Womack makes the best of it in the Lea valley CC 25

Womack in an even happier time

Velo Club Baracchi rider Chris Womack overcame strong headwind conditions in the Lea Valley CC open 25-mile time trial on Saturday on the A11 and A14 roads from Newmarket to return with a reasonable time.

The modest 68-year-old said, “I could only manage 22mph average on the way out but did to get it up to 23.8mph average on the way back finishing in a ‘so-so’ time of 1-03:23.

“Conditions were dry but with a strong head wind making this leg out to the turn a slog. The wind did help on the way back if you had anything left.”

Matthew Smith Team of Velo Velocity won in 50:20 from David McGaw of Cambridge CC, second in 51:43 and Mark Arnold of CC Desirager, third in 51:48.

The fastest lady was Katja Rietdorf of Team Milton Keynes in 1-01:08 and the fastest tandem team were Don Saunders and Declan Davies of CC Breckland in 55:46.

The finish point on this popular course has moved a little for the safety and convenience of the timekeepers but it has increased the length to about 25.2 miles, which will obviously add a little to everyone’s times.

John Swanbury coped less well with similar strong gusting headwinds and sidewinds in the local club event promoted by Godric CC at Earsham on Saturday. His time was 28:04, leaving some scope for improvement.

Joe Skipper of Rock Estate was by far the quickest with 21:13 and Richard Fiddament of Iceni Velo was pleased to take second place with 24:29.

Other Rock Estate times were Jonny Hawes 25:02, Rory French 25:10, Paul Hayward 26:05 and Richard Hill 26:14. Jenny Anderson of Gt Yarmouth CC was the faster of two ladies with 28:58. The first leg of the course was the difficult one in the west or north-westerly wind. Twenty rode.

John Thompson took part in the CC Breckland club 10 last Wednesday as his first time trial of the year on the B1108 road starting and finishing just west of Hingham.

It’s never a course on which to expect fast times and the headwind was on the return leg. He achieved 30:09 and reported that other times included Sally Withey (VC Norwich) 26:47 and Don Saunders (CC Breckland) 26:10. Fastest was Steve Gorbutt (Diss and Dist CC) in 22:08.

Thompson also rode the Bedfordshire Roads CC 25 on the tough version of the F1 course – the A1 south from Tempsford, turning at a roundabout where the motorway starts.

Thompson said, “The wind going out was a brute.” He ended up with 1-18:20, saying, “I don’t pretend to be happy with it,” despite the wind. David McGaw (Cambridge CC) won in in 53:18 which seemed phenomenal for the day.

Only Nicki Hawkes and Womack went on the club ride on Sunday down to Halesworth, Rumburgh, Ringsfield and back, some 40 miles at an average of average 18.4 mph.

More than a hundred riders have now entered Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on May 10. Information about the event, plus entry details, forms and an on-line entry option are on www.becclescycleforlife.org and the organisers look forward to more entries.