TT Reports

With an earlier 15m TT cancelled this reserve date was used.  As expected on a Sunday numbers were down on normal, but just out-numbered the timekeepers and marshalls.  A cool northerly wind, lots of cars, vintage buses and wet roads from a previous shower added to the interest!

Mike Padfield beat his PB by 29 seconds (to set a tough time to beat next year), followed by Aiden Bond (34.24) and John Morgan (36.02).  Everyone made it round ok despite a few stops behind turning cars.

Don’t forget the final time trial of the year is a 18.5 m hilly next Sunday 24th September at 2pm starting at Splash, Sheringham (sign on by 1.30pm).  Treat it as a time trial, warm down after the Woodlands Triathlon, a race against your mates or a cheap sportive… Club members and all guests welcome!

The discounted entry fee or the possibility of getting a gold medal ensured a course record of 32 riders signed up for the 2nd Annual (and newly named) Interclub 10m TT competition.  Clubs represented included the hosts North Norfolk Wheelers with East Coast Riders, Tri Harder and Tri Harman and a scattering of other clubs.

Conditions were not bad with a cool cross tail wind out and cross head wind back,  although the light was fading as the last riders set off (with their rear lights flashing!).  Traffic was busy but started to subside at Fakenham with the last of the day trippers heading home, although a few riders got caught in a bit of traffic near the Shell roundabout (sorry Connor!).

North Norfolk Wheelers Kim Morrison blasted into first place with 21.31, followed by Aiden Bond (22.00) second and Mike Padfield (22.17) third.

Fastest veteran male on VTTA handicap time was Nigel Walsh (NNW) with a seasons best time of 23.53, with fastest veteran female Susie Towning (TriHarman).  Fastest on road bikes were John Morgan (Tri Harder) and Amanda Marshall (TriHarman).  Fastest two-up where the dynamic duo of Matthew Whittaker and Peter Farrell (ECR).

Apologies to Sarah Jay who I announced had won her veteran female category only to be replaced at the last minute by Susie Towning (following a short stewards enquiry).  However Sarah did win the club handicap time (and I gave her a spare medal!).

It was good to see some new people to time-trialling with at least two new riders from Tri Harder on their maiden time trials and looking to do some more in the future.

Thanks to the marshals and timekeepers; David Carrier, John Chambers and Geoff Paice who did a great job in tricky conditions.

A ‘select’ group of club riders, defied the ‘lockdown’ and temptation to have a rest on a Sunday afternoon by doing battle on the club B10/5.  This was an experimental day and with only 5 riders we will probably stick to the Tuesdays where we regularly get 20+ riders.  However with almost no wind and little traffic, conditions were good.

Mike Padfield got a course PB going under 22 minutes for the first time on this course. After both doing a 5k race in the morning John Morgan nearly equalled his best, followed by Nigel Walsh (an age-group winner in the 5k race he entered that morning).

Bruce kept David C company on the roundabout and remarked how close we all were at the turn due to the order of the start (the reverse of the results below).  Thanks also to John Chambers and Geoff Paice who carried out start and timekeeping duties.

There are only a few more 10m TTs left this season to post a time and potentially bag yourself a nice shiny trophy so put the dates in your diary. (22nd and 29th Aug, 5th and 12th Sept).

Seven riders took part in Sunday’s TT on the Holt Fakenham Course.  During the warm up a lone rider from Wisbech was walking towards Holt with a broken rear wheel.  After directing him to a local bike shop in a rush before the start I realised they wouldn’t be open (sorry!), so hopefully he managed to get sorted, as a long walk home…  I had my own rear wheel issue with it locked on against the frame which took some re-assembly at the start to get sorted.

After a bit of pfaffing everyone got off ok and Geoff Paice did a great job on his own at the start.  There wasn’t too much traffic when out of Holt , which was a help (or hinderance depending on your views), the sun was out for a change and the wind was light, although the potholes were slightly deeper than last time out.

Mike Padfield (NNW) got a course PB with 58.07 followed by Alex Lubbock of API Metrow in 60.28.  Alex is a promising young rider who has a PB of 54.07 on the fast E2/25 – indicating the more rolling terrain on our club 25 course… Third was Phil Watkins of 34 Nomads in 61.44 (his best for a 25 is 51.15 in 1992!).  There were some good performances from the ladies Susie Towning and Amanda Marshall who are progessing well this year.

Thanks to super-stand-in marshalls Graham Denny and Rob Warwicker who kept the Fakenham roundabout company and cheered us on whilst we dodged the traffic.

A change from the Aylmerton 15 to a Thursford 10 due to traffic lights was made to ensure we didnt miss another evening of time-trialling.  This didnt stop a reasonable turnout from riding.  The conditions were very good, with not much wind and not too hot.  Mike Padfield was fastest with a CPB by 21 seconds as he gets ever closer to a 21 on the club 10 courses. Second was Chris Skinner who was ‘allowed out to play’ and showed he still had good form.  Third was Perry (sorry didnt get first name)!  There were good rides (seasons bests) by John Morgan and Nigel Walsh.  Sarah Jay and Katie Middleton both got personal bests.  Thanks to the riders, timekeepers and marshalls as always.

Back to Pretty Corner next week for the Zak Carr trophy 10m TT.

21 riders from 6 clubs enjoyed a fine evening of racing.  A brisk easterly wind made the outward leg fast and the return a bit of a struggle. Most people were slightly down on recent times and therefore course personal bests by Louise Marsden and Sarah Jay were impressive.  Aiden Bond just got under 22 minutes followed by Mike Padfield and David Spauls. Nigel Walsh had his best ride of the season after a break in racing and it was good to see John Hayward racing again after his crash.  Thanks to the riders, marshalls, timekeepers and the police for security marking bikes after the race.