Press Office

Winter Regional Round 1 - 29th October 2006  

The Royston Rockets BMX Racing Club made the first trip of the winter season last Sunday to compete in the first round of the East Anglian Winter Series in Peterborough. The weather was warm and sunny and the wind dropped to give the riders a good track to race on which made a pleasant change from some of the summer series rounds. Almost 90 riders from around the region took part and the format of the day’s event made for some very competitive racing with all riders having at least five chances of showing of their racing skills.

 The youngest class are nominally 7 years and under and are known as Formula 5 and all of Royston’s four riders in the class made the main final with Ethan Vernon taking 2^nd just ahead of Daniel Blanche in 3rd and Oliver Snelling in 4^th with Ted Dalleywater finishing in 7th. In Formula 4 for 8-10 year olds, the Rockets riders had more “A” final success with Ethan Lewis taking 7^th and Aaron Dalleywater in 8^th whilst in the B final Zak Foreman took 6^th. All three Rockets made the A final of Formula 3 (11-13 years) with James Handleigh taking the win and Louis Burton finishing in 4th whilst Ben Gutteridge took 6^th. The two Royston riders in the Formula 2 class had variable success with Wayne Gutteridge making the “A” final to finish in a fine 5^th place whilst Anthony Taylor qualified for the B final where he came home in 6^th.  The last class on the track was Formula 1, which had no less than 29 riders taking part with a range of skill and age including European Champions and Dads out for a bit of exercise! Two Rockets made the “A” final with Richard Townsend taking 3^rd with Jonathan Roberts in 6^th and in the B final James Dalleywater took 3^rd and Danny Bateman finished in 8^th whilst in the C final Darren Foreman took 3^rd with team mates Paul Bateman and Andy Murley taking 7^th and 8^th respectively.

 The Formula part of this series makes riders who win move up one class for the next round whilst those who come last will move down one class and it is good to note that whilst two of Royston’s riders will move up a class at the next round in the series at Norwich on November 19^th where the Rockets will again be out in force, none of the club members will be dropping down a class.

 Full details of forthcoming club and regional events are published on the club web site at www.roystonrockets.co.uk, or ring 01763 260959 for more information on BMX racing.