Many years’ wait for a new 50-mile personal best are rewarded

An exceptional day on Saturday for fast times, albeit a wet one, gave John Swanbury of Velo Club Baracchi the opportunity to ride a new 50-mile personal best time.

Swanbury riding recently

Despite some rain the East Anglian Veteran Time Trials Association event on the A11, A14 and B1085 went ahead and with low pressure conditions and almost no wind the riders found they could do remarkable times.

Back in 1994 (not 1996 as mentioned elsewhere!) Swanbury set his personal best at 2-09:49 and was never able to improve on it until Saturday, when he achieved 2-03:40.

It was by no means the best ride in the event and there were many happy riders with personal bests. Fifty-nine riders were under two hours. Ray Retter of North Devon Wheelers, in the same 65-69 age group as Swanbury, won it with an exceptional 1-52:45.

The overall scratch winner was 51-year-old Dave Green of Team VeloVelocity with 1-40:32, but he beat 43-year-old Peter Lawrence of Team Swift by the narrowest margin of one second.

The performances against the riders’ respective age-related veteran standard times were important. The top rider on standard was Peter Horsnell of Chelmer CC who defied his 85 years to ride in 2-16:55, which earned the biggest “plus” of +45:45 and an age record, as the standard for his age is 3-02:40.

Swanbury’s veteran result was +27:40 for 39^th place on standard.

Paul Dennington

In last week’s Godric CC club 10 at Earsham, Paul Dennington headed up the VC Baracchi times with 22:43. Mark Richards challenged closely with 22:52 and George Kerridge rode well with 23:33.

Titch Richards

George Kerridge

Tim Revell of VCB shaved some more time off, as he had done each week, with a personal best 28:13. Jim Burgess of Anglia Velo was fastest with 21:15, run fairly close by Tom Fitzpatrick of Diss CC on 21:35.

Tim Revell – first TT on tri-bars

On the following day in the CC Breckland open 10 from Attleborough, which started with a strong tailwind, Richards’ time was 22:38, Chris Womack achieved 25:03 and John Thompson finished in 29:16.   Lowestoft rider Ian McCluskey of Diss CC rode in 23:50. David McGaw of Cambridge CC won in 20:46.

Swanbury rode the tandem with Ali Banks but because of small adjustment issue they were without the higher gears and finished in 23:35, unable to benefit from the tailwind.

Thompson rode the EDCA championship 25-mile time trial on the A47 road near Wisbech. The cool still morning warmed up but became windier and he was fairly content with 1-12:32. Daniel Bloy of Team VeloVelocity won in 53:18.

Mark Womack, in the Gt Yarmouth CC 8.25-mile time trial achieved 22:55, ninth in a field of 15. Zak Coleman of Pedal Revolution won in 19:28.

Unfortunately Revell had a fall from his bike last Thursday and is now out of action with a broken collarbone which was due to be plated this week, so club-mates wish him a speedy recovery. (P.S. This operation is said to have gone well.  Get well soon Tim!)