Hastings-Rye-Hastings Time Trial 11/06/2014

It was a fine Wednesday evening for the first of three Hastings-Rye-Hastings Classic TTs, bright sunny and warm with a moderate prevailing wind. With a PB improvement of over two minutes Stuart Hodd (45:20) won the event and 17 year old Joe Kingsman (48:02) put in a great time for second place with a PB by 42 seconds. Shortly after his return from an epic tour in the Pyrenes with event photographer and tour BLOG chronicler Jon Stainsby and friend from Cambridge Nigel Tamplin (51:06) was in third place just ahead of his usual Strava nemesis Kie Smith (52:37) who was making his TT debut. Also riding were: Jon Molton (53:08), Tom Norris (53:53), Greg Blackwell (57:04), Ivan Johnson (59:30) and Malcolm Daly was a DNF after puncturing at Winchelsea on the way back.

It must have been a good weather forecast, three texted me in the afternoon offering to marshal and one turned up on spec so there was a mini club run of four ahead of the field for a well marshalled turn at Rye Strand. Thank you very much to Derek Millgate,Tim Miles, Mark Ingram and Steve Denny. It is absolutely vital to have a presence in a yellow jacket to make drivers think about what is going on since they would not normally expect a bike to turn and retrace at a mini roundabout.

Fastest time of the night was a private time trial by In Gear's Pete Tadros (40.44). Peter has been under 40 minute in 2012 and for his course record of 39.23 in 2011 which was set on a better evening with some East in the wind helping the return to the top of Hastings. The moderate prevailing wind had given some assist on the mainly downhill run to Rye but provides something of a head wind for the return uphill return ride. Since Peter was bruised and shaken the day before when a motorist in a parked car opened their door without warning and had him off his bike his ride was an excellent performance. This acts as a reminder not to ride too close to a row of parked cars, nowadays doors are even more likely to be opened without a thorough check of what is coming from behind since many use their mobile after parking and you usually cannot see from behind if someone is sat in an offside seat in a car that has been parked there for a while.

Rye junior Michael Maxwell (52:53) has only ridden a few TTs but did a great time on a road that he knows well.

Please keep your cars off the main road, apart from a few officials cars that get there early and position their cars to keep the immediate start area clear of returning residents parked cars. Also please do not lean your bikes against the fence since the householder thinks that it may damage the fence, the garden hose was directed over the fence ...........

Chris Parker