Hill can still be a high flyer
Last updated: 30/09/2009 12:45:00
Alan Hill showed what made him a world class rider when he found the narrowest of gaps to seize the lead in the 17-plus final in the East Anglia Championships at Norwich BMX track, subsequently holding off a challenge from a rider half his age to win by inches.
Hill's computer showed 27mph on the opening sprint, but even so Robbie Goodman of Ipswich BMX took the £10 prime at the end of the first straight.
Hill, of the promoting Norwich Flyers BMX Club, took the lead leaving the second berm, held it out of the last, and found just enough power to hold off a rapidly closing Grant Hill (Rotherham BMX) down the final straight.
The biggest crowd ever seen at the Sloughbottom BMX track watched an exciting afternoon's racing in brilliant sunshine. Highlights included a win for Nathan Hastings after a neck and neck battle with Aaron Massey in the 12-year-olds and Ben Turner's side-by-side win from George Moret in the 10s.
The sun also shone on the East Anglian CC's 10 and 25-mile time trials based near Bungay. Nevertheless David Staff, the winner of the 25 on Sunday, said: “It was a day when you had to work at it.” The light wind offered little help and increased as the event went on.
Staff won in 56:12, from Bury rider Brian Phillips (56:48) and Bobby De'ath who led the winning CC Breckland team in 57:22. Guy Stevens gave the promoting club some cheer, taking the prize for veterans aged 50-54 with his 58:36, beating his age standard by 12:33.
The ladies' award was on handicap and Sue Withey (VC Norwich) took this with her 1:08:38, to add to her similar prize the previous day for 26:18 in the “10”. Her VC Norwich clubmates took the team prize in the 10 with Stewart Lyons 22:22, Gary Funnell 24:54 and Rob Hobbs 25:02.
Gary Empson (API), from King's Lynn, returned to racing in the EACC 10, as usual at the top. He won with 20:56 on a sunny but sticky afternoon, from Duncan Murphy (21:48) and Jason Nixon of the King's Lynn CC (22:12).
Norwich fireman David Fraser had a clear win in the Eastern League veterans' cyclo-cross at Baldock. The senior/elite veteran race went to David Nichols, now racing for Arctic Premier RT, 56 seconds up on Gavin Rumbles (CC Luton).
Conditions in the CC Ashwell promotion, which zig-zagged among trees and over earth bunds in the Knights Templars School sports field, were dry and fast.
Matt Cook, from Barnham, near Thetford, was best junior, though Cambridge rider Martin Carter got past in mid-race to claim third overall.
Ian Newby (Diss & District) took 10th place and improved that to ninth the next day in the RAF 'Cross in Lincolnshire.
Ten year-old Tristan Price (PCA Ciclos Uno) looked a likely star of the future comfortably winning the under-12s. First girl was Sophie Holmes (Diss & District) who is also two years inside the age-limit.