REGIONAL CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPS

AFTER settling for second last year, Arctic Premier RT ace Darren Barclay moved up to the top of the podium in the South East Regional Cyclo-Cross Championships in Kent on Sunday.

Last year?s winner Jamie Newall (VC Meudon) was beaten to the double by Barclay, who crossed the line 27 seconds ahead at the end of nine laps of a course at Wilmington.

Elsewhere, Stuart Bowers (Hargroves Cycles) successfully defended his title with a three-minute win over team-mate Matt McDonald, who was fastest under-23 over the course at Swindon, Wiltshire.

Nick Craig (Scott UK) took full advantage of Dave Collins? misfortune to win the Midlands Championship at Bakewell in Derbyshire.

Collins had been leading but broke his rear mech and packed shortly after having to run virtually a full lap to get back to the pits. By the time he was back on a good bike he was tenth, Craig had gone and his race was over.

The former British Champion, Craig held off Lutterworth Cycles? Carl Sturgeon for the victory by almost two minutes, while Zepnat RT?s Jim Bryan was third.

Plowman Craven?s Ross Creber was crowned Scottish champion after crossing the line 1-40 ahead of Edinburgh RC?s Greig Walker at Caird Park in Dundee.

The 20-year-old from Fife won on a course which had to be revised at the eleventh hour because of thick ice on parts of the planned course.

Elsewhere, under-23 ace Ben Roach (Wyre Forest CRC) won the Welsh Championship by 36 seconds from Lee Williams (Abergavenny RC), while the North of England Championship was postponed because of thick ice across almost all of the car park at Hetton Lyons Country Park.

Organisers hope to re-run the event on January 3, subject to British Cycling approval.