Mercia Report 13-07-08

This year's 25 mile Club Championship was won by the ever improving Steve Plummer. His time of 1 01 45 was fast enough on the tough Yoxall course on the A515 which meant going up Constitution Hill twice to complete the 25 miles. Second fastest was Keith Staley in 1 04 31. Third fastest was Simon Parker in 1 05 42. He also was the fastest on handicap in 55 12 to take the Sheila Wain Memorial Trophy. The actual fastest rider on the night was visiting rider Simon Smith(Coalville Wheelers) in 59 42. The other riders & times were Phil Jones 1 07 54, Graham Martin (Coalville Wheelers) 1 08 50, Mark Eccleston 1 11 08, Mark Ward 1 12 58, Andrew Wendle 1 13 15, Colin Johnson 1 14 33, & Adrian Waters 1 16 24.

There were two under the hour rides by club members in the Central District Ladies Association open 25 mile time trial on the popular Etwall/Uttoxeter course with an entry of 142 riders. Matt Simons timed 58 59 & Noel Adams 59 58. The winner was Charles McCullock (Shorter Rochford RT) in a new course record of 48 52.

Mercia HBM’s Ian Hill joined up with Jim Hopper (Derby Mercury RC) & two other Derby riders to form a team of four riders to ride the Annual York Rally 24 hour Audax Tourist Trial. To get the necessary miles in, they chose a route starting from Yoxall that headed south to Southam, then on to Buckingham, Winslow, Woburn Park, Biggleswade & St Ives to Ely. From Ely they turned north to go through Wisbech & Boston to eventually cross the Humber Bridge to Elloughton on the Humber Estuary to finish with 289 miles (59 miles more than required ) in 24 hours. They then rode on to the York Rally to register their qualifying distance.

This coming Sunday the Mercia HBM is promoting an open 25 mile time trial at Fradley starting at 7 00 am 92 riders have entered the event.