The Wirral Hundred club’s fourth championship round of the year over the weekend of 30th & 31
st July used the 1.55 mile Anglesey Coastal circuit on the Saturday and the 2.1 mile International circuit on the Sunday.
Not only did this present a unique and popular challenge to its regular competitors but it also attracted a number of national riders having a break from competing in BSB support classes, and several of these took the opportunity to boost their self-confidence. Top of these were Johnny Blackshaw, currently 21
st in the National Superstock 1000 series and Sam Coventry all the way from Portsmouth and currently 20
th in the British Supersport series – these two riders were unbeaten in the four Powerbikes and Formula 600 races across the weekend, whilst Blackshaw also won the two Anglesey Senior Open races. Sean Neary, currently 3
rd in the Ducati TriOptions Cup, made his debut in the Golden Era Superbike races aboard a friend’s GSXR750 Suzuki, and again was unbeaten across the weekend. Teenager Joe Thompson, Sam Coventry’s Road and Racing Performance team-mate, had a spectacular fall at the Corkscrew on Saturday but with his bike repaired for Sunday he had a 2
nd, a 3
rd, and a 4
th, whilst another member of the team 14- years old Josh Hodge on his 250 KTM secured two wins and two 2nd’s in the 100-500cc Allcomers races.
The weekend also saw impressive rides from the Wirral Hundred regulars – Barry Furber was unbeaten in both the 650 Twins and Anglesey Lightweight Open races, likewise Chris Ganderton in the Pre-Injection class, whilst Matt Jones (Powerbikes), John Price (100-500cc Allcomers and Forgotten Era), and Jon Wright (Golden Era Supersport) each consolidated their championship leads. In the Formula 600 class, however, none of the leading championship contenders had particularly good weekends, and the absent Jamie Devine stays on top, but now with Chris Eden, Simon Napier and Adrian Kershaw closing the gap.
Wirral Hundred’s fifth and final race meeting of the year is on 8
th & 9
th October, when not only will the 2016 club championships be decided, but it will also see the 23
rd running of the iconic ‘Anglesey Grand’ – for invited riders, run over two legs, and with £2,000 of prize money at stake.
Photos by Neil Lambert