Womack trounces club-mates (yes, we know it’s not the first time!)

The Gt Yarmouth CC open 10-mile time trial from Wortwell attracted an entry of 115 riders, most of whom actually took part despite the cold conditions and unforgiving wind.

Chris Womack was again Velo Club Baracchi’s fastest rider, but it was good to see Carl Prewer riding in cycling competition again and he will certainly pick up speed as the season progresses.

Indeed, none of the times are likely to bear much resemblance to what the riders will achieve later in the season when there is scope for it to be much warmer.

Womack pulled a quick ride out of the bag and trounced his club-mates, demonstrating that all the training he has been doing has set him up to be the quickest of the club’s veterans.

The VCB times were Chris Womack 25:57, Steve Summons 26:52, John Swanbury 26:57, Mike Rainton 28:35, Carl Prewer 28:42 and Tracy Prewer 33:10.

Times recorded by second-claim and/or former VCB members included Liam Gentry 23:20 and Nick Esser 25:03 (both Strada Sport), James Moore (GYCC) 24:37 (second on handicap), Mark Pearson (NorfolkCyclingAcademy) 25:48, Nicki Hawkes (Team Velo Velocity) 27:47 (fourth lady) and Jenny Anderson (GYCC) 29:57.

It was very hard into the wind from near Redenhall to Clays roundabout and the tailwind helped the riders back a rather shorter distance to the finish near Wortwell.

The first ten places were: 1. Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) 21:58, 2.S Pryce(Strada Sport) 22:26, 3.  A Dyason (Team Swift) 22:30,  4. P Jay (VeloVelocity) 22:36, 5. C Leggett (Stowmarket & District) 22:57, 6. G Moore (ProCycleHire) 23:05, 7. J Turner (NorwichABC) 23:08, 8. L Gentry 23:20, 9. H Matthews (GYCC) 23:24, 10. A Birt (IpswichBC) 23:25.

For some photos at the start see 29 March 2013: Great Yarmouth CC 10-mile time trial – Time Trialling

John Thompson spent Easter at Huntingdon for the “Double Dutch 200” Audax ride, so named because it goes through theFens. It actually worked out at 208.2km. 

He described the course as requiring him to go first to Ramsey for an information control, to March for a full control, an info control at Nordelph and then a full control at Kings Lynn.  He then rode north for a while throughSuttonBridgeto an info control at Holbeach St Matthew, then full control at Spalding, and via Thorney, Whittlesey and Kings Ripton back to Huntingdon.

Thompson missed his personal target of 12 hours by thirteen minutes, largely because of the effects of the strength of the wind across the flat land, including riding into the teeth of it for more than one significant leg of the journey, with some slightly less difficult side-wind and 89km of pleasing tailwind to finish.

Towards the end of this ride Thompson found his reserves of energy low and was obliged to stop for an energy bar, saying afterwards, “In all my years of cycling it’s the first time I’ve felt the need for emergency food with just 3 miles to go!”

Having travelled by train to Peterborough on Friday, he managed to fit in three other rides; one to Huntingdon on Friday and another on Sunday of 30 miles that included Godmanchester and the pretty village of Buckden, with finally an indirect wander back to Peterborough on Monday. 

The organisers of Beccles Cycle for Life are hoping that a little more sunshine may inspire more advance entries in Beccles Cycle for Life on May 12 – for entry details see www.becclescycleforlife.org