Bumper Junior Super Series Shows Promise For The Future
The Junior Super Series was a new addition to the programming in 2018, designed to get kids who were keen on racing more crits a few extra races on the calendar. Fast forward to 2019, and some of the first year teething problems have been ironed out (we’re still getting there, but it’s better) with the new Junior Super Series comprising of 4 rounds, all criteriums, all at once-a-year crit venues that even the adults barely get to ride on, and all of them after the October age-grade-change date.
Juniors from U13-U17 would race in A, B or C grade, with the little ones in Under 11 and Under 9 racing in their age categories. U19s could already race up in the senior categories, and some did very well for themselves! The first round would be held at Vic Park XL (Super Series Round 5), with the HALO Aldinga Beach Criterium, Murray Bridge Criterium and the Unley Oval Reserve Criterium making up the last three rounds.
Under 9/Under 11
In the Under 9 category, Emerson Rossi was looking to be the only entrant as we came into Round 1, but a last-minute entry from Austen Decker meant they both at least had someone else to race! Austen would prove his tiny little legs could spin fast enough to keep up with the tail-end of the Under 11 race, and he would race the next three races combined with them to take out the Under 9 Series win. In Under the 11 Boys, Luca Schmidtke would take the win in Rounds 1, 3 and 4, with Ryan Underwood taking the win in Round 2 and claiming the Series win with two seconds and a third in the other rounds. Close behind was Alec Hume-Phillips, whose consistency was enough to earn him the second step on the Series podium ahead of Schmidtke. Emelia Brinkley took out the Under 11 Girls Series win uncontested, but it didn’t stop her from racing with the boys each round!
Junior C
Angus Corbett took an early win from Will Brown and Sebastian Willis-Hell, but it was Brown who would come back swinging in the subsequent three rounds and take wins in all three crits and the Junior C Boys Series overall. Corbett came off second best in the final three rounds to take second in the Series, and Liam Underwood rounded out the podium with a consistent performance in all four rounds. Gabrielle Mahney raced three rounds of the Series and placed in the top 6 each time to take out the Junior C Girls Series from a storming Rhiannon Bryant and Paige Squire, who came to the Series halfway through but finished with a 3rd place each at Unley and Murray Bridge respectively, and took out 2nd and 3rd spot on the Series placings. An honourable mention to Tara Fitzpatrick, who only raced at Aldinga but claimed third spot behind Will Brown and Angus Corbett there, too.
Junior B
A massive Junior B field took to each round of the Junior Super Series, with 22 different riders each pinning on numbers across the Series. Michael Mervyn Bryant would storm through every round and win the Boys Series unanswered, but it was the rock-solid Nathan Crick who would finish in second place overall with top 6 finishes throughout. Will Mathwin took out third spot from Cooper Warren and Annabelle Kelly took out the Junior B Girls Series with enough points to finish 5th in the Boys grade. Summer Nordmeyer and Alice Brathwaite took out second and third in the Girls Series, with Inneke Beggs, Ava Schmidtke and Daisy Braithwaite all finishing just off the podium. Some changes to the way the points are awarded in 2020 will make sure that the girls get a fair race amongst themselves as well as getting to race the boys!
Junior A
In a grade full of talent, Leo Zimmerman shone at the first two rounds of the Junior Super Series, taking clean wins from Sam Golding at Vic Park XL and Aldinga Beach before he unfortunately injured himself leaving him out of the remainder of the Series. Golding would go on to win convincingly at Murray Bridge, and even lapped the field at Unley – no mean feat given the calibre of rider in the bunch – and take the Junior A Boys Series win in the process. Strong rides and podiums throughout the Series from Jacob Bos and Wil Holmes were not enough to get them on the podium overall, but Josh Cranage showed consistency was key in taking out second place from Willis Leinert who finished strong with two 3rd places in the last two races for 3rd overall. Zimmerman was unlucky to finish just a single point outside the podium placings overall. Jacqui Voltz finished in the top ten and scored points at three rounds to take out the win in the Junior A Girls Series from Tess Wight and Mirella Willis-Hell.
Overall, 62 junior riders took part in at least one round of the 2019 Junior Super Series, and we hope that they all return with a friend in 2020! We’ll probably have to get some much smaller SCODY Leader’s Jerseys for them all!