The East Kent Cyclocross League was very well attended with a total of 20 riders taking to the start line throughout the 2021/22 season. (12 Go-Ride and 8 Adults).
Hopefully, you will all be back in September and maybe we will see some new faces have a go and join the WCC CX tribe!
All 5 rounds were completed this year with each rider’s four best results counting towards the final league tables.
Here is a reminder of what happened in each round.
Round 1 Race Report – Sandwich Tech
https://wigmorecyclingclub.org.uk/race/reports/cyclocross/ekcx-12-09-2021/
Round 2 Race Report – Northbourne Park
https://wigmorecyclingclub.org.uk/race/reports/cyclocross/ekcx-rnd-2-24-10-2021/
Round 3 Race Report – Alex Paton GP, Dover
https://wigmorecyclingclub.org.uk/race/reports/cyclocross/ekcx-rnd-3-14-11-2021/
Round 4 Race Report – Lydden Hill
https://wigmorecyclingclub.org.uk/race/reports/cyclocross/ekcx-rnd-4-19-12-2021/
Round 5 Race Report – Betteshanger
https://wigmorecyclingclub.org.uk/race/reports/cyclocross/ekcx-rnd-5-16-01-2022/
Final League Tables
Under 10s
Henry Twynam 🏆
Henry had a very strong season and overall took the top spot in the under 10’s
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“Really well! I was on the podium in every race and really enjoyed it.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Betteshanger. It was fun going through the woods and in the mud.”
Will you be back next season?
“Yes of course! Because I really enjoy doing it.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I have improved on hills and enjoy doing the off-camber training we’ve been doing. I am more confident and the coaching we get at Wigmore has really helped.”
Riley Wastall 🥈
Just 4 points behind Riley finished 2nd overall in the under 10’s.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“My races went well because I got 2nd’s constantly and a 3rd.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“My favourite was Lydden Hill because it had two bits to it. Those two bits were the stones to sprint on and the technical bits.”
Will you be back next season?
“Definitely😄“
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“Sprinting, and throwing the bike forward at the finish line.”
Miles Anderson
Miles finished the season in 6th.
Q&A
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Betteshanger, I had lots of fun. Mostly running and rolling around the banks with Henry!“
Will you be back next season?
“I will be back for more cross after some BMX and Circuit this summer. “
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I learned that I need to use harder gears when it’s fast and easy gear when it’s slow.
Summer Cass
Summer finished the season 6th overall. A great effort and her first try at CX racing.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“This was my first season in CX, I entered three races this season, I found it hard! Especially in my first race when I ended upside down tangled in tape, on a tree stump!”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Astor College was my favourite course, I got a third in that race!”
Will you be back next season?
“I’ll be back next season, on my bigger bike, perhaps even another podium finish”
Ben Bailey
Ben finished the season in =8th.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“CX has gone well this year”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“I liked Betteshanger the most as it was bumpy.”
Will you be back next season?
“Definitely back next season.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I’ve learnt how to change gear and dismount/remounting, and running up muddy hills “
Ewan Delaney
Ewan finished the season in =8th.
Q&A
Which was your favourite course and why?
“My favourite course was Jon’s washing machine of doom at Go-Ride”
Oliver Young
Oliver finished the season in 10th.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“My racing went really well. This year has been my first try at racing and I loved it.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“My favourite race was Betteshanger as it was lots of fun.”
Will you be back next season?
“Yeah!!!!!”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I have learnt how to go round corners.”
Jude Tippins
Jude raced his first CX race in round 5 and finished 13th overall.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“I really enjoyed my first taste of racing this year and am looking forward to giving it another go.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“The main skills so far have been using the gears properly and having my first go at what it is like to race.”
Under 12s
Rowan Murphy 🥈
Rowan took a very impressive 2nd in the final tables for the under 12’s.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“Quite good.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Betteshanger, because I felt like I did extremely well. The muddy bit was good fun. “
Will you be back next season?
“Yes, absolutely”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“Probably power, ride faster and harder all the time.”
Joe Cass
Joe scored points very consistently throughout the season and finished 6th in the under 12’s.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“Being my first full season of CX (I only did Betteshanger in December 2020), and being in the under 12’s was challenging. My first race at Sandwich was a great race, I fell off four times but still finished! I’ve practised my cornering since then! The final race at Betteshanger was a great race too, being head to head with Miles for most of the race was good fun!”
Will you be back next season?
“I’ll be back next season, it would be good to get on the podium!”
Under 14s
Sammy Bassett
Sammy finished the season in 7th
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“I had an OK season.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Betteshanger.”
Will you be back next season?
“Of course, I will be back next year.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I learned that the placing is not important.”
Millie Dean
Millie finished the season in 8th.
Millie only rode two East Kent races this season, at Sandwich Tech and Northbourne Park. Millie’s early-season London League results were good and she had five podiums! Millie had to cut short her cyclocross season due to injury to her knee sustained at a crash in a circuit race at Colchester and came back to ride the regional champs at Cyclopark but her knee wasn’t 100% healed and she never raced cross after that.
Her favourite course this year was Canada Heights in the London League as it was a brand new course and very hilly. Millie says what she learnt this year was don’t listen to her Dad when he says ride a circuit race in Colchester! Millie’s looking forward to riding both London League and east Kent League cyclocross next year and is stepping up to the under 16 girls.
V40’s
Luke Anderson
Luke finished the season in 25th.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“I didn’t get to race much due to injury.“
Which was your favourite course and why?
“My favourite course was the new version of Betteshanger.“
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I learned that I need to try the tricky bits more on practice laps to make the most of my skills when fitness is so bad.“
Chris Murphy
Chris finished the season in 33rd.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“The first few races were a struggle due to lack of saddle time first half of the year, but felt stronger as the season went on.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Lydden Hill was my favourite full lap due to it having a bit of everything from a long straight, to a few short sharp climbs, muddy off-camber and little banks.”
Will you be back next season?
“Oh yes.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“I learned that even though I don’t finish up the front of a race, I still love every painful second of the race, and what skills did I use most? The simple answer is, I don’t have any skills lol.”
Jon Bassett
Jon finished the season in 47th.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“My season is just getting started. I feel the best is yet to come.
Kevin Ford
Kev finished the season in 79th.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“My one and only race was more challenging than i’d hoped for, having had to stop my regular daily cycle commute and therefore the chance to train to ride under effort.
I knew I was there for the fun and more importantly to support our younger members racing, so entry was a spur of the moment as the race had plenty of spaces.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“I only raced at Betteshanger, and as I knew from my one other CX race in 2019, the East Kent league is very friendly and encouraging.
The big dip was daunting to look at, but all over and done with once you had committed to it.”
Will you be back next season?
“I’m hoping to be fitter for 2022 and subject to work, joining the training sessions and entering a race or two, but just for fun.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“Jon Bassett gave me a great tip for dismounting (foot over axle when unclipped) which really helped me have confidence coming up to any dismounts. Thanks Jon.”
Dave Wastall
Dave finished the season in 82nd.
V50’s
Dave Bishop
Dave finished the season in 32nd.
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“Not as well as I thought, still an over-hang from Covid!“
Which was your favourite course and why?
“The one at the school as it’s not hilly but fast and technical and I had my best result.“
Will you be back next season?
“I will be back next season and in better shape hopefully “
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“My balance and control of slides is pretty good“
Senior
Jamie Harris
Jamie finished the season in 10th
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“This year went well and happy with 10th overall having not raced CX since the 2017/18 season. The technical cobwebs blew off pretty quickly but my fitness could have been better.
Aside from the slipping and sliding in the mud at Lydden Hill, I only had one crash which was on the off-camber at Dover so I’ll take that as a win!”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“Lydden Hill was my favourite course and the gnarly conditions suited me too.”
Will you be back next season?
“100%.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“To go hard on the straight or hilly sections and to go easy/smoothly on the technical sections.”
Cameron Carthew
Cameron finished the season in 18th
Q&A
How did your CX racing go this year?
“My racing went OK, I didn’t have many expectations as I only did one race prior to 21/22 season.”
Which was your favourite course and why?
“My favourite course was Lydden, the different terrain with steep banks and a lot of mud. It wasn’t the course that suited me the best but I enjoyed it the most.”
Will you be back next season?
“I will be back next year but for the EKCX again only.”
What do you think you learned most from your racing this year?
“From a skills side it was pretty clear I don’t have many🤣 I need to put more time into riding the Cross bike, dismounting, tight corners etc. So have a few areas to focus on”
Jamie Harris
