Kieran Norris rose to the challenge that was set by two of the emerging talents in British Junior racing, Euan Kick and Zak Vinter, to win the British Indoor title. Vinter, as the leading British racer, took the plaudits as British Champion while Norris took the race win. Vinter took second with Jordan Fellows taking third. Euan Kick had been in second overall after the first run but crashed out on the second run as he tried to chase down the advantage Norris had after the first run. ...
The British Indoor Men's Championship race saw a quality start list with a number of Delancey British Junior Team racers as well as a number of past racers who were eager to pit themselves against the rising talent of today. While it could be argued what did the top racers have to gain by racing in this level of race, the simple answer to this is that first of all this is a British Championship title and secondly, the racers are keen to measure themselves against their peers. Bragging rights are rife when it comes to racing. With the lure of challenging some of the leading racers there, hopefully more racers will put their talent on show next year.
Norris took the lead after the first run down the Mark Vinter set course with Kick, Vinter and Fellows all in close attendance to the Irish racer. Surprise package Sam Carson, Robert Trebilcock and Matthew Thompson were all within half a second of the leader. The second run promised to be an exciting affair as the men tackled the Carl Ryding set second run.
It was great to see some of the racers of the last few years back on the start list including Tom White, now a coach with Ambition; Ashley Hill, now a student at Northumbria University and not forgetting Marc Telling. If the current racers thought that they would have it easy, the past racers were there to push them to the limit.
While the men did not make as many errors on the tricky delay gate into a reverse hairpin, Marc Telling was the most notable casualty in this section. Kick, after straddling the first gate, came out lower down the course.
With nine of the top ten in the finish all taking podiums in their age groups, the top six finishers were all within a second of the race winner. Norris had held a slender four hundredths of a second lead after the first run and with the top thirty going in reverse order, pressure was on to go for the win for all.
Between seventh (Matthew Thompson) after the first run and fourth, Jordan Fellows, the gap between each racer was tight. Thompson pulled a hundredth back on Robert Trebilcock but this was not enough to overhaul Trebilcock's lead. Sam Carson edged further in front of Trebilcock and then Fellows went even faster. For those watching, this was great to see. This was exciting racing and bodes well for the future.
If the gap between each racer had been close, Vinter came down and showed that he is one of the promising young racers that people should watch out for. This was not just a comfortable run down and a social call for Vinter, he was going all out for the win. Vinter took the lead and then had to wait and watch and see what Kick and Norris could do.
Kick was going for it hard but a mistake at the top saw him pull out half way down. It would not be a double win for the Scot.
Norris was last of the top thirty racers to go courtesy of his lead after the first run. The advantage he held after the first run was fourteen hundredths so Norris could not rest. Norris, with his coach, Marc Telling, watching in the finish after his run, put in the fastest run of the day to take a deserved Overall win.
The standard of racing was great to see in an age that sees Alpine constantly being belittled. Great support from all the organisers and parents was evident and matched the effort being put in by the racers.
The age groups wins went to Toby Case (Under 14, 18th equal overall); Thomas Rascagneres (Under 16, 12th equal overall); Zak Vinter (Under 18, 2nd Overall); Kieran Norris (Under 21, Race Winner); Robert Trebilcock (Senior, 5th Overall) and Matthew Ingle (Masters).
British Indoor Championship Men
Picture: Kieran Norris on his way to winning the British Indoor Championships at Chill Factore, Manchester. Credit Racer Ready - all rights reserved
More pictures from the racing are on www.racer-ready.ifp3.com
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