Eastern District Cycling Association 100 mile time trial championship – 17 July 2016

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Eastern District Cycling Association 100 mile time trial championship – 17 July 2016 – course b100/4 – Bruce Williams
Eighty time triallists duly turned up to compete in the EDCA ‘100’ two Sundays ago, held on the B100/4 course on the A11, which holds the prospect of fast times given helpful weather conditions.  I also turned up to carry out marshalling duty on behalf of the NNW as required, making it to the Morley village hall hq before 6 am with the first rider off at 6.06 am – no wonder road cyclists think that testers are a strange lot.  At least I went out on the day in what Mike P referred to as my ‘vintage’ car, so I had some sort of excuse.
The course was slightly revised last year, with the start now at the Spooner Row junction before heading south west to turn at Snetterton – a turn consisting of 4 or 5 roundabouts – in order to retrace north east on the A11 to make the top end turn, as usual, at the Browick road / Mulbarton junction (where I marshal).  In simple terms, it is like a 25 mile course x 4 to make up the full distance (and all on dual carriageway) thus I have the onerous task of ticking off the riders four times at the top turn, and noting the approx times of the leading riders, in order to ensure that all have covered the requisite route and distance.  You need training and strong psychology for work like this but, sadly for the EDCA, they have to make do with me.  Mind you, some of the other marshals really need checking out.
Contenders in the men’s event included Mark Turnbull of TORQ Performance and Ian Hollbrook of Stone Wheelers, both travelling some distance to compete in this event as part of their BAR attempts for the season, with EDCA top performer, Daniel Bloy (Team Velovelocity) also going for the win.  Other senior EDCA riders included Dave Green of TVV, with several more notable TVV riders present including Ben Keeley, Andrew Leggett and 2nd claim NNW club member, Laurence Wright.  Not much doubt where the team prize would end up with such a group.  Laurence was doing his 2nd ‘100’ of the season having produced a ride of 3 hours 48 minutes (3.48) in the ECCA ‘100’ on the Newmarket A11 course a few weeks earlier. 
Daniel Bloy was doing his 2nd ‘100’ in 7 days, having competed in the National ‘100’ mile championship in Stockton on Tees the previous Sunday.  These men and women are fit and strong, but I could not help but wonder what effect this would have on his performance with another tough event coming so quickly.  I do not recall riders doing two hundreds on successive weekends in my day, but times have changed and Daniel has made clear that he is in training for his first 12 hour, and so first tilt at a top BAR placing, this year.  Although he has ridden this event a few times in recent seasons, Charlie Nurse of the NNW was not present this year, focussing his training and attention on performance in the shorter distance events.
Contenders in the women’s event included Dr Katja Rietdorf of Born to Bike and Jill Wilkinson (wife of 12 hour competition record-holder, Andy Wilkinson – I believe that Jill also has the 3rd or 4th highest women’s 12 hour mileage behind the late Beryl Burton OBE) of the Chester Road club.
Early morning conditions looked ideal with mild to warm temperatures and low wind speeds.  I was thinking of fast times and lots of pb’s.  However, temperatures rapidly increased to 25-28 Dec C combining with high humidity and the wind got up significantly making for a tough north westerly leg up to Browick road and a fast return in the Snetterton direction. All in all, a tough day for a ‘100’.
In the circumstances, the winning time of Mark Turnbull at 3.36.59 (average speed of 27.65mph) was remarkable, with Daniel Bloy second with 3.38.11 and 52 year old vet, Dave Green, third in 3.40.42.  Daniel has been about 5 minutes faster on this course a year or two ago when weather conditions were more favourable, but the event the previous week may also have been a factor.  Doing his first EDCA ‘100’ for a few seasons, Laurence produced a solid 3.53.02 (a personal best for him on this course) to finish in 12th place, commenting that he was struggling badly the last 20 miles, not having the regular racing in his legs of some of his rivals and contemporaries.  Several of the TVV men are evenly matched with Ben Keeley producing a very fine 3.50 and Andrew Leggett edging out Laurence by seconds having trailed him with 15 miles to go.
Katja Rietdorf, a university lecturer originally from Berlin, won the women’s event with a fine 4.09.55 (an average speed of 24mph and 32nd overall) ahead of Jill Wilkinson with 4.12.23.  John Golder, 63, of Chelmer CC (he promotes a number of very popular ECCA events on the E2) finished in a time of 4.08.24, commenting rather bravely on the TT Forum that he ‘didn’t get chicked’ !  Katja, aged 45, responded that she would hunt him down, or words to that effect.  Ah well, John, look on the bright side – there are no penalty shoot outs in time trials.  For the avoidance of doubt (and please do not write in to our editor) I would not have had the courage to use John’s wording, but I sadly confess that I admire the man who does.
Third placed woman was Mary Bower, Chelmer CC, with 4.17.54, about 5 minutes slower than her time of the previous year, because of the heat and windy conditions this time around, whilst Jennifer Smart of VC Norwich was well pleased with her time of 4.24.57 in her first ever ‘100’.
Katja is the current National 12 hour champion, a winner this season of team championships in both the ‘100’ and ‘50’ distances and is contender for a high finish in this year’s women’s BAR.  The British Best All Rounder is based on times and aggregate average speed, for women over the ‘25’, ‘50’ and ‘100’ mile distances (for men it is the ‘50’, ‘100’ and the 12 hour events).  Despite its name, it is presumably open to non British Nationals as I note that Jasmijn Muller, resident of the UK for some years, was the women’s BAR champion in 2014, despite being a Dutch National !  This much I know to be true because she told me – after I had attempted to speak to her in my not very good German a couple of years ago ! 
For the avoidance of doubt, I am no expert in CTT rules and nor am I complaining !  Please do not write into the editor.
This coming weekend features the National ‘25’ mile time trial championships for women on Saturday and men, on the A11 course in Norfolk, on Sunday.  These two 25 mile championships are regarded as the blue riband event of the time trialling season so to have the men’s event back in Norfolk promoted locally is a bit of a coup for the EDCA.

Zak Carr Memorial club 10 mile time trial

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Zak Carr Memorial club 10 mile time trial on the B10/5 – Tuesday  26 July – Bruce Williams reports
15 riders turned up to compete in the club’s annual Zak Carr memorial ‘10’ on Tuesday evening on the regular Pretty Corner / Holt course and benefitted from almost ideal conditions.  Whereas for the previous week’s club ‘15’ riders had to contend with ultra hot evening conditions – notwithstanding which Charlie Nurse achieved a course record on the Aylmerton to Holt and back course with the first sub 32 minute time – leaving many competitors gasping for air and liquid by the end, 7 days later and the evening was fine and balmy with temperatures below 70 Deg F and wind speeds of no more than 5-6 mph.  What wind there was appeared to be a cross wind so, unusually, there was no discernible difference in speed and times on the out or back legs.
North Norfolk Wheelers riders missing these fine conditions whilst on holiday included Nurse, John Morgan and Mike Padfield (John Hayward and Henry Woodley may also be away but I am not sure) but taking full advantage of the evening and the opportunity was NNW’s Karl Read who recorded a fine course personal best time of twenty one minutes and 54 seconds (21.54) of which he was justly proud, to take the Zak Carr trophy for this year, ahead of 2nd claim club member, Phil Watkins (of the 34th Nomads) recording a strong 22.43 in second place. 
Fastest woman was 2nd claim club member, Louise Marsden (VC Norwich) who recorded a course personal best of 25.12, but was not elated having been badly baulked by a turning car without which obstruction she would potentially have gone sub 25.  (These things happen with time trial events held on open roads – there is always another day!).  Louise is competing in the Diss and Dist women’s road race this weekend so hopefully this time trial will have been good preparation for the further exertion to come!  No less than 7 cyclists in all recorded personal best times or course pb’s, an indication that this was one of the best evenings of the club tt season so far.
The annual NNW trophy club ‘10’ is in memory of Zak Carr, a time triallist and national champion over multiple distances who, at the age of 30, was killed in October 2005 when riding on the A11 to work one morning, hit by a car when the driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel.  Regarded at the time as one of the top 3 amateur time trial champions in the country, Zak still holds a few course records in East Anglia (including the course record for the B10/5 at 20.07) and holds several tandem national competition records in partnership with Glen Taylor.  Active in coaching talented junior cyclists and working with partially sighted para-olympic cyclists, Zak was much admired and respected by his fellow cyclists in Norfolk and throughout East Anglia and is much missed.
Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
KARL READ 21.54 NNW 20.41 CPB
PHIL WATKINS 22.43 34 Nomads 20.17 CPB
BURGESS 24.02
NIGEL WALSH 24.14 NNW 21.28
GREG SAUNDERS 24.48 NNW
LOUISE MARSDEN 25.12 VC Norwich 20.54 CPB
MARKOS JANES 25.41 VC Norwich 20.57
WALL 26.12
MARK HARMAN 26.54 TriHarman
BEVERLEY 26.55
THERESA HARMAN 27.14 TriHarman/NNW 20.47 CPB
ROBSON 27.34 TriHarman PB
GUY THOROLD 27.51 NNW 22.15
JAY 29.17 TriHarman PB
LORRAINE JARVIS 29.55 VC Norwich PB

15m TT Results

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19/07/2016 15m TT
Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
CHARLIE NURSE 31.52 NNW 34.45 CPB, CR
STEVE GORBUTT 32.55 Diss CC
MIKE PADFIELD 35.31 NNW 35.32
JOHN MORGAN 36.19 NNW 34.35 CPB
WATKINS 36.30 NNW
NIGEL WALSH 36.54 NNW 35.38
JOHN HAYWARD 37.19 NNW 35.32
LOUISE MARSDEN 39.44 PedalRev
BRIAN PLATTS 39.47 NNW 35.51
MARKOS JANES 41.07 PedalRev
GUY THOROLD 42.48 NNW 36.31
MACE 43.28 TriHarman

TT results 12/7/16

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12/07/2016 10m TT B10/5
Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
CHARLIE NURSE 20.41 NNW 20.53 CPB
KEVIN WHITE 21.27 Matlock CC
DAN WATTS 21.47 CPB
AIDEN BOND 21.51 NNW 21.01
KARL READ 22.13 NNW 20.38
MIKE PADFIELD 23.21 NNW 21.34
JOHN MORGAN 23.37 NNW 20.24
NIGEL WALSH 24.11 NNW 21.25
MICHAEL MEADOWS 24.52
LOUISE MARSDEN 25.18 PedalRev 21.04
GREG SAUNDERS 26.26 NNW
GUY THOROLD 27.24 NNW 21.48
ROBSON 27.58 TriHarman
BOB CARTER 27.58 VCN PB
THERESA HARMAN 28.10 TriHarman/NNW 21.45 CPB
TESSA MORGAN 29.36 TriHarman
MATT COE 31.39 TriHarman
GAVIN BARRON DNS ECR

Holt-Fakenham 25m TT report

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A fine evening (for a change) beckoned 11 riders for the club 25m time trial.  This rolling course with some poor road surfaces is about 5 minutes slower based on a finish time of an hour compared to the fastest courses in the region (e.g. the A11).

With most club riders being in action at either the Norwich ABC or EDCA events there may have been a few heavy legs, however this was not reflected in the times.  There were 2 course PBs, 2 outright PBs and the course record was broken by Charlie Nurse.  In form John Morgan beat his course PB by nearly 2 minutes and has probably sewn up all the handicap trophies this year, with Mike Padfield getting under the hour for the first time on this course.  Nigel Walsh also got a PB.

Now halfway through the club’s TT season and summer finally here (at least this week) we will see if the times continue to improve in the next three months or whether riders have already reached their peak performance.  

Thanks to the riders, timekeepers and marshals.

NB.  In a change to marshal Bruce William’s normal role of helping riders get safely round the course, he needed assistance himself after filling up his classic ‘E’ Type car with diesel instead of petrol!  He still cheered on the riders from the Thursford layby.  It all got sorted out eventually and we look forward to seeing him at the next race.

06/07/2016
Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
CHARLIE NURSE 54.05 NNW 54.17 Course Record
STEVE GORBUTT 56.00 DISS
GAVIN BARRON 58.40 ECR
MIKE PADFIELD 59.40 NNW 54.39 PB
JOHN MORGAN 1.01.17 NNW 52.59 CPB
NIGEL WALSH 1.01.55 NNW 54.40 PB
JOHN HAYWARD 1.02.45 NNW 55.41
MARKOS JANES 1.08.27 PedalRev
GUY THOROLD 1.10.53 NNW 55.50
ROBSON 1.14.30 TriHarman
JONNY O’NEIL DNF ECR

ECCA ‘100’ TT Report

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Eastern Counties Cycling Association (ECCA) ‘100’ on course E2/100c, Sunday 19 June – Bruce Williams
I never did locate that helicopter to enable me to hot foot it from the EDCA ‘25’ on Sunday morning down to Newmarket to see part of the ECCA 100 so the ECCA had to manage without my marshalling assistance, our local EDCA event getting my priority.  Since the NNW affiliated to the ECCA this year, we are on call for duty at one or two of their events, many of which take place on Saturday afternoons rather than early Sunday mornings.
With a 445 am first man off start time, this must have been one early start for most people, the event hq at Fullbourn opening at 345am.  Unlike other ECCA events, this one and the 12 hour are not limited to riders from ECCA affiliated clubs and, early start or not, you cannot discourage time triallists as a big field full stars and BAR contenders descended upon the Cambridgeshire course chasing fast times for their BAR bids.  I may not have been there in person, but I had a few cohorts in place and base this report on the various eye witness statements received.  This was probably the best field assembled for an open ‘100’ for a few years including National Championships.
This was a revised version of the E2/100c course consisting of 3 laps each of just over 33 miles between the Fourwentways junction at the southern end (a few miles before the A11 turns into the M11) to Red Lodge at the top end, a few miles south of the Barton Mills roundabout.  Thus the course became all dual carriageway instead of a fair section at the start and finish, as in previous years, on SC roads, with the expectation of an already fast course being even faster.   On the other side, an early start takes away much of the traffic drag effect that is experienced with Saturday pm events and the early morning good conditions of low wind speeds and low air pressure gave way to rising winds from the West – which is not favourable on the A11 here in Cambridgeshire or further north in Norfolk – and early morning temperatures were very cool.
Top performers in the field included Richard Bideau (who set competition record for the ‘100’ last year that was later expunged from the record) Tejvan Pettinger, Mark Arnold, Joe Skipper, Daniel Bloy, Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC, my old stomping ground) Colin Ward, Stephen Irwin and evergreen vet and coach, Dave Green.  A couple of big names missing from the event were triple BAR champion Adam Topham and double National 100 champion, Charles Taylor.
Riders like Irwin and Jon Wynn had travelled from the North of England as had Bideau.  Bloy and Arnold are both regular winners of EDCA events over the years, whilst Skipper is also a local man, a full time triathlete and a top cyclist. Pettinger has won this event twice before and been placed in National Championships, Maybank has done a 1.39 ‘50’ on the E2 this season and Ward was 2nd behind Alex Dowsett on his recent competition setting ECCA ‘25’ also on the E2, so the strength in depth was formidable.
There was also a strong entry in the women’s field with key competitors including Alice Lethbridge, Katja Rietdorf, Eleanor Haresign, Sue Triplow, Mary Bower and Anna Dearing.
Despite cool conditions and the rising wind from the West, some extremely fast times were recorded.  Alice Lethbridge won the women’s event in a time of 3.57 – a big achievement for a woman to crack 4 hours for the 100 and not realised by too many – ahead of Katja Rietdorf and Eleanor Haresign in 2nd and 3rd with times of 4.04 and 4.11 respectively.  The next women were Anna Dearing and Sue Triplow in times of 417 and 4.20 – these all being very good times demonstrating the increasing strength in depth in women’s time trialling.
2nd claim club member, Laurence Wright achieved a personal best time of 3.49 which, he says, is with little training since competing in the Wisbech ‘25’ a few weeks ago (part of me hopes that this is not entirely true !).  I think his previous pb, set some 5 or 6 years ago in the EDCA ‘100’ was 4.01 (he will no doubt correct me if this if it is wrong) so it appears that he can improve on his new pb time considerably further if he puts his mind to it.
Winner of the men’s event was Richard Bideau in a time of 3.22 (3 hours 22 minutes) – an average speed of 29.66 mph which is, let’s be honest, amazing – and, whilst not competition record that many considered was under threat in this event including event secretary John Golder (and CTT who arranged for on site drug testing) is one of the fastest times recorded and sets a serious benchmark for this season’s BAR.  Bideau set comp record in the Stockton Wheelers ‘100’ last season with 3.18 and this was part of his BAR winning combination until, at the end of the season, CTT re-measured the Stockton course twice finding it slightly short and expunging all times from the records. Bideau lost comp record and the BAR as a result, which was retained by Adam Topham for the third successive year – Topham had been tiny fractions behind Bideau until the CTT reversal.
It would appear that Bideau is intent on making a serious further challenge this year and good luck to him.  Liam Maybank finished 2nd, 3 minutes down on Bideau and was, in turn, 3 minutes ahead of Peter Harrison and Stephen Irwin, separated by a few seconds, in 3rd and 4th places respectively.  Local star, Daniel Bloy of Team Velovelocity came 6th in a fine 3.33 (he has done a similar time on the Norfolk A11 course) with 52 year old Dave Green, also of TVV, and a man who seems to get faster every year, recording a very fine 3.37.  Bloy finished just over half a minute ahead of Tejvan Pettinger, who had beaten Bloy by a few minutes when Pettinger came 3rd in the National ‘100’ held on the Swaffham (Norfolk) course two years ago, so this looks like good improvement for Bloy, who is making a serious BAR bid (that means doing a 12 hour for the first time) this season. 
Laurence always says that the ‘100’ is the much tougher event of the two so, with Bloy believed to be doing the Breckland 12 hour later this season, we will enquire of him subsequently whether he agrees.  I could not possibly comment.  The pain of long distance time trials, like the CTT, I long since expunged from my own records.
Flying the flag for the Eastern District in what was probably the biggest time trial of the season so far, Team Velovelocity did very well to secure the team award, Bloy and Dave Green supported by local Norfolk man, Scott Davidson who also achieved a large pb with a time of 3.44 for 14th place this being, I believe, only his 2nd ‘100’.  Laurence finished 19th telling me subsequently that he was really struggling over the last 20 miles.  I doubt that he was the only one. 
A total of 34 riders beat 4 hours and first lady, Alice Lethbridge, came 29th in the overall placings.  Peter Horsnell, 86, finished in 5.12 and won the vet’s standard prize.
At the end of this month, the Stockton Wheelers ‘100’ doubles as the National Championship – it is a fast course and presumably has been checked and re-checked for distance, which the ECCA and CTT also did for this event given the change in the course.  I am intrigued to know whether Richard Bideau will be making a return trip to Teesside for this event and, if so, whether a film crew will be on hand as contacts from a year ago are renewed?  Will there be fireworks or will there be no tension in the air?  Perhaps Bideau will return in his car with his bike and a sawn off shotgun ?
I am not sure if I will get up there for this one, although my employer has a subsidiary company and factory just off the course in Teesside. Otherwise, I will ask my local cohorts to report.
My thanks to Laurence Wright, Fergus Muir and Tejvan Petttinger for information for this report.

EDCA Championship ’25’ – Report

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Eastern District Championship ‘25’ time trial on course B25/6, Sunday 19 June – Bruce Williams
Another day, another time trial.  Marshalling and helping generally seemed like a good idea once upon a time but, having been at the Breckland CC open ‘10’ (fastest sixty) at Snetterton the previous Wednesday evening and having got pretty wet at the club 10 on Tuesday, I confess to feeling a little jaded come early Sunday morning.  I was hoping that the 70 odd competitors would have a bit more get up and go than me.  Fortunately they did.
Just like the EDCA championship ‘10’ the week before, this event clashed with the Eastern Counties ‘100’ on the E2 on the same day, an event that attracted a full field containing many top performers and BAR contenders from up and down the country,   The reputation of the E2 has this effect, but you needed a qualifying time of 4.15 or lower to get in, the other problem being the first rider off at 4.45am – owing to the higher traffic flows on the A11 and A14 from 0930 onward.
No such traffic issues on the B25/6, the course based on the A47 starting east of Kings Lynn heading towards Wisbech for the ‘Little Chef’ roundabout turn at just over 6 miles, returning back to the start, then to continue with lap two.  This course format makes for some interesting action as spectators and marshals see the event unfold over the two laps whilst, for example, NNW’s Charlie Nurse, beginning his race at number 55 at 0855, was chasing a very fast number 30 a couple of hundred metres ahead of him who was on his 2nd lap.  It was never thus back in the 1970’s, but it makes the courses compact and spectator friendly.
The field was probably 10-15 light on what it would have been without the ECCA 100, but still contained a number of contenders for the EDCA title with Charlie amongst them and Aiden Bond also looking good at number 35.  Most pundits expected the race win to be between Paul Jay (number 20, Team Velovelocity) Mark Richards at 40, known as ‘Titch’ to his friends of VC Baracchi, Steve Gorbutt at 60 of Diss and Dist and Charlie. 
Conditions initially looked near perfect with sunny blue skies and wind speeds of no more than 5 mph on a Fenland course that is renowned for its exposure to the wind.  This was the case in large part, but the early starters had the best of it as wind speeds picked up over the morning and temperatures rose.
I was marshalling at the Little Chef roundabout turn and was kept busy ticking off riders for the first and second time, with riders on lap 2 sometimes overtaking those on lap 1 or vice versa.  I also noted down the approx times of the leading contenders, noting that number 30 was shifting, being 3/4 minute up on Paul Jay (20) at the first turn at 6 and a bit miles.  By his second appearance, he was clearly ahead of the field with Charlie, looking strong. between half a minute and one minute up on his aforementioned rivals, in 2nd place.
Charlie set a course personal best of 52.18 (now amended for some reason by the time-keeper to 52.28) on the day to take 2nd place, almost a minute up on Mark Richards of VCB, who had beaten Charlie the previous Wednesday evening at the Breckland ‘10’.  A tough training session on Monday followed by the club 10 on Tuesday had probably taken the edge off for Wed but, with a day or two’s rest, he was clearly sharp and back at his best for this event. 
This was just as well because, with Felix Barker winning the event by nearly two minutes but, coming from Cambridge University CC and with Cambs clubs being outside of the territory of the EDCA, it meant that Charlie won the EDCA ‘25’ championship and will collect his medal in due course.  (Barker is still the event winner and takes the winner’s prize money). The other EDCA medallists were Mark Richards and Paul Jay.  I always said that you can’t beat a good rule book. NNW’s Aiden Bond finished 11th in a time of 55.19, pretty good for someone who trains by riding to work.
The women’s event was won by Jennifer Smart of VC Norwich in a fast time of 1.0.34 (one hour and 34 seconds) which missed the course record, that has stood since 2000, by a handful of seconds, missing out on an additional £30 prize that would have gone with it.  Louise Marsden of VC Norwich, 2nd claim member of NNW, rode well for 3rd place in a time of 1.03.27. 
First vet on standard was the ubiquitous Chris Nudds (CC Breckland) aged 68 in a time of 58.32 (over 14 minutes up on standard) with Charlie second on standard !  Don Saunders and Harvey Hall of CC Breckland won the tandem event in a good time of 55.42.  Quite an interesting combination and team these two, with an age difference of about 45 years between them.
I enjoyed the event and my free cup of tea at the finish as always.  We had 3 marshals at my roundabout turn, which you need given the number of exits and the amount of traffic arriving at this point from the Wisbech direction, so entering upon the course for the first time, but with plenty of warning signs in place as well as the well-placed marshals.  Strangely the other two marshals decided to stand together at the front of the roundabout (facing the riders coming from the Kings Lynn direction) to have a chin wag together for the whole two hours, thus leaving the Wisbech end of the roundabout unattended (I noted two police cars arriving from this direction as well).  One of the two could not even be bothered to put on his high vis jacket !  All marshals are volunteers but what is the point?  Having started the day a little down beat, I must confess to ending the morning somewhat grumpy and gloomy as well.
Felix Barker, 21. of Cambridge University CC may not have been known to us officials, but he is a noted road racing cyclist with British Cycling junior / espoir credentials and overseas tours on his youthful palmares and he has a few fast times to his credit in time trials this season.  He took course record here by 40 seconds and is clearly a big talent for the future.  He looks like a contender for the National 25 if not this season, then next and subsequent years. 
Another day and another time trial coming up no doubt and, who knows, perhaps no grumpiness in sight?  The marshal’s lot is not always a stroll in the park. Like the competitors, we have our occasional off days!  At least I had my classic car out on the day to drive home in and I even took the long route !

Club 15m TT results 21/6/16

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Nine riders enjoyed near perfect conditions for the weekly installment of time trial racing on the club’s 15m time trial course.   Starting in the leafy surrounds of Lions Mouth to the back of Felbrigg Hall riders pass through Aylmerton and on to the Pretty Corner 10m course to Holt roundabout and back.

With a number of riders ‘in form’ and excellent conditions, four PBs were achieved and the course record was beaten by Charlie Nurse with 32.07, beating the  previous best of 32.23.  Rounding out the top three were Mike Padfield with 34.59 beating his previous best by 1min 14 seconds and Nigel Walsh with 36.13 also knocking over a minute off his PB.  Brian Platts also went well on his new disc wheel.

21/06/2015 15m TT Aylmerton to Holt
Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
CHARLIE NURSE 32.07 NNW 32.58 Course Record
MIKE PADFIELD 34.59 NNW 33.46 PB
NIGEL WALSH 36.13 NNW 34.15 PB
HENRY WOODLEY 37.51 NNW 35.01
JOHN HAYWARD 38.12 NNW 36.25
BRIAN PLATTS 38.56 NNW 33.17
CARTER 40.50 VCN PB
GUY THOROLD 42.22 NNW 36.10
ROBSON 42.35 Tri Harman

Pretty Corner 10 mile TT results 14/6/16

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After a few weeks of bad weather and roadworks the storms threatened to disrupt proceedings once again.  However despite the rumble of thunder and flash of lightning in the distance the roads at Pretty Corner were dry and there was no wind.  The field was made up completely of NNW club riders.

In warm, humid conditions fast times were expected if it stayed dry.. Riders queued up eager to get started whilst still dry.  Heading out it was if a time portal was entered at High Kelling with it being dry on the way in to the woods and wet on the way out.  The last riders experienced a heavy downfall at Holt on already wet roads as Marshall Bruce Williams was eagerly packing up.  On the way back the time portal was reversed and dry conditions re-appeared on leaving the High Kelling Woods which was very odd.

Top three were Charlie Nurse (21.31), Mike Padfield (23.07) and John Morgan (23.31), with fastest (and only) lady Theresa Harman. Henry Woodley made it back with two gears due to a broken shifter (easy and hard, he opted for hard!).  John Morgan with his sudden new found form got a course PB, with Nigel Walsh, John Morgan, Brian Platts and Guy Thorold getting their best times of the year so far.

Riders just made it back to their cars or started biking home just as the heavens opened. Well timed…

Thanks to the marshalls, timekeepers and riders as usual.

Full results below

Name Time Club Handicap time Notes
CHARLIE NURSE 21.31 NNW 21.39
MIKE PADFIELD 23.07 NNW 21.18
JOHN MORGAN 23.31 NNW 20.41 CPB
JOHN HAYWARD 23.49 NNW 21.17
NIGEL WALSH 23.58 NNW 21.12
HENRY WOODLEY 24.19 NNW 21.52
BRIAN PLATTS 25.34 NNW 21.04
GUY THOROLD 26.53 NNW 21.26
THERESA HARMAN 28.42 NNW  n/a

East District 10 mile time trial championship

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East District 10 mile time trial championship on course B10/37R on Saturday 11 June – Bruce Williams reports
70 competitors including 10 women competed in the EDCA championship ‘10’ on Saturday afternoon, a good field but 10 or 20 less than it would have been owing to a clash with a VTTA East Anglia event (a fifty mile time trial) on the E2 Cambridgeshire course on the same afternoon, a fast course that always attracts full fields with its promise of fast times.  Hopefully, the various organisations – VTTA and EDCA in this case but, on other occasions, EDCA and ECCA – can avoid clashes of this type in future years to the benefit of all parties, including the riders, and the respective events.
Flying the flag for the NNW in the EDCA championship on Saturday were Aiden Bond, seeded at number 15 and John Morgan, at 33.  Pre race favourites included Paul Jay of Team Velovelocity, at 20, and muscular, fast cycling police officer, Steve Gorbutt, Diss and District CC, off at number 50.  This event was very well organised by multiple EDCA winner and cycling coach, Daniel Bloy, who decided to forego the chance to add to his medal collection on this occasion in order to focus fully on the organisation. He said that he thought it was too stressful to try both, poor chap.
HQ for the event was Tottenhill village hall – a nice spot with excellent car parking – and, a nice touch this I thought, marshals and helpers were provided with vouchers for any number of free drinks, cakes and sandwiches at the expense of the EDCA.  I duly consumed two coffees (pre race) and two teas (post race – but no food!) consoling myself with the thought that the EDCA owed me a few freebies over the last few years.  Like riders, helpers are normally entitled to one free drink at hq after each event and previously I always paid for my 2nd cup of tea!  This was a real treat and I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
The course is well known to EDCA cyclists (well particularly riders of the Kings Lynn CC and Wisbech Wheelers who use it regularly for club time trials) beginning on the A10 south of Kings Lynn heading south toward Downham Market until turning left (east) onto the A1122 at Bexwell roundabout. From here it is just under 3 miles to the Stradsett cross roads with the A134 (where I was marshalling) where riders turn left again to head north to the finish at Tottenhill. An interesting tri-angular course where the finishing leg does not quite return you to the start point, but with the start and finish only separated by a mile or so.
Weather conditions were hot and very humid so I could not help but think that, whilst this was ok for a ‘10’, it would present quite a challenge to the VTTA riders doing the ‘50’ on the E2.  Best be prepared with both energy drinks and extra supplies of water for this.  Wind conditions on our course were reasonable with, as I saw it, the riders getting some drag benefit from traffic on the A10, certainly getting wind assistance on the A1122 2nd leg, but with the finishing section on the A134 proving tough.  This last leg was certainly where the race was won and lost.
Most pundits had Paul Jay as the favourite but, whilst recording a time of 21.12, he was beaten into 2nd place by Oliver Milk of Tri-Anglia Triathlon club who recorded a fine time of 20.59.  Tom Fitzpatrick of Spirit Racing Team (London West District) was third with 21.23 ahead of Chris Skinner (well known to NNW as a quite regular guest rider in our club time trials) of Team Pedal Revolution (formerly API Metrow) in 21.38, the same time being recorded by Steve Gorbutt.  Veteran’s prize was won by Chris Womack of VC Baracchi, aged 69, beating his age standard by 5.23.  Oldest vets in the field were Brian Foster and Ron Back, both in their late 70’s.
Excellent times were recorded by Aiden Bond, in 8th place with 22.03 (he really only trains by riding to work on which basis his times are remarkable) and John Morgan, in 18th place, with a fine 23.06.  He has not told me, but I suspect that John is putting in extra training and is riding well.  Probably the ride of the day was that of the aptly named Verity Smith (Stowmarket and Dist CC) who, in the race of truth, performed biblically to set a new ladies course record of 23.16 (breaking the record by a sizeable 38 seconds) ahead of Jennifer Smart (VC Norwich) with 24.30.  Louise Marsden of VC Norwich – (and 2nd claim NNW rider, (ed.)) who rides NNW club time trials quite regularly – was third ahead of Agata Milk (CC Breckland) and Francesca Rust (Ely and Dist) in 4th and 5th places.
In one sense, the action was all around my Stradsett marshalling point.  The entrance to the Stradsett country show was a short distance from us and caused some concern but, in the event, there was no traffic build up of cars turning right into the show to worry about.  However, at our very busy intersection, one OAP motorist appeared to panic at the sight of two marshals in high vis jackets on the traffic island and promptly stopped his vehicle right on the junction to the embarrassment of all traffic including a fast approaching cyclist about to make his sharp left turn.  We shouted and gesticulated to him frantically to get going but as he set off very gingerly (as my father would have said, ‘with all the pace of a burrowing mole’) rather than practically stop, the cyclist pulled out to pass him riding on or briefly over the central white line in the process.  I don’t suppose that this experience did much for the driver’s confidence for the rest of his day behind the wheel. 
This is just the sort of incident that marshals and event secretaries do not want at time trials.  We were under instruction to report such incidents to Daniel Bloy, but all accepted that, in the circumstances, the motorist was fundamentally at fault forcing the cyclist into an unusual manoeuvre.  One other competitor was warned by Bloy for approaching the left hand turn too wide (there was no line in the middle of the road and I am not sure if he would have crossed it but he might have done) in order to sweep round with more pace.  Riders had been warned of this particular junction and these transgressions in their pre-race start sheet instructions and myself and the other marshal had been asked to look out for and report these particular issues.  Amateur time trials are held on open roads and the onus is on the event secretaries and particularly the riders to exercise care and common sense.  Visibility was good but I noted that almost all riders had constant or flashing rear lights.
Next weekend is the EDCA championship ‘25’ on the Wisbech course, with Charlie Nurse a real contender; but there is also the ECCA ‘100’ on the E2 which, despite a ludicrous start time of 4.45, has attracted possibly the best national field for a ‘100’ for some years.  (That is what a fast course can do, I guess, with national BAR contenders not wanting to miss out compared with a rival). How to be in two places at once?  A good trick if you can do it.  If anyone can advise me on this, do give me a call.