Mike Rainton awarded LEJOG trophy; Thompson promotes successful Audax

Mike Rainton has won a superb trophy and medal for his six annual rides from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The Land’s End John O’Groats Club, of which Rainton automatically became a member by completing the first of his rides, has recognised his exceptional achievements with the award of their vice-president’s trophy.

Apart from the number of his rides it also reflected his fundraising of £16,000 over the six years for the Bishop Simeon Trust. He will ride another next year.

Rainton does his club riding with Velo Club Baracchi, and last Sunday was out on the club run with fellow members George Kerridge, Paul Clarke, John Cooper, John Dupen and Paul Dennington, who made a point of including a café stop.

Other riders keen make a day of it took part in the Audax event organised by club member John Thompson.

He had a total of 56 starters and all fifteen in the shorter 158 kilometre distance finished successfully, though some of those in the 206km event failed to get back in time.

Those who were unsuccessful had either lost time due to going off route or were affected by the weather on their long ride.

He said, “The start and finish for both rides was Blundeston village hall.  Both rides followed the same route as far as Framlingham, first through Oulton Broad and then via Hulver and Rumburgh to an info control at Metfield, then through the Waveney valley via Fressingfield and Eye to the first main control at Thornham Magna. Then via Worlingworth and Saxted Green to Framlingham.”

“The shorter ride then went to an info control at Benhall, then via Saxmundham, Theberton and Westleton to Dunwich for another main control, and finally via Wenhaston, Uggeshall and Hulver.”

“The longer ride after Framlingham went to Kettleburgh and Bredfied, crossing the A12 to Melton, then Shottisham, Hollesley and Butley to a main control at Orford, then via Iken , Snape and Leiston, re-joining the route of the shorter ride at Theberton to the main control at Dunwich and then again the same route as the shorter ride.”

For a good part of the day riders had lovely weather even though the shorter ride starting at 9am started in rain.  However, as Thompson said, “About 3.30 pm it started bucketing down continuously and some very wet, bedraggled and tired looking riders walked into Blundeston village hall, but they all seemed happy.  I got a lot of compliments about the routes.”

For the shorter ride, the first rider finished about 4.30pm and the last ones just after 7pm.  For the longer ride, which started at 8am, the first finished about 5.30pm and the last at 9.20pm.

This Sunday the last event in the Holmes Cup competition between VCB and Gt Yarmouth CC is a reliability trial from Blundeston Plough at 9am and the Lowestoft-based club will have its work cut out to compete with the Yarmouth club’s current weight of numbers.