ESCA Hard Riders Report Sunday 20 March 2016

Ivan power is firing on all cylinders

Hastings & St Leonards CC provided 18 out of the 69 finishers in Sunday morning's East Sussex Hard Riders time trial. Ivan Johnson was our strongest rider taking 45:19 to cover the challenging 15 mile course, starting and finishing at Bodle Street Green. He was also our best ascender of "Agony Hill" going north from Ashburnham, taking 3:55.2 to climb and then speed up on the gentler rise to the prime finish timekeeper by the chapel.

It was a grey overcast morning with a bit of a bite in the chill wind which had some east in it, but it was dry, so pretty reasonable conditions for this time of year. Many thanks to all the supporters who turned out, with some of their photos posted on our Facebook Group within hours of the finish, see Sharon's pictures.
Sharon's pics

 There was a good buzz in the HQ as the riders came back for coffee and cakes to chat and await each batch of times going up on the screen. Tenn Outdoors were present with Colin Vicary handing out track mits to all entrants, and others. Tenn are based on the Castleham Industrial Estate and many of us buy their products, those in the know using a discount code on top of what are already good prices.

Seasoned Hard Rider Simon Grogans

Testing times for Andy T

David Earl is considering a comeback season, and so he should with our second best time of 47:48. With an appropriate surname Andy Tester should be suited to the discipline, setting an excellent debut time of 48:20. Four more went sub 50, Neil Smith being rewarded for his regular chain gang training and Pre BBRs with 48:28 on his debut, seasoned hard rider Simon Grogan 49:12 and in his first ever TT Patrick Piper 49:55.

We had two juniors with Fabien Large (51:25) setting a PB by a massive 6 minutes and Finlay Pritchard-Brady Finlay (58:13) coming close to his, very decent times for lads that have both only just turned 14.


Also riding were:
Tom Norris 50:15
Paul Butler 50:58
Simon Tyler 51:32
Andy Lancaster 52:07
Duncan Pain 53:33 an excellent first TT. His first BBR was only a few months ago ...
Greg Blackwell 54:48
Steve Curtis 55:22
Tim Miles 59:42
Chris Parker 61:24 now the only rider to have completed every ESCA HR since 2000
Kim Richmond 63:31

Chris (Colonel) Parker