George Kerridge continues time trial comeback

George Kerridge of Velo Club Baracchi continued his racing comeback with an excellent 24:34 ride in the first Tuesday evening Godric CC club time trial of the year.

His clubmate Steve Summons’ highlight of the year so far was a personal best 24:44 in just his second ride on his Planet X bike.

Chris Womack was disappointed with 25:23, though he had ridden quite hard earlier in the day when the “Wrinklies” 45-mile leisure ride hotted up.  John Thompson achieved 28:18.

The top ride on this rather warm night was by Jim Burgess of Anglia Velo, who was fastest with 20:52.  Twenty riders took part.

Chris Womack tackled Saturday’s VTTA East Anglian Group 25-mile time trial on the popular A14 and A11 dual carriageways south ofNewmarket.  He was continuing his quest for a 25mph-plus sub-hour ride.

There was a tailwind start and a headwind return.  He averaged 26.5mph to the turn at 13 miles out and the brisk head wind on the return leg cut this down over the whole distance to 24.8mph.  His time was 1-00:39, (34 seconds outside his previous attempt).

The winner was Steve Irwin of Kingston Wheelers CC with 50:37 from Ian Cox ofNorth Lancs

RC (51:32) and joint third placed Trevor Burke of Finchley Racing Team and Mick Hodson of St Ives CC, both with 51:45 and former British best all-rounder Cammish of Soniccycles.co.uk, fourth in 51:57.

Womack and club-mate John Swanbury were in action the next day in the 10-mile VTTA event on the A14 from Rougham to the Woolpit turn and back again.

After a cold start to the morning, with cars to be de-iced before setting off to the event, it was very sunny but with a cool cross-wind.

Their times were Womack 25:14 and Swanbury 25:57.  The fastest rider was Burgess with 20:53 and the best performance against veteran standard times was Cammish’s +5:15 from his 21:54 ride.  Carlton Colville rider Brian Davis of Anglia Velo achieved 25:21.  There were 43 riders.

John Thompson rode the Witham 150km Audax, which actually was a bit further than that at 100 miles, starting from the Bicknacre village hall inEssex.

He said “I completed the ride in 10 hours 38 minutes making me just over an hour inside the limit time.  That included a stop of slightly over one hour at theActoncontrol due to the very long queue of riders.”

 VCB club secretary Nicki Hawkes is holding another Breeze ride for ladies this Saturday, May 4, from Carlton Colville Community Centre. She can be contacted at nh1963@hotmail.com for further details.

 To enter the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on May 12 in advance your entry must be in by this Saturday May 4 or by signing up at the BCFL stall at the Bank Holiday Rose May Fete at theSirJohnLemanSchoolfield in Beccles.

See www.becclescycleforlife.org for all details, forms and an online entry facility. If you miss the deadline, entries on the day at the site of the formerBecclesMiddle School (nowSirJohnLemanLowerSchool) on Castle Hill are accepted at a higher rate.