Dennington wins VC Baracchi 30-mile champs

Paul Dennington

Paul Dennington of Velo Club Baracchi won the club’s 30-mile championship with an overall win in Gt Yarmouth CC’s club event on the Somerleyton course on Sunday.

Dennington’s time was 1-12:36 and his clubmate Paul Hayward in fourth place gave great competition with a 1-14:38 ride, with Richard Allen on 1-29:34.

Paul Dennington

It was G Yarmouth CC’s Pendle Trophy ride and their fastest rider, Jonny Hawes, won this with 1-14:32.

In Godric CC’s 25-mile club time trial the top five places were taken by VCB riders, Mark Richards 53:11, Liam Gentry 53:56, Lucas He 57:57, Hayward 58:40, and Dennington 58:53, with Paul Reed on 1-07:10.  Tony Heather of Team Skipper recorded 1-00.02 and Joe Drake of Rock Estate 1-03:48.

The event marked Ali Banks’ comeback from injury to ride tandem with John Swanbury.  Despite Banks not having ridden much because of back trouble they achieved 58:17 in his first time trial of the year.

Hayward also tackled the Gas Hill Gasp, billed as Norwich’s premier hill climbing event and having an average gradient of 12%, in which he reached the semi-final before elimination.

Hayward in the Gas Hill Gasp – photo by Dominic Austrin

Hayward in the Gas Hill Gasp – photo by Dominic Austrin

John Thompson rode the “Diss Dander” 203km (126.875 miles) audax event from Smallworth, near Garboldisham.  The route included Spooner Row, Weston Longville, Aylsham, Burnham Deepdale, Gt Bircham and Necton.

He said, “I got round in around 11hours and 15 minutes, which is only slightly outside my best ride (also in that event) of 10:57 and that year it was a roaring tail wind for a good way back.”

“The early and later stages of the route in south Norfolk are gentle but it’s pretty lumpy in north Norfolk, particularly from Aylsham through Melton Constable.  Wind wasn’t a great issue, except ironically a slight niggling side-head over the final 4 miles.  A lot of liquid taken in because of the warmth.”

The VTTA National 25-mile time trial in which Chris Womack and John Swanbury were entered was abandoned after an accident, so they and just over half the field did not ride.  The ladies’ event was completed and Denise Hurren of Sole Bay Cycle Sport rode a personal best 57:05, the seventh-fastest lady.