Dennington sets a new personal best time at 25 miles
Riding in Godric CC’s club 25-mile time trial on Saturday, Paul Dennington of Velo Club Baracchi set a personal best time of 1-02:41 as an initial benchmark at this distance for the year.
It was not an easy day, as it was overcast and cool, with a wind that made two legs of the two-lap course heavy going.
Other VCB times were Chris Womack 1-05:10 and John Swanbury 1-07:32. Matt Smith of Team VeloVelocity set an impressive winning time of 53:42. Second was Stuart Pryce of Strada Sport with 58:31 and third place went to Sean Taylor of RAF CA with 58:54.
Paul Dennington (left) seen on the VCB club run, with Chris Womack, John Dupen, Titch Richards and his mate Charlie
Former VCB member Nick Esser of Strada Sport was timed in at 1-02:09 and local veteran Brian Davies of Anglia Velo achieved 1-08:18.
Jenny Anderson of Gt Yarmouth CC with 1-09:15 was the only lady rider.
Twenty-six riders set off and more would have finished than the twenty-one who did so if an unfortunate accident with a car had not happened on Clays roundabout. Some of the riders who were first on the scene stopped to help.
Chris Nudds of CC Breckland was taken to hospital to be checked over and Terry Doughty of Godric CC came off as well but was not in need of treatment.
An open 10-mile event on the A11 Six Mile Bottom course that had been entered by Chris Womack and John Dupen was cancelled after cones were laid on the course but fortunately the organiser let them know to save travelling.
There is full field of 120 riders for this Friday’s over-subscribed Gt Yarmouth CC open 10 on the A143.
A group of local riders, some of them VCB members, rode “The Norfolk Mardle” 100km audax ride from Hellesdon on Saturday, including Mike Rainton, Steve and Glen Cone, Denis Glasscock, Keith Wink and Hugh Gatenby.
Rainton said it worked out at about 68 miles in windy conditions and spoke more happily of the refreshments at Castle Acre
John Thompson rode the “The Old Squit” 200km audax that set off an hour earlier. The ride went to Kelling (39km) for an info control, then a main control at Wells (62km), an info control at Ringstead (86km), a main control at Castle Acre (116 km), an info control at Boughton (139km), a main control at Watton (164km) and then back to Hellesdon.
He said, “Early in the ride it was calm but the wind got up, giving us a tough time for nearly 100km. Mercifully a change of direction at around 130km meant that from there to the finish it was a tail wind or at least side tail wind.” He was helped to the finish by a strong tail wind.
- Entries in Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on May 11 have reached triple figures, with some way to go to the projected 400-odd. Distances are 7, 15, 25, 40 and 50 miles. There is a draw for a free bike for a sponsored rider and two other draw prizes. See www.becclescycleforlife.org for entry details.
