Bristowe even laid on a fly past by the Red Arrows at half time!
What They Said
Janet Birkmyre “It’s been a great day of racing, the women’s racing is not always attacking but I think there was some good aggressive racing today. Organisation is fantastic; it’s a gorgeous facility, racing on a 250 track outside makes for lap gains and makes the racing much more interesting.
“It’s a shame the scratch race is the final event in the Omnium; it becomes a tactical race rather than a race to win. You know where you are in the standings so you race against the person, as the national champion I want to do the jersey credit but at the same time want to win the Omnium.”
Matt Gittings: “It was an interesting race, a slightly different track to the usual Derny races and it was good preparations for the nationals. There is a line that you need to get down and if you find it you are good to go. Jermaine Burton will be tough competition at the nationals. We tried some different tactics today.”
George Gilbert (Pacer) “It was good fun, the purpose of today was to go out there, try some new things, see where Matts breaking point was, see how hard we could push him and we found out.”
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
