Lap points here – Report only includes those that actually scored points.
Finish report here – is only the final finish line placings on the last lap.
Race Report – 9 Feb 2021 Upper Manaia Kermesse GR
The circuit for this race is a 7km loop with the start/finish on Upper Manaia Rd, left into Boundary Rd, right into Donald Rd, left up Westbush Rd and then left onto the finish straight. It’s a flat circuit with a couple of tricky corners waiting to catch out the unwary rider. Notably the turns into Boundary Rd and onto the finish straight on Upper Manaia.
A kermesse is a circuit race that’s longer than a criterium but shorter than a road race. Apparently a popular race format in Belgium. Last night was a graded from B to E with a short course for junior riders. Some discussion on the start line resulted on the two A grade riders amalgamating with B grade.
This format has the riders sprinting for points on each lap as they approach the finish line. Points are allocated to the first four across the line. The format led to a lot of tactical racing with riders jockying for position as they approached the sprint point and working hard to stay off the front of their group as they negotiated the remainder of the circuit.
In total 35 riders presented themselves to the start line including 6 for the junior course. Conditions were good, warm with moderate NW wind. Out on the course speeds were very high along the start/finish and down to the turn into Boundary Rd. From here to the finish straight the wind had an effect especially on the drag up Westbush Rd.
The results on the ACM web site are in two parts; lap points and finish line place. Only the lap points are noted below.
NB Female riders have not been split out as a separate catagory for this format
B Grade
1st M Langland 20
2nd D Simmonds 11
3rd P James 7
C Grade
1st R Blade 12
2nd S Griggs 11
3rd L Kent 11
D Grade
1st D Burkhart 11
2nd T Jenkinson 9
3rd S Hannam 6
E Grade
1st D van Der Leek 12
2nd N Henderson 11
3rd G Baillie 5
Junior Grade
1st A Percy 8
2nd S McCallum 8
3rd J Blackburn 4
Next race Tues 16 Feb ACM Hill Climb Champs – Rangitumau ITT
Leave a Reply