LUKE Gray (Hargroves/Trant/ Scott) secured another victory when competing in the Didcot Phoenix Cross race at Newbury Showground.

After his impressive start in the National Trophy Series, Gray made light work of the competition in the fourth round of the Wessex Series in unusually sunny and bright conditions at Newbury.

Tom Robins (Mountain High) made a good chase for Gray after a fast start, but soon tired of the relentless pace that Gray had set. He eventually finished one minute and 28 seconds down on Gray.

In fourth place was Lauren Barber (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers) who was also the first girl in the youth category.

There was some controversy before the start of the senior event when the organisers closed the entry at 80 riders. This left some riders without a race having travelled some distance to the event.

Tim Dunford (Hargroves Cycles) took the senior race laurels from Adrian Lansley (Pedal On).

The next event in the Wessex League calendar is at Crow Hill on October 28, a week later than advertised due to a clash with a motocross event.

CREECH WIN FOR ANDY

ANDY Graham (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers) took his inaugural win in the Poole Wheelers' hill-climb competition at the super-steep Creech Hill in a time of two minutes and 35 seconds to better team-mate John O'Brien by two seconds.

From a field of 24 riders, the Jubilee club also took the team prize led by Graham.

Tomorrow sees Bournemouth Jubilee host the second event of three at Kingston with the first rider off at 11am with all welcome, including non-club riders.

BACK TO MATCHAMS

THE all-weather venue of Matchams near Hurn has been missing from the local mountain bike scene for nearly 10 years, but a new series of three Sunday races is to take place.

Promoted by Future Promo-tions and starting on November 18, the new series will allow riders to compete on mountain bikes over a two-hour or four-hour race distance and a one-hour race distance for under-16s.

Other series dates are December 16 and January 27.

Pre-entry is advised and an entry form is currently available on www.bjw.org.uk PENNSYLVANIA PLACE

STUART Bowers (Hargroves/Scott UK) travelled to the United States and took third place behind fellow GB rider Rob Jebb (Wheelbase) in the ultra-endurance Iron Cross event in Pennsylvania.

Denied another crack at the Three Peaks competition this year due to the event's cancellation owing to foot and mouth outbreak restrictions, Bowers turned his attention to the American equivalent which takes place in the Michaux State Forest.

The race, set up five years ago and inspired by the British Three Peaks event, attracted 225 competitors including several international riders.

Bowers will now turn his attention to the UK National Trophy Series on October 28 at Chantry Park, Ipswich, after taking fifth place in the opening round at Abergavenny.