IF THE organisers of Sunday's Birchmere Cyclo-cross feared Saturday's bad weather might leave their course unridable and their event in jeopardy they need not have.

Riders in the Halfords and Primera Bournemouth sponsored race set off in completely dry conditions on course resplendent in all the elements needed for fantastic cyclo-cross.

The sport requires a combination of lightning-quick reflexes and superb cycling skills, mixed with the ability to dismount and run with bike on shoulder.

Competitors thought the Birchmere course, with its fast woodland stretches, technical sections and obstacles that forced the riders off their bikes, was the best they have encountered all season.

Organiser Colin Price has a unique attitude towards event promotion. He makes sure every rider receives a prize, instead of a large prize for first place.

It's a refreshing outlook in an increasingly elite sporting world.

It is always a privilege to observe a youngster coming through and sticking with a sport and Phillip Gough from Chandler's Ford is one such example.

The Portswood Cycles RT teenager is starting to break through and win at senior level, despite still holding a junior licence.

Young Gough took the Poole Wheelers race by eight seconds, coming home ahead Phil Smith, the first of an increasingly strong band of riders sponsored by the Southampton shop GA Cycles.

GA placed no fewer than six riders in the top ten, with Tony Green fourth and first veteran Gary Allen sixth, John Samways seventh, Tom Budd eighth and Trevor Hillier rounding out the top ten.

With that many riders from the one team in the race, it makes Gough's victory all the more impressive.

Calshot velodrome with its steeply-banked banked boards was again the venue for the latest round of the Calshot winter track league.

Another junior rider, 17-year-old Matt Coates from Swanmore, put in some fantastic performances against senior opposition.

Coates, of the Portsmouth-based VC St Raphael-Wates Contracts squad, used his rapidly increasing track craft to good effect to win two events at either end of a rider's physical capacity.

Coates's victory in the points race reveals a rider rich in endurance, but his win in the match sprint also demonstrates that the youngster has great speed and power. For a track rider, this combination is a gift indeed.

Coates's performances put him second in the overall series, just four points behind current leader Alex Aldham-Breary, who is currently out of action due to a freak accident. Results:

Senior A League:

28-lap scr: 1 George Olive (North Road CC), 2 Ryan James (Primera-Bournemouth.co.uk), 3 Simon Saunders (SP Systems- Wightlink RT/MCS/The Sign Shop).

Points race: 1 Ryan James, 2 John Marriner (Bournemouth Jubilee Whlrs), 3 Nick O'Hara (Sotonia CC).

Unknown distance: 1 Ryan James, 2 Simon Saunders, 3 George Olive.

Distance race: 1 Simon Saunders, 2 Ryan James, 3 John Marriner.

Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers:

Junior/women and veterans: 1 Dan Manelfi (Freeriders Cycles RT), 2 Paul Cooper (Reading CC / T3 / Mar Services/Hale Partnership), 3 Matt Coates (VC St Raphal/Waite Contracts/Hewitt Cycles).

Senior B League:

Points race: 1 Matt Coates, 2 Dan Manelfi, 3 Steve Harris (Team Trackcycling.co.uk / Fordthorne).

Sprint: 1 Matt Coates, 2 Dan Manelfi, 3 Diz Carey (Royal Navy & Royal Marines).

Cayouth U12/U10/U8:

Warm-up: 1 William Couch (Bournemouth Arrow CC), 2 Jonathan Dibben (Chapel Tri Stars), 3 Matt Legg (Palmer Park Velo).

YOUTH U12/U10/U8:

1km: 1 William Couch, 2 Jonathan Dibben (Chapel Tri Stars), 3 Matt Legg (Palmer Park VeloHalfords Primera).

Bournemouth Birchmere Cyclo Cross:

Result: 1 Phillip Gough (Portswood Cycles RT) 55min 30sec, 2 Phil Smith (GA Cycles) @8sec, 3 Tim Fey (Mid Devon) @40 sec, 4 Tony Green (GA Cycles - 1st vet) @1min 5sec, 5 Tim Carpenter @1min 5sec, 6 Gary Allen (GA Cycles) @2min 11sec, 7 John Sanways (GA Cycles) @2min 11sec, 8 Tom Budd (GA Cycles) @3min 30sec, 9 Jason Blann (Team Luciano) @3min 46sec, 10 Trevor Hillier (GA Cycles) @3min 46sec.