Partridge 4th in Plomesgate open 10 with a course best 20:58

Nick Partridge of Velo Club Baracchi took fourth place with a course best time of 20:58 on the 10-mile Wickham Market Bypass course in Plomesgate CC’s open event on Sunday.

He said he was happy with this ride “as the Garmin died just off the line so I rode it just on feel.”

Partridge was pipped by just one second by third-placed Russel Hampton of MG Cycling Team.  The winner was Lloyd Chapman of Plomesgate CC in 19:56 with Andy Proffitt of Ipswich BC second in 20:16.

Other VCB times were Paul Dennington 23:11, Stuart Supple 24:04, Alex He 25:22 and Richard Allen 29:33.

VCB’s second claim rider Lucas he, riding for Cambridge University CC, was fifth in 21:14 and Wrentham’s Denis Hurren of Team VeloVelocity was the fastest lady in 24:10.

Saturday’s Norwich ABC open 10 turning at Clays roundabout on the A143 was quite a windy affair, with northerly crosswinds.

Local professional triathlete Joe Skipper of Team Skipper who hails from Kirkley but lives in Norwich took the win in 20:18 from Mark Richards of DAP CC (another VCB second claim member) who achieved 20:41, with Jordan Black of Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club third in 21:02.

The quickest of the VCB trio was Dennington in 22:28, slightly disappointed to be stuck at around that time on most of his rides the course, but with an edge over Stuart Supple 23:49 and John Swanbury 25:51.

Kerry Tate of Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club was the fastest lady (but only just) with 24:32 to Cindy Beynon of DAP Cycling Club 24:33 and Jan Smith of Great Yarmouth CC rounded off the top three in 25.09.

Paul Hayward was VCB’s only rider to face the timekeeper in Team VeloVelocity’s open 25 on the dual carriageways from Newmarket, heading to Four Went Ways and back.

His time was excellent and showed on the provisional results board as 55:17, though Hayward’s own record of this was 56:17 and he expects to see that correction in the official results when they are published.

John Thompson was one of those out riding with no competitive pressure and he ventured to Tunstall, Snape, Leiston, Theberton and Blythburgh , before returning, a total of about 70 miles.

He said it was a pleasing enough ride ithat included two lanes that were new to him, in sunny weather.