Paul Wright road racing exploits; Hayward strong in Gt Yarmouth 30

Paul Wright of Velo Club Baracchi built on some strong showings in the weekly Lotus League circuit racing to take sixth place in the Ipswich BC road race on Sunday.

Third cat rider Wright said it was “I8 rapid laps of the Tunstall Loop averaging 26mph, with a final sprint finish in which I managed to gain 6th place. I was happy with that.”

Mark Saunders won the VC Baracchi 30-mile championship in Gt Yarmouth CC’s Sunday club event on the Somerleyton sporting course, recording 1-11:42, which is just over 25mph.

Considering the undulating and in places technical nature of the road circuit through Blundeston corner, Lound and Bradwell and back through St Olaves, this was not bad going.

Other VCB times were Paul Hayward 1-12:44, Paul Dennington 1-14:56, Stuart Supple 1-18:36, Steve Dixon-Grant 1-20:03, Paul Reed 1-23:31, Mark Womack 1-26:19, John Swanbury 1-29:28, Francesca Dixon-Grant 1-30:54 and Richard Allen 1-34:09.

The fastest GYCC rider was Jonny Hawes in 1-14:31. The ride of the day was by triathlete Joe Skipper of Team Skipper who knocked around 6 minutes off the course record with 1-02:29 (28.8mph).

On Saturday in the Norwich ABC open 10 on the A143 past Wortwell and Earsham, Nick Partridge of VCB rode well to achieve 21:01. Dennington beat Hayward by 22:39 to 22:51. Chris Womack decided not to set out in the steady rain.

The scratch winners were Simon Hance (Stowmarket & Dist. CC) in 20:29 and for the women Kerry Tate (Newmarket Cycling and Triathlon Club) 24:05.

In the tandems, of which there were three, John Swanbury and Kate Churchill finished in second place by ten seconds in 23:21 to Mark Fraser of City Cycle Centre and Anna Fraser of CC Ashwell.

In the Godric CC club 10 last week VCB’s Partridge saw off all comers to win in 20:22 a personal course best. Dan Blackburn of VC Norwich was second in 21:39.

Other VCB times were Saunders 22:32, Dennington 23:38, Billy Girling 24:20, Paul Reed 25:11, Swanbury 25:48, Mark Womack 26:31 and Jodie Lee 32:23.

Partridge went on to set another personal course PB in the Plomesgate Cc club 10.  His 21:53 beat Peter Kerry of Ipswich Tri (22:48) and 12 others.

In last Thursday’s GYCC club 10 the VCB times were Dennington 24:08, Steve Dixon-Grant 25:02, Reed 26:52, Mark Womack 27:28, Francesca Dixon-Grant 28:44, Dominic Panikulangara (new VCB member) 29:34 and Richard Allen 29:45. The fastest rider was Louis Julian of DAP CC in 23:08.