Hannah second at Snetterton CX

I got a great start off the first row of the grid in the women's race which started a minute and a half behind the vets. Leading through the first corners Hannah established a lead on the rest of the field over the course of the first lap. It paid to be in the lead through the technical sections so you were not held up by other riders although we did catch the tail end of the vets in the first lap which made it difficult to pass up through the field quickly.

On the second lap I was caught by second placed rider just after the hurdles section and through the dressage arena. I fought hard to stay on her wheel but she managed to put a bit of time into me. As the race progressed I could see I was being reeled in by the third placed rider (who always plays a long game and tends to get faster as the race progresses!) She eventually passed me in the later stages of the race. The course was deteriorating and becoming more and more slippery which made handling tricky on an ever changing course. 

Now in third I was anxious as fourth place was now closing the gap and on the last lap the fight was on for a podium position. On the final third of the lap, once out of the slippery quagmire, I started to ramp things up and established a slightly bigger lead on fourth and over the hurdles in the dressage arena the leaders were now in sight! A slip by the second placed rider cost her dear as she struggled to get up, tangled with another rider. I seized the opportunity to nip passed her and now in second place I rode flat out to try and secure my position and make sure the fallen rider couldn't now draft her for the finish. Any mistakes now would cost big. On the finishing straight, on the drops digging in, I could feel my pursuers close behind.  Riding on little more than adrenaline my legs were spent but I held on to cross the line thrilled that the effort meant second place had been secured.

It was the closest and most exciting race I had been in with the top four finishing within 16 seconds of each other,  finishing  nine seconds down on the winner Sherilyn Powell.  The top five women all finished within 55 seconds of the winner. A great race and another second place in the Eastern League. The final EL round is at Bury St Edmunds in January, it would be nice for a win in the league now!