Carling wins by a second

ONLY a second separated the top two as a recently-modified track at Pleinmont helped produce some exciting races. Jimmy Carling and Rob Smart could not be separated until the final sprint finish of the 12-lap elite race in round three of the Guernsey Velo Club's Arrowsmith Marlowe/Ian Brown's Cycle Shop mountainbike summer series.

The course incorporated a lap of the motocross track on each circuit plus twisty single-track and long fast-track sections.

No race was tighter than the elite. The motocross track allowed the riders to keep the tempo high, using the bermed corners.

The first lap saw the riders jostling for position near the front. Soon, two, Carling and Smart, formed a partnership at the front, working well to open a comfortable gap over third-placed Nick Mann.

The leading duo were not to be separated for the whole race, thus resulting in a tight sprint finish. Smart led onto the track; Carling had other ideas and forced his way to the front as the riders approached the finish by the 'big dipper'.

They flew down the dip and gave all they could up the opposite side, Carling still holding the slight advantage at the top. The pair gave their all for the final 20 metres to the finish - Carling crossed the line in 1-20.25 to take the victory by just one second from Smart. Mann held third spot throughout the race to finish in 1-27.44.

The advanced race was a one-man show, with James Roe dominating from start to finish.

He lapped every competitor in his class and caught and passed several elite riders in the process, his nine laps taking him 1-05.55. Veteran Pierre Paul came home second, with Steve James third.

The sports, under-16s and under-14s raced over four laps of the course.

Jack Sunderland flew around it, obviously to his liking, to register another class solo victory. His four laps took 31.33.

The race for second was a tight affair, with under-16 riders Peter Lee and Josh Owen close throughout.

Lee opened a gap at half-distance only to see Owen close on him on the last lap.

Lee held on to claim the runner-up spot in 34.10, with Owen five seconds back in third.

Nathan Baudains was the first under-14 to finish, in fifth spot overall in 34.51. Tina Coutanche was the first woman home, in 16th in 40.56.

In the under-12s' race over three shorter laps, Robert Paul took the honours from Stuart Sunderland in second and Alex Wilson third. Alex Falla once again claimed the under-10s' race over two shortened laps, with Michael Mann second and Maddie Wilson the first girl to finish in third.

George Payne took the under-eights' one-lap race, finishing in 6.00. Bradley Smith came home second in 6.22.