20-Mar-82
20-Mar-82
| Crescent RC Criterium |
SCORING his first success in the colours of his new club, the Gosforth RC Steel Cycles, the North-east's leading international, Joe Waugh, won the opening event of the Crescent RC criterium series at Newton Aycliffe.
In a late move, Waugh and Sunderland Clarion's John Campbell, the runner-up, slipped from the 60-strong field and rode clear, leaving the rest to fight it out for third place.
The pace was fierce from the off, producing the fastest time ever for the event.
Hilton McMurdo, the Middrldge CRT rider, was one of the earliest to hit the front, starting the action which produced almost constant attacks as riders chased the lap points which will decide the overall series competition.
Constantly among the attackers were Waugh, Stuart Morris (Dinnington RC-Universal), Jonathan Clay (Leeds RRC), Gordon Panicca (Thornaby CRT-Been Bag), Hugh Cameron and Gary Cresswell (Manchester Wheelers-Trumanns Steel), Paul Curran (Stockton Wheelers) and Gary Cottam (Chesterfield Coureurs).
But with two laps left, Waugh moved clear of the rest, Campbell being the only other rider to react to the decisive move and a lap later they were eight seconds ahead of the bunch.
Riding away from Campbell, up the finishing straight, Waugh claimed his first win of the season, two seconds ahead of the Sunderland Clarion rider as the rest of the field, ten seconds behind, wound up to a big-sprint finish for third place.
Curran hit the line first, just easing out Morris in the closing yards.
Kevin Byers (Thornaby CRT-Been Bag) started the junior and third category series by accumulating a massive 33-point total in the overall lap competition as he repeatedly outsprinted Dave Lund (Middridge CRT), Mike Gilby (Hambleton RC) and Paul Nicholson (Cleveland Wheelers).
But his chance of winning the opening event at Aycliffe was snatched away by Rob Allan (Halifax RC) at the line, leaving the Thornaby CRT rider in second place with Lund and Nicholson claiming third and fourth places ahead of Chris Armstrong (Teesside Clarion).
The final points tally left Waugh at the head of the senior competition holding 16 points ahead of Morris with ten and Panicca and Curran sharing third place with nine.
1. Joe Waugh (Gosforth RC Steel Cycles)
2. John Campbell (Sunderland Clarion) st
3. Paul Curran (Stockton Wh) at 10secs
4. Stuart Morris (Dinnington RC) st