Skipper takes second place at Hainault hilly time trial

There was a really impressive second place for Joe Skipper on Sunday, riding for Velo Club Baracchi in the 59th Hainault Hilly Open Time Trial, a 50km event with 71 finishers.

Skipper achieved 1-10:35 and the winner was Rhys Howells of Richardsons-trek-Reflex in 1-09:07.  Skipper had a significant margin over the third-placed rider, Jack Steven of East London Velo who was nearly two minutes slower with 1-12:32.

Local multi-sport club Rock Estate is affiliated to Cycling Time Trials this year so their member duathlete Jay Lingwood was riding for them in the Hainault event, taking ninth place with 1-16:10. 

VC Baracchi’s rider Chris Womack took part in the CC Breckland open 10-mile time trial on Saturday and acquitted himself well.

It was the first open time trial of spring and the weather near Hingham stayed kind for the event.  The course was bone dry even though it had rained nearer the coast.

Womack reported a slight side headwind on the way out which made it slightly better on the return leg and he achieved 25:19 to start his season’s campaign, 31 seconds faster than last year.

Despite having turned 67 in December, VCB’s top veteran just looks to be going faster and faster.

The winner was Mark Arnold of CC Desiragear in 21:09 with Jim Burgess of Anglia Velo-Veloexcel second in 21:17 and Daniel Bloy of Team Velo Velocity third in 21:36.

The fastest lady was Tricia Goulden of West Suffolk Wheelers & Tri 24:59 and the veteran winner on veteran age standards was Chris Nudds of CC Breckland whose 23:45 result gave him a “plus” of +4:29.  Womack’s veteran plus was +3:13.

Meanwhile, on the road racing front, local man Liam Gentry of Strada Sport took sixth place in the Crest Spring Road Race staged by Crest CC at Quendon in Essex.  It was won by Jack Beezer of Arbis-Colbert Cycles RT.  33 riders finished.

Gentry’s previous record in this race includes a fifth place back in 2011 when he was a VC Baracchi rider.

Members were sorry to note the death of former VCB rider Jim Benton, who was a dedicated supporter of the club and last rode time trials about ten years ago.

·         Advance entries for the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride are picking up and the brighter weather should shortly produce even more interest.

Distances are 7, 15, 25, 40 or 50 miles and the ride is in aid of East Anglian Air Ambulance and the charitable trust of the organisers, the Rotary Club of Beccles.

 All the details of the event and how to enter are on May 11 are on www.becclescycleforlife.org

Postscript

Joe Skipper has entered subsequent time trial events this year as a member of Norfolk Cycling Academy.