Evening 10s Rd 1 and racing round-up
The first of Lewes Wanderers’ series of 10-mile time-trials took place on the evening of Monday 2nd May on the traditional A22-based course. Thirteen riders took part, including ten from the host club. Fastest of those was Kate Thomas who took a full half-minute off her personal best set only recently as she stopped the watch after 23 minutes and 48 seconds of effort to place 3rd overall.
Adrian Hills
Fourth placed Neil Edwards had equal reason to be pleased as he took 46 seconds off his previous best mark to post 24:35 and win the road bike category. Club Chairman Darren Haynes was the only other Wanderer to beat 25 minutes as he snuck two seconds under and placed 6th overall. Behind Darren came Graham Knowles (25:23); Charlie Middleton (26:53); debutant Jamie Goldstein (27:33); Paul Hanratty (27:54); Peter Baker (28:35); Dave Beale (28:38) and Adrian Hills (Eastbourne Rovers) with 37:59.
The same course was back in use on the evening of Thursday 5th May as Eastbourne Rovers hosted the second of their series of similar events. A quintet of Lewes riders featured the fastest of whom was Rob Rollings who took runners-up spot with a superb time of 21 minutes and 44 seconds. Michael Valks was 15th of 27 finishers in 26:06; Paul Hanratty 24th (28:10), Peter Baker one place behind in 28:33 and Adrian Hills improved by over three minutes from Monday in recording 34:43.
Peter Baker had been in action the night before as he and Gina Boakes competed against each other and eleven others in Round 3 of the Sussex Cycle Racing League at Preston Park, Brighton. In their opening bunch “Scratch” race Peter rode strongly to finish 10th in the bunch, while Gina found herself undergeared, but crossed the line one place back. Their relative positions were identical for the following “Win and Out” Race, where the first racer across the line for each of the first five laps withdraws to allow the remainder to contest one more circuit. Their proposed final race was abandoned as heavy showers blew through the area.
The weekend of 7th and 8th May saw the Sussex Cyclists’ Association double header with a 10-mile time-trial on the Saturday and a 25-mile event the day after. Sally Turner (trainSharp) completed “the double” as she proved fastest female in both races. On Saturday she covered the 10-mile course near Steyning in 21 minutes and 33 seconds to finish 13th out of 57 overall in the Hunt Bike Wheels promoted event. The following morning’s longer event was promoted by East Grinstead CC, but once again Sally was the class of the field amongst the females and 14th from 23 overall in 58:33.
