Godric 10 attracts six entries

The only time trial ridden by a club member last week was Godric CC’s first club 10 of the year, as Saturday’s VTTA open time trial in which Chris Womack and John Dupen were entered was cancelled, a casualty of the weather.

Just six riders took part in the Godric event and many may have stayed away because of the showery day, but in fact it was a bright and sunny evening at Earsham.

Though John Swanbury was the last of the six, he was encouraged by the time he achieved.

The results were Simon Scott (Anglia Velo) 23:09, Paul Lewis (Velo Velocity) 24:23, Jack Payne (Anglia Velo) 24:26, Alan Hale (Anglia Velo 25:11, Peter James (Anglia Velo) 25:24 and John Swanbury (VCB) 25:37.

There was a light side-wind from the north or north-west and it seemed reasonable in both directions.

On the previous Sunday Gary Matthews of VCB I travelled to Thurlow for his first road race, the Ed Taylor Memorial.

It was a 10-lap race and he says he spent the first eight laps yo-yoing off the back!  At the start of the ninth lap Matthews suffered a puncture but was actually relieved that he could stop.

He said, “It was a tough introduction to the road racing world. There are far too many young second category riders!”

Undeterred, Matthews awaits his next race on May 19, which is for categories 3 and 4 only so it gives him more of a chance.  He is also looking forward to getting his time trial bike out in June.

On Sunday John Thompson rode the ‘Witham 160’ (100 miles) audax, starting and finishing at Woodham Mortimer.

He said, “I got round in the maximum allowable time by the ‘skin of my teeth,’ with about three minutes to spare.”

Apart from taking his customary wrong turn, which added time, he had to face the wind and the heavy rain that “didn’t stop until about 2 o’clock and for a while it got worse before it got better.”

Thompson completed his ride that took in Long Melford, Kersey, Stisted and Rayne, wearing waterproofs and dodging puddles and bigger flooded sections of road.

He was also able to cram two more rides into his weekend, one on the Saturday and one on Monday before returning.

Recent publicity for the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on May 13 has raised the numbers nearer to last year’s. The event raises money for East Anglian Air Ambulance and the charitable trust of the organisers, the Rotary Club of Beccles.

Advance registration closes this Saturday and thereafter riders can enter on the day before the 10am start at Beccles Middle school. Distances on offer are 7, 15, 25, 40 and 50 miles

Details are on www.becclescycleforlife.org