Womack 10-mile veteran district champ; Richards’ open win number 2

On Saturday, Chris Womack of Velo Club Baracchi followed his lifetime personal best at 25 miles reported last week with a great ride at 10 miles that won him the East District CA veteran championship at Tottenhill.

Womack setting off (photo by Fergus Muir)

Currently on irrepressible form, Womack recorded 23:29 for a veteran “plus” of +5:23 (5:23 under his veteran standard time for age 69) and earned a district medal as well as a £25 prize, by courtesy of VeloVelocity Coaching.

Womack is sporting a new skinsuit and helmet and has a new saddle on his bike, but the credit for his good result must surely go to his own fitness and tenacity.

He was also placed 23^rd overall on scratch.   The overall scratch winner was Oliver Milk of Tri- Anglia Triathlon Club in 20:59 and the winner of the ladies’ competition was Verity Smith of Stowmarket & District CC in 23:16.

Not to be outdone, the club’s current top senior rider Mark Richards scored a second open time trial win in the Godric CC 10-mile event on Tuesday June 7 in 21:31, beating Tom Fitzpatrick of Spirit Racing Team into second place with 21:47 and Matthew Senter of Peterborough CC into third with 21:50.

Liam Gentry of VCB achieved 22:08 Womack rode this one in 25:07 for +3:45 on standard and the veteran winner was Len Benton of Colchester Rovers CC with +4.58 from his 24:00 ride.

Richards also won the Gt Yarmouth CC 10-mile club event last Thursday with 22;13 on their Lound course, backed up by James Mooore in second with 23:55 and VCB’s Nick Esser in fourth with 24:38, just three seconds behind the home club’s Jonny Hawes, third in 24:35. VCB rider Paul Read was fifteenth in the 27-rider event with 28:41.

Richards and Gentry rode the Hackney Road Race near Sudbury and finished in 17^th and 19^th places respectively, having been at or near the front for most of the race.

In round 6 of the Lotus League racing at Hethel last Wednesday the VCB riders had no reward.

A crash in the separate 4^th-cat race caused a mix-up for the E123 riders, some of whom were sitting in and did not realise they should be sprinting to finish the race.  VCB riders were affected and were grouped further back on the line, to finish with Moore 20^th, Richards 24^th, Esser 26^th and Gentry 27^th.

VCB club riders

The club run on Sunday headed out to Framlingham via Stoven, Uggeshall, Blythburgh, Leiston and Saxmundham.  Six riders completed the distance, with one taking a shorter route home from Saxmundham through Peasenhall.  Other VCB riders were out and about.