Mark Pearson in great early season form

 

Mark Pearson of Velo Club Baracchi was the club’s fastest rider, with 24:44 in the club’s own open 10-mile time trial on the A143.

He was 20th equal in the event in which 66 riders started.  It was blissfully fine and sometimes sunny, but a cross-wind was not very helpful and times were a bit slower than on a good day.

Mark Newnham ran him very close indeed with 24:46, just two seconds slower.

Chris Womack was the fastest of the club’s retirement-age veterans with 25:39, a very good ride for the conditions.

However, the greatest credit may perhaps be due to new members James Moore and Steve Summons riding their maiden events.

Moore, in his early twenties, was pleased to achieve 26:46 and he clearly has huge potential.  Summons made his mark with 28:47 and both of them will go much faster as the season progresses.

Other VCB times were John Swanbury 26:33, Paul Bedford 28:01 and Mike Rainton 28:22.

Jim Burgess of Anglia Velo won the event with 21:20 from Mark Arnold of Team Pedal Revolution (22:07) and Duncan Murphy of Diss & District CC (22:39).  Anglia Velo’s quickest three comprising Burgess, Simon Scott and Martin Pyne won the team prize.

The event was organised by Nicki Hawkes who was assisted in the preparation by Nick Esser and also on the day by a team of helpers from the club and other friends of the sport.

John Thompson and Tracy Prewer rode the Wisbech Wheelers 25-mile time trial on a revised course on the A47 east of Wisbech. The easterly headwind on each of two laps was sapping and they recorded 1-15:11 and 1-18:04.

Peter Balls of West Suffolk Wheelers won the event with 53:53.

Entry on the day is still possible in this Sunday’s eleventh annual Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride, on country roads south of Beccles.  It starts at 10am at Beccles Middle School in Castle Hill, but to enter it is necessary to arrive early.  Five distances from 7 to 50 miles are available.  See the website www.becclescycleforlife.org

There has been a best-ever number of advance registrations for this event and the Rotary organisers believe turnout will be good on the day, especially as better weather is expected.

The sponsored ride is for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and the charitable trust of the Rotary Club of Beccles.