Longer distance Time Trialling

Although we have a number of endurance riders, more this season than for many years it looks as though only one member will have completed a 100 mile TT this year, yours truly. Malcolm also started the ESCA 100 on Sunday but had a problem at about 20 miles, I think he may have been one of two or three riders who came off at The Shaw roundabout (East Hoathly) on his way back from Uckfield. Going 240 degrees round the small roundabout in the damp after a long dry spell can be dicey, Tim Miles was one of several riders to come off there in a 25 a few years ago and had niggles with his shoulder/hip for some time after so tends not to race when it is wet anymore, but if you take a bit of care all is well.

There were course problems (various road works with traffic lights) so we ended up on an emergency course of four times up and down the A22 between Boship and Uckfield. The traffic later on in the morning was a bit of a problem especially for the faster riders but three still managed to break four hours, 25mph for a 100 which is top notch. There were several DNFs and punctures including some of the top riders but Rover John Cordner (who often uses the Hastings Wednesday chain gang to sharpen his speed in the winter) may well still have taken fourth place with an excellent second ride at the distance, just seconds from breaking four hours and seconds ahead of time trialling legend Glenn Longland.

Glenn is one of only a handful of riders to go over 300 miles for 12 hours when he was National Champion for the third time in 1991 with 300.27 miles and also British Best All Rounder that year.  He and a group of Antelope RT riders used to come over to the Isle of Wight each year for B&B for the Vectis RC annual D&D then join us for a club run on the Sunday morning in the true traditions of social events and riding over the winter. I remember watching him win the Perfs Pedal early season race in 1979 (I think). The Perfs is one of the first, used to be the first, top road race of the year near Portsmouth. The roadies were dismissive of a solo break by Glenn but left it too long and were not quick enough or good enough to work together and chase down the yet to be BBAR. It was the Perfs of 1988 that Hastings had our last prestigious road race win, I still have the Cycling Weekly with a photo of the young Mark Markowski in his Hastings top taking the win. Again he was an unfancied rider the regular roadies did not treat with enough respect.

I do not think there are any more 100s left to ride this season, unless there is a late one up North? So unless anyone has sneaked off on the quiet and can present a result sheet yours truly takes the Club 100 cup again with a modest 5:24:38, about the third time in the last 15 years. If anyone has done a 100 and also a 50 and 25 they can make a claim for the Club Best All Rounder trophy otherwise that goes to yours truly again for about the fourth time in 15 years, one year someone missed out on doing a 50 to qualify.

Your truly has no intention of riding the Kent 12 hour on Sunday 1 September so will not be picking up the Percy Bliss Bowl for the fourth time in 20 or so years (no one else has completed one since Vic Butler was doing long distance, including setting the club 24 hour record of 407 miles in 1993) but will be out marshalling at several posts during the day.

It is possible that Steve Butcher and Tom Norris, seasoned Audaxers, will be riding the Kent 12. There is still time for others to enter if Esther is contacted ASAP. The field is already up to some 70 riders. A 12 hour is actually more fun to ride than a 100 TT so is anyone one else up to it? It would be worth others seeing what it is about since the National 24 hour TT Championships returns to East Sussex in 2014. The 2011 event was a great experience to ride, especially to be part of the event when Andy Wilkinson smashed (by 16.1 miles) his 24 hour record with an amazing distance of 541.17 miles, touching the ground briefly just three times, the first enforced to change his helmet very early on that had a problem after breaking a strap on it just before he started.

Chris Parker