Wisbech Wheelers 15 – VCB’s Hayward rides; also a new mixed tandem record

Riding in the Wisbech Wheelers 15-mile open time trial on the A47 dual carriageway section to the north-east of Wisbech, Velo Club Baracchi’s Paul Hayward recorded 34:39.

It was a good performance on this new course, a shade under 26mph.

The best time of the morning was 30:56, a record established for the new course by George Fox of Team Bottrill, with Ben Stancombe of Team VeloVelocity second 31:02.  Daniel Bloy took the third prize with 32:37.

David Langlands of Team Bottrill took the top veteran prize by riding a “plus” of 9:26 under his age-related veteran standard time from a 31:20 ride; faster than Bloy’s but higher in the prize values.

Only one lady rode, though two were entered.  Sally Withey of Team Swift recorded 42:15.

John Swanbury and Kate Churchill of VCB rode the only tandem time of the morning in 37:46 and had the honour of establishing a mixed tandem record for the new course.

They will also be applying to the VTTA for a national age record for this ride.

About 45 riders finished the event, in conditions that were fairly benign, with clear sunshine, though there was a light breeze across the open Fens and the almost pan flat course was, as usual, quite hard-going.

VCB’s Lucas He, riding for his first claim time trialling team, Cambridge University CC, took part as a member of their “C” team in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) 3-up TTT championship.

His team was in the top 12 with a time of 50:50, the “B” team was in the top 5 and Lucas’s team fared better than their “A” containing the club president, which crashed and did not finish.

The VCB club ride went ahead and four riders took part, who rode a nice loop around Bungay, Beccles and Loddon, joined for a little while by a local Strada Sport road-racer and all in the glorious sunshine.

A faster group also rode and this would be the preferred format if a sufficient number of club riders are available for Sunday morning rides at 8.30am from the Cotmer Road roundabout, so that everyone gets a ride at the pace they prefer.

Leisure rides, particularly for newer riders with experienced support are at 9.15am on Saturdays from Tandem-Steve’s Cycles in Lowestoft High Street.  New participants will be welcome to just turn up and cycling helmets are mandatory for these rides of about 15 miles.

John Thompson rode “The Copdock Circuit – Spring in South Suffolk,” a 104 km (65 miles) audax, with main controls at Preston St Mary (35 km) and Acton, near Long Melford (58 km).

He completed in around 6 hours 20 minutes and said it was a very pleasing ride as it included a lot of lanes he had never ridden before and in wonderful sunshine too.  He also rode out on Thursday and Sunday.