Evening 10 – 2-UP

Lewes Wanderers’ season of 10-mile time-trials concluded on Monday 18th August with the “2-up” event that had been postponed from its original slot of 14th July due to roadworks.  The appetite for action clearly hadn’t dimmed among the racing community as the largest field of the series signed up with seven pairs of athletes and two competing solo.  What was even more heartening to see was that seven of these sixteen competitors were female.

Quickest combo on the night were Neil Edwards and his coach Michael Renardson, who covered the course up the A22 from East Hoathly to the Boship Roundabout and back in exactly 23 minutes.  Runners-up and 26 seconds behind were Dan Street and Ryan Machin (Destination Bike RT), while third step on a crowded podium and fastest females were Emily Lewis (Sussex Revolution Velo Club) and Maddy Smith with 25:27.

Graham Faultless and Jeremy Page by Darren Haynes

There was little to separate the pairing behind as Paget Cohen and Ben Gregory were just 19 seconds back in fourth, only six seconds ahead of Gemma Lewis and Gemma Freeman (both SRVC).  Eight seconds behind them and sixth overall after stopping the watch after 26 minutes precisely, were Sharona Harrington (Crawley Wheelers) and Georgina Wise (DBRT).

Graham Faultless and Jeremy Page (Southborough & District Wheelers) completed the standings just 45 seconds behind the third place pairing, while Peter Baker (26:58) and Alice Gilmore (28:18) raced solo.

SCA 10 & 25

Peter returned to action the following weekend for a Sussex Cyclists Association double-header of sporting time-trials organised by Robin Johnson.  In Saturday morning’s 10-mile event on a loop west of Billingshurst, he placed 17th from 30 thanks to a strong ride of 25 minutes and 49 seconds.

The following morning, the 22 competitors completed roughly two-and-a-half laps of the previous day’s course, which Peter managed in 1 hour 5 minutes and 58 seconds to bag 15th position.

East Grinstead Hill Climb

The seemingly indefatiguable Peter Baker was back in action again on the evening of Tuesday 26th August when East Grinstead Cycling Club hosted its annual hill climb.  Peter covered the 1.6-mile ramp from the shores of Weirwood Reservoir up towards Wych Cross in 6 minutes 41.3 seconds to record a superb second place from 11 entrants, just 3 seconds behind the victor.