Another night of success for the Kent SLYDE Kings at Central Park on Monday (4 April) saw James Shanes score a maiden individual maximum as he swept to an emphatic victory in the British Under 21 Championship semi-final.
Taking the UK Mobile Bars Cup title; with his team mate Danno Verge coming back in spectacular style to book his own place in the national final for a first time.
Rarely at this level will there have been a more commanding and decisive victory, with the 19 year old Shanes fully justifying his status as pre-meeting favourite by reeling off five untroubled victories: a nap hand of super-fast race wins which saw the crowd’s favourite storm into what is a third consecutive British Final. On this showing there can be none of the other nine qualifiers from Monday’s meeting or the six others directly seeded to the showpiece in Sheffield in ten days’ time who will not face the threat of Kent’s Boy Wizard Of Balance with considerable trepidation.
The only rider who really seemed a challenge to the home star was Mildenhall’s hugely promising Connor Mountain – and after three rides each indeed Mountain was unbeaten alongside Shanes. All seemed set for a final heat show-down between the two terrific teens, but unfortunately for the flying Fen Tiger a coming together with the safety fence in what was to be a prolonged heat 15 led to disqualification; and though Mountain certainly pushed Shanes closer than anyone before him in that much anticipate denouncement, he certainly wasn’t going to deny the Puddletown-based racer his moment of glory as he celebrated victory to maximum effect.
The King’s Lynn trio of riders, four times GB Youth champion Nathan Greaves, Josh Bailey and surprise packet Ryan Kinsley were a powerful force – Bailey stated and finished with two heat wins whilst Kinsley’s run of two wins and a second in a mid-meeting purple patch at one point suggested he could make the rostrum. The much-fancied Greaves, though, looked set to cash in on Mountain’s misfortune but then found himself unluckily ruled out of points scoring in his final scheduled race when a helmet colour-based wardrobe malfunction saw him disqualified for failing to beat the two minutes. That ‘dot’ on his score card allowed team mate Bailey to join Mountain and the super Shanes on the rostrum.
Of the other pre meeting picks, Ellis Perks blew rather hot and cold but qualified comfortably for Sheffield , whilst Stoke’s Danny Phillips was very steady if unspectacular in gathering up a double figures score which saw him clinch fourth spot. For Liam Carr it was a night to forget – the jinx which has affected the talented Tweedsider in this event striking again: losing out of heat wins twice when leading (once by a fall; the other with bike problems) and he finished an astonishing and for the Coventry Storm man agonising 15th.
In such good form this year, local favourite Danno Verge went into the meeting with a deal of confidence that now turned 20, he could finally make it to the big Under 21s day out. A bizarre incident before his first ride when his throttle jammed open and his bike careered onto the starting green by the starting gate understandably shook him up (not to mention the startled but alert starting marshals!) and he was grateful for the reprieve Carr’s misfortune gave him by an awarded two points. But only doubling that total in the sum of his next three rides left the rider from Shorne on the absolute brink of elimination.
Only a win in his final race could save him and to the delight of the large crowd, incredibly Danno delivered: coming from last to first in the race of the night and bringing the house down!
That saw Danno take 8th. place with the two Central Park debutants Jack Smith & Jack Parkinson-Blackburn taking the final two qualifying berths. Mildenhall pairing of Alfie Bowtell & Luke Ruddick counting their misfortune as they missed out.
For Shanes & Verge, now it’s a trip up to South Yorkshire on April 14th to carry on their quest for U21 national title glory.
Shanes was presented with the very handsome looking UK Mobile Bars Cup and a generously donated cash prize from the sponsors – few now would bet on him napping more silverware in ten days’ time!
Images courtesy of Elizabeth Leslie