THERE has been a notable influx of women into the EADT Cyclo-Cross League this year and three local riders are in the top 10 in the new season's national rankings, just published - Jen Ives fourth, Susan Wood seventh and Rachel Moss eighth.

THERE has been a notable influx of women into the EADT Cyclo-Cross League this year and three local riders are in the top 10 in the new season's national rankings, just published - Jen Ives fourth, Susan Wood seventh and Rachel Moss eighth.

In the EADT League, with only four of the 15 races gone, there is plenty to race for as only the best nine results count for league positions. Rachel Moss currently leads, having won at Stevenage, Sible Hedingham and Welwyn with Jen Ives beating her at Fakenham.

Rachel is from a triathlon/adventure racing background, lives at Mayland and rides for her company club Ford CC. Jen is a former runner living near Saffron Walden who is steadily improving from her first season last year where she took 11th in the national championship.

Last year's league winner Susan Wood (Maldon & District CC) shows the family nature of cyclo-cross as both her husband and son race.

Sue will likely challenge later in the season as will newcomer to the area Peterborough's Andrea Halman who has several seasons of cyclo-cross behind her racing in the north east.

Ipswich based great GB triathlete Abbie Thorrington is the British Universities' cyclo-cross champion and should also figure if she recovers from injury.

The EADT League visits Chantry Park, Ipswich, for Round 5 this Sunday with racing starting at 11am and the women lining up with the men at 1pm.

The league has appointed reigning men's champion Shaun Aldous as women's area squad manager - The Chantry Park race will be the girls' last chance to impress Aldous before selection for the inter area championship team race at Lutterworth on November 4.

Diss CC rider Luke Newby went to the Bourne Wheelers cyclo-cross in search of training on hills and very nearly came out on top of the Youth race to boot. The 15-year-old from Garboldisham finished second, less than half a minute down on young local expert Alistair Slater. The course mixed singletrack and fire road among the autumn colours in Bourne Woods which slope down to the fens behind the Lincolnshire town of the same name.

In the Senior race father Ian Newby was not so fast on the climbs, but made up for it in the technical sections, though a puncture dropped him to eighth place.

Ipswich BC's U16 rider Tom Castle travelled to Kent to race in the London Cross League race at Rainham. He recovered from a poor start to finish second to Hugo Humphreys (Lee Valley Youth CC), 20 seconds adrift.