Kerridge wins VCB 25-mile champs and Chris Womack rides personal best 10

 

The time trial season is drawing towards it close but has been enlivened by two notable performances in last weekend’s windy conditions, one from George Kerridge in the Velo Club Baracchi 25-mile championship and the other a personal best at 10 miles by Chris Womack.

Kerridge rode strongly in the VCB 25-mile championship within the Godric CC open event on the A143 Bungay by-pass, winning the trophy with 1-02:19.

There was a stiff wind blowing from an easterly direction and it made the event very challenging for the riders, who had to work hard into the wind on two legs of the course and were helped in the other direction.

Kerridge was run closest by Womack, riding his second event of the weekend, who achieved 1-04:08, while Steve Summons recorded 1-06:22.  Jenny Anderson who rides for Gt Yarmouth CC but has second-claim VCB membership achieved 1-13:11.

In the open event as a whole the winner was the outstanding Daniel Bloy of King’s Lynn CC in 54:12, followed by Steve Gorbutt of Diss CC 56:40, James Trenchard of Godric CC 57:26, Glenn Taylor of Shorter Rochford 58:03, Geoff Frost of Team Velovelocity.co.uk 58:05 and Liam Gentry of Strada Sport 58:08.

In the tandem section there were three entries. VC Baracchi’s team of John Swanbury and Ali Banks won with 1-00:06, not very far adrift of their sub-hour season’s-best despite the wind.

Chris Womack’s great triumph of the weekend was in his Saturday ride in the VTTA National 10-mile championship time trial on the A11 dual carriageways between Six Mile Bottom and Four Went Ways.

This prestigious veterans’ event that draws riders from afar was to have been run on 31^st August but cones were put out on the carriageway unexpectedly and the event had to be abandoned just as it had begun.

Womack was one of those who was disappointed then, especially as it had been a great day for fast rides, so in Saturday’s 15-20mph winds he was not so sure he would do well.

However, with a magnificent ride Womack pulled out a new personal best time of 22:59. Club members and friends have been rushing to congratulate Womack on this stunning improvement, described as “awesome” by local fast man Liam Gentry.

It does seem a great achievement that Womack, at age 66, now rides faster than he ever has done before.  Until he rode two successive “23s” in August he had never been under 24 minutes before.  He said recently, “Don’t keep telling them my age” but it puts his performance into perspective.

The fastest riders (not all of them veterans) were Rob Pears 19.30, Jim Burgess 20.15, Ian Greenstreet 20.21, Jim Moffatt 20.24, Peter Balls 20.41, Dave Green 21.04 and Stuart Snow 21.12.  Pears is from Bath Cycling Club.

After this weekend’s open events, riders can look forward to Sunday October 13, for the Keith Stephens Memorial Duathlon, (Gisleham School at 9am) and the “Silly Suffolk” Audax (150 km and 200 km)  on the same day (Blundeston Village Hall at 8am) organised by John Thompson.

[Featured image was taken on a ride with the Wrinklies (Carlton Colville church 9am Tuesdays and Fridays).  Do join if you wish, for a 40 to 45-mile ride including a cafe stop.]