Perseverance eventually paid off for Whittington’s Steve Clayton when he took his first National title at the National Masters Track Championships at Newport last weekend. Steve Clayton took the mens scratch race by the scruff of the neck to secure his first ever gold medal in a National Championship. Forcing a three man brake in the latter stages the three stayed away with Clayton too strong for the other two in the sprint for the line. After being so close for several years Steve finally got his just rewards for all the hours of training when he climbed on to the top step of the podium to receive his gold medal and national champions jersey. And he nearly followed it up with another in the points race but despite fighting to the end had to settle for silver. Steve could easily have come home with a medal from all the events he entered missing out in the 750 time trial by 4/10ths of a second and after a personal best of 3:41 in the 3km pusuit he was again just short of a medal by 2/10ths of a second.

Also competing at the National Championships were Ed Coppinger, Paul Askey and Graham Truelove. Unfortunately all three narrowly missed out on podium places. Ed rode a superb pusuit to post a new PB and Paul qualified 3rd fastest in the sprint but was unlucky to get eliminated in the heats. Graham was still suffering the effects of his fall the previous week and wasn’t able to produce his usual form. All 4 look to take the form forward to the European Championships in Manchester in 3 weeks time.

Steve also organises the youth races at Curborough and his success will be an inspiration to many of those who were competing last Saturday. And like at Newport velodrome there was plenty for the Lichfield club to celebrate. In the under 8’s Daniel Cooper won the time trial was second in the first race then won the third. Josie Nelson was the best girl, mixing it with the boys, to finish ahead of Sarah Marnoch. Adam Stanley and Will State were also at the forefront of affairs in all three races and there were some tremendous performances from young Connor Smith who despite being 6 was only just behind. In the under 10’s Harry Yates took the first bunch event but had no answer to Lucy Nelson who stuck it to the boys by winning the final race. Another newcomer, Charlie Cox, gave a very good account of himself sticking with the leaders until he couldn’t hang on any longer. In the under 12’s Josh Nelson finished strongly in the first bunch race. Relative newcomer Rosie Cox is developing week by week and showed her potential battling it out with Emily Capewell in each of the races. Also showing great improvement are Matthew Sisley, Jonathon Groves and James Roberts who worked hard driving a small group that finished just behind the leaders.

The under 14 and 16’s are combined in a race that lasts around an hour and it is a pretty tough experience for our first year under 14’s. Jacob Kelly just missed out in the sprint by half a wheel. Emily Nelson was matching the eventual winner of he girls but had to pull out half way through. Isabelle Clarke and Tiffany Fletcher worked hard pacing each other and Isabelle showed great determination after being dropped in the closing laps to fight back and pip Tiffany on the line and take 2nd place.

They all know look to do it all again at Curborough this weekend.