Alex He fastest uphill and down

The double winner

Alex He of Velo Club Baracchi was a deserving winner of Velo Club Baracchi’s two hill events despite a very light turnout.

The forecast for Sunday had been bad and only improved very close to the day, so the few who rode out enjoyed a mostly dry day.

In the freewheeling competition at Jays Hill in Sotterley there were four riders, three of whom were eligible to win the coveted club trophy.

The object was to freewheel as far as possible on the rising ground beyond the downhill section without any pedalling at any stage.

Alex He just ran away from the opposition, who were Mike Wood and John Swanbury, with guest rider Phil Johnston who often rides with them in the “Wrinklies” weekday rides.

Joined by fellow Wrinkly John Dupen of Anglia Velo, they rode to Station Road Alburgh for the hill climb there known as Dove Hill  There they met Graham Dilks of Norwich Amateur Bicycle Club, a hill climb enthusiast.

With support and timing from the other riders and from Chris and Pat Womack, three riders tackled the short but very sharp hill.

Fastest was Dilks in 47 seconds, with He second in 50 seconds and Johnston third in 53 seconds. Alex he won the Bernard Dale Memorial Trophy, open to riders from any Lowestoft club, and thus became a double champion in one day.

On the previous day John Thompson rode the “Cambridge Autumnal” 213km audax from Girton, with controls at Framlingham and Hawstead on a route that included Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Debenham on the outward leg and Stowmarket, Rattlesden and Balsham on the return.

Thompson took about 13 hours 15 minutes, slowed perhaps by having to negotiate a tricky route in country lanes in the dark and meeting red traffic lights at almost every central Cambridge junction.  The rain held off until late in the day.