Erin Boothman won an enthralling elimination final to kick off Sunday evening’s racing. The Scottish rider was one of six in the final – a race that would be interrupted by a crash involving Anna Morris at the midpoint.
Millie Thomson (Solas Cycling) rode to her best result of the weekend in 14th while Kate Richardson scored another top ten for Handsling-Alba, in ninth.
Heading into the final five, Morris, Boothman as well as Katie Archibald, Maddie Leech and Sophie Lewis would battle out for the medals.
Boothman would lead out the sprint of those remaining, but there would be no elimination with five remaining, due to the lack of a noticeable gap between a number of riders.
Leech and Lewis would drop away leaving two medals for the Glasgow riders, but which colour would they be?
Morris, seemingly unaffected by the fall moments earlier, would lead out the sprint and hold off the Scots duo – with Archibald in the Dooley’s Cycles kit having to settle for bronze.
Boothman and Morris would go to the top of the banking heading into the final tour. The Jayco rider would launch her move with one lap to go – powering down the track and distancing her Welsh opponent.
By the time the two had come round onto the home straight Boothman had her arms aloft – celebrating her first, and you certainly wouldn’t bet last, solo senior British title.
Iona Moir claimed silver in the women’s sprint. The Scottish sprinter had won her semi-final against Rhianna Parris-Smith in straight rides but came across European Champion and World Record holder Emma Finucane.
After going down in the first ride of the final, Moir put up a strong fight against the in-form Welsh wonder in the second heat, but had to settle for silver.
Maddy Silcock and Ellie Stone had strong rides in sprint qualifying, with Stone riding to a 11.029.
After defeating Team Inspired’s Georgette Rand, Stone would bow out in the quarter final stage after a hardfought battle with aforementioned Finucane.
Lauren Bell would narrowly miss out in the quarter finals to Rhian Edmunds in a tight battle 2-1.
Pete Mitchell ended Sunday evening’s action with a strong performance in the men’s keirin.
European Champion Matty Richardson led it out, but Mitchell came over the top in the final bend in a bid to claim a medal, but narrowly missed out on third, settling for a very creditable fourth.
Lyall Craig and Anthony Young bowed out in the semi-final stage after a solid performance. They rode well in the minor final to claim eighth and tenth place overall.
Saturday 21st February
An enthralling women’s points race kicked off Saturday night’s racing, with Katie Archibald claiming bronze. Archibald was part of a group of five that claimed a lap along Erin Boothman (Liv AlUla). Archibald as well as eventual winner Anna Morris waited to complete their lap gain at the perfect time to take the sprint points alongside the 20 for the lap gain.
A late attack from Boothman nearly served up a vault into medal positions for the young Glaswegian with a half lap deficit opening up to the main field. However, with eight laps to go and a lack of reinforcements to share the work, the Scot sat up and claimed points in the final sprint to finish fourth.
Eilidh Shaw (UAE Development) would fire the final salvo of the race with a late attack in the final four laps to break clear – however the Airdrie native was caught by Morris and co. in the final straight – picking up two points and securing tenth, just behind Handsling-Alba’s Kate Richardson in ninth.
In qualifying – a Scots trio attacked to take a lap and qualify themselves for the final – Shaw, Jenny Holl and Archibald alongside Maddie Leech rode off the front to pick up the 20 points required to qualify for the evening’s final. In the other heat, Kate Richardson, Arabella Blackburn and Boothman who all picked up laps to secure their spot.
Lauren Bell claimed bronze in the keirin final. Drawn in position three, the Forres sprinter allowed herself to drop to the back of the group before launching her move with just over a lap to go, settling back into third position before making a last ditch effort to claim silver which was narrowly decided in favour of Lowri Thomas on the line.
Ellie Stone, Iona Moir and Maddy Silcock all finished fourth and fifth in their semi-final rides, narrowly missing out on the final. Moir won the minor final from Stone by mere millimetres with Silcock in third – to sew up places seventh to ninth.
Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin were in the rainbow bands as they looked to defend their title won 12 months ago in the tandem individual pursuit. The duo went within three seconds of their World Record in qualifying, and faster than their world record time from last February.
In the final, the world champions caught their opponents just over halfway through the event.
Fin Graham won his third gold medal of the week in the men’s C1-3 kilometre, with an excellent performance from Calum Deboys to take the bronze medal. The Ayrshire rider bounced back from a crash in yesterday’s elimination race to ride to a 1:13.011 which was enough to take the bronze medal.
In the team sprint the trio of Niall Monks, Pete Mitchell and Anthony Young rode to fourth. The all-Scottish Alba Team Sprint qualified for the bronze final after two strong rides in the morning’s qualifying and semi-final.
They were defeated by a British team that included Lyall Craig in the bronze final.
Friday 20 February
Jenny Holl alongside stoker Sophie Unwin claimed a fantastic win in the Tandem Sprint competition, adding to Holl’s two medals on Thursday to make it a sensational start to the Championships for the Stirling rider.
There would be further Scottish success in the team sprint, with all three steps of the podium having Scottish representation.
Lauren Bell would be part of the Team Inspired trio that won, while Iona Moir would ride to silver as part of the Team Inspired outfit that claimed silver.
However the major story would come from the Glasgow Track Racing Club who claimed bronze. Ellie Stone rode in position one in the final, setting a personal best of 19.2 in the opening tour, with Maddie Silcock moving into position two and a strong second lap of 14.6 seconds, with Sylvia Misztal finishing off in third – a replacement for Sarah Johnson who rode the qualifying round.
Erin Boothman claimed a brilliant bronze after catching Jess Roberts in the medal ride in the individual Pursuit.
Eilidh Shaw was the leader for a spell of the morning’s qualifying session, the UAE Development rider clocking the clubhouse lead with a 4:51.9. The Airdrie rider was bettered by Boothman, who set a new Scottish record of 4:30.745 which was enough to qualify her for the bronze medal final.
Fin Graham finished in second place in a chaotic para elimination race but won his C1-3 category to claim his second jersey of the week.
A fantastic attack from Elliot Rowe (Visma-Lease A Bike Development) set alight the final stages of the scratch race, but he would be reeled in by the bunch in the final three laps.
In qualifying, Tim Shoreman and Sam Barbour managed to navigate their way through the opening heat, with Rowe and Zach Barbour following suit in the second heat.
Thursday 19 February
Fin Graham scored the first Scottish title of the week, claiming gold in the C1-3 Open Scratch Race. The Highlander rode well throughout and came across the line second – only behind Archie Atkinson who won the C4-5 title.
Jenny Holl (Loughborough Lightning) claimed an excellent silver medal in the scratch race moments after winning gold on the tandem in the Para B mixed team sprint.
Michael Gill was the top Scot in the individual pursuit, finishing fourth. Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) in sixth.