Jarvis wins at Redgrave on an interesting Diss course

The start of the Womens race from Diss Activity Centre Photo: FERGUS MUIR (Image: Archant)

Jarvis, who rides from the Writtle College-based Team OnForm, took the lead on the fourth lap, and subsequently hit the deck at least once as he pushed the limits, but bounced back up and stayed in front.

Early leader in the Diss CC-promoted event was Strada Sport’s Connor Rumbles who took full advantage of his first start from the front row of the grid and set a fast pace.

Seb Herrod eventually worked his way up to second with Rumbles third and Josh Jones fourth.

Cam Hurst (XRT/Elmy Cycles) took fifth spot, easing himself back after illness while Angus Toms (Iceni Velo) was sixth and best Junior, just holding off Martlesham coach Lloyd Chapman. Next came top TPH rider – Matt Day who equalled his best result of the season with eighth place.

Kieran Jarvis from Dickleburgh takes the win on home ground. Photo: FERGUS MUIR (Image: Archant)

The course at Redgrave Activity Centre packed a remarkable number of features into a compact lap on what, on the face of it, is a fairly ordinary recreation ground.

There were run-ups, hurdles, steps cut into a bank as well as the usual off-camber corners and switchbacks.

In the Women’s race visitors Louise and Charlotte Heywood-Mahé who took the top two places, with Ipswich rider Gemma Melton leading the local defence, ahead of Alison Hogg. Laura Brown was top finisher from West Suffolk Wheelers, Becky Ridge the best from TPH while Jo Newstead (XRT/Elmy) was best vet woman.

Alex Dale (Lee Valley) won the Youth race but Joseph Smith (Iceni Velo) was visibly closing towards the finish and took second place, just ten seconds ahead of clubmate Callum Laborde.

Ben Lewis (Forest Side Riders) was Vets 40-49 winner in a race where former moto-cross rider Glenn Davey was third – his best of the winter. There were also season’s best performances for Matt Denny (Maglia Rosso, 13th), Dan Blackburn (VC Norwich, 7th) and Ian Newby (5th).

Jimmy Piper’s win in the Vets 50-Plus was never in doubt. Clive Harrison (Ford CC) slipped past the usual runners-up to take second place.

Full results of the races at Redgrave can be found at : www.easterncross.org.uk

Directly after his win Kieran Jarvis Jarvis hurriedly packed up and set off for York where next day he scored his first National Trophy points – for 29th in the Senior Men.

Also at York was Ipswich rider Jack Parrish who was 17th in the Juniors - after a ride that included a head-first slide down a muddy slope, pursued by his bike. There was also a 23rd place for James Madgwick while Honington veteran Richard Muchmore was 18th in the 50-Plus race.

The next round of the National Trophy will be at Trinity Park, Ipswich on Saturday and Sunday 8th & 9th December 2018.

When Ron Back arrived for the annual lunch of the Veterans’ TTA East Anglian Group at Exning near Newmarket, he was in for a big surprise.

For the menu card revealed he had been awarded Gordon Irons Memorial Cup for Outstanding Services to the Group.

The West Suffolk Wheeler, who was himself a team competition record-breaker in 1963 when riding for the Edgware RC, has measured courses and carried out traffic counts as well as organising many time trials, in particular for the VTTA.

With no organising commitments in 2019, Ron, aged 80, is planning a serious season of racing. Rivals had better not delay too long before starting their training.

Among other members receiving trophies at the lunch were Jackie Field of CC Ashwell, Andrew Grant (Cambridge CC) and 88 year-old Peter Horsnell of the Chelmer CC, who had the largest haul of all.

Guest of Honour was Matt Bottrill, coach and former champion, who cheered local Vets when he mentioned that he won his National “25” championship on no more than eight hours training a week