WITH only two rounds left in the Calshot winter track league, Ryan James has launched a well-timed challenge for overall honours.

James has quietly crept up on Bournemouth's John Marriner over the last few rounds, taking the overall lead on Sunday.

The Lymington cyclist, who races for the Primera Bournemouth squad, is a late comer to track cycling but has a work ethic and endurance from his previous sport of triathlon and is being hottly tipped as a potential champion.

Marriner struck first in the 28-lap scratch race on Sunday, with James second and another local, Nick O'Hara, scraping in third.

But James took the points race - a test of endurance, mixed with the ability to win sprints for points every five laps - with Marriner failing to score.

Marriner showed his champion's pedigree with a win in the unknown distance race, but he was left having to finish at least second to James in the remaining events to stay within striking distance.

A new name to the league scuppered Marriner's plans, as top mountain bike racer Jamie Newall squeezed himself between the two contenders in both the Hare and Hounds and the 20km event.

James now tops the leaderboard by seven points but the overall title has been known to come down to the very last race of the series.

In the senior B League, Swanmore's Matt Coates's challenge for the overall title has come up against another young track star on the rise in Dan Manelfi, 17, from the Agiscoviner squad. Coates won Sunday's final 20km and took three second places to hold on to his second place overall.

But Manelfi extended his lead to 36 points and is almost assured of the title.

Fordingbridge youngster William Couch continues to stamp his authority on the youth events, with a whitewash of six wins out of six and organiser Tim Knight says he Couch has 'phenomenal track skills for his age'.

Knight has a knack of identifying talented youngsters. He and wife Sue have helped riders such as Commonwealth champion Nicole Cooke and many Olympians get their first taste of international competition through the British Schools Cycling Association.

RESULTS:

Senior A League, 28-lap scratch: 1 John Marriner (Bournemouth Jubilee Whlrs) 2 Ryan James (primera_bournemouth.co.uk), 3 Nick O'Hara (Sotonia CC). League points race: 1 Ryan James, 2 David Sinclair (i-team.co.uk), 3 Jamie Newall (Evans RT). Unknown distance: 1 John Marriner, 2 Ryan James, 3 Nick O'Hara. Sprint: 1 Ryan James, 2 David Sinclair, 3 Ian Greenstreet (Newbury Road Club). Hare and hounds: 1 Ryan James, 2 Jamie Newall, 3 John Marriner. Distance race: 1 Ryan James, 2 Jamie Newall, 3 John Marriner.

Junior/women and veterans - 2km scratch: 1 Ben Plain (Hargroves Cycles), 2 Steven Wrigley (Palmer Park Velo), 3 Paul Cooper (Reading CC/T3/Mar Services/Hale Partnership).

Senior B League - 28-lap scratch: 1 Dan Manelfi (www.agiskoviner.com), 2 Matt Coates (VC St Raphal/Waite Contracts/ Hewitt Cycles), 3 Mario Manelfi (www.agiskoviner.com). League points race: 1 Dan Manelfi, 2 Ben Plain (Hargroves Cycles), 3 Matt Coates. Unknown distance: 1 Dan Manelfi, 2 Matt Coates, 3 Ben Plain. Sprint: 1 Dan Manelfi, 2 Matt Coates, 3 Sarah Farmer (Team Axiom). Hare & hounds: 1 Dan Manelfi, 2 Ben Plain, 3 Mario Manlefi. Distance race:1 Matt Coates, 2 Dan Manelfi, 3 Ben Plain.

Youth Under-16, spint: Ben Plain, 2 Steven Wrigley, Warm-up: 1 William Couch (Bournemouth Arrow CC), 2 Lucy Atkinson (i-team.co.uk), 3 Patrick Roberts (BC PM South). 1km: 1 William Couch, 2 Patrick Roberts (BC PM South), 3 Nick Harris (Palmer Park Velo). Points: 1 William Couch, 2 Patrick Roberts, 3 Lucy Atkinson. Sprint: 1 William Couch, 2 Patrick Roberts, 3 Nick Harris. Scratch: 1 William Couch, 2 Patrick Roberts, 3 Nick Harris. Scratch: 1 William Couch, 2 Patrick Roberts, 3 Lucy Atkinson.