A LARGE contingent of Colchester Rovers riders battled it out at West Suffolk Wheelers, in the club’s own cyclocross championship.

The course was transformed by some heavy rain in the days before, augmented by a deluge on the morning of the third of five counting championship rounds.

Every twist and turn took on a slippery and unpredictable nature, as riders slide their way round, with heavy coatings of mud quickly covering riders and bikes.

There were good rides in the under-ten boys’ race, with George Collins and William Smith picking up seventh and eighth respectively.

Matilda Challinor picked up a strong fourth place amongst the under-ten girls, a result matched by James Clarke in the under-eight boys.

Jayden Neil was 23rd overall in the under-12 race, one place and just four seconds ahead of Lizzie Wellsted.

In the Youth race, Dan Hall was first Rover home in ninth, following an epic battle with Welwyn Wheelers’ Caelan Miller.

Oli Partner picked up 13th, while a little way back, there were determined efforts from a string of Rovers - Jack Letch, Oliver Wellsted, Tom Carson, Max Avery, George Davies, Zoe Swainston, Elliot Davies and Amelia Hopper finishing in that order.

In the Veteran 50+ men’s race, David Triggs came out on top in his contest with Peter Hall, the Rovers coach finishing 32nd, four places and 35 seconds ahead of Hall.

The women’s race saw Laura Mansel-Thomas continue her good run of form, picking up another podium finish in the Veteran category.

She was third behind Joanne Newstead of XRT - Elmy Cycles and Jackie Field of CC Ashwell.

In the men’s Vet 40-49 race, Rovers’ Andy Hurst picked up a handy 18th place, with John Letch and Evan Davies coming home 45th and 49th, ahead of Andrew Hopper and James Emerson.

In the Senior/Junior race, Rovers were again represented by father/son duo Martin Smith and Ollie Davey-Smith.

They finished in that order in the last race of the day, by which stage the course really had become something of a mud bath.