Club Notes - 14th September 2003

This weeks report is a bit of a long distance special. Starting with Graham Halden and the West Cheshire & Liverpool TTCA 12 hour time trial. In this type of event the winner is the person who completes the most miles in 12 hours. Graham electing to ride after retiring from the national 24. The event was run over much of the same roads as the 24 including the notorious Prees, Battlefield leg that was part of his and Andy Bains undoing in the 24. Despite a 6.30 AM start time conditions compared with the 24 were positively tropical. Graham started at the same pace as the 24 completing the first 100 miles in 6.5 hours, and although still stopping frequently this time they were just for a change of bottles and consumption of a muffin these shorter stops meant that Graham finished with an excellent distance of 183 miles, averaging 15mph, compared with 131miles at the 12 hours point in the 24, all of which as fired the man up for a 300+ attempt at the 24 next year, and a recruiting drive for a team, especially as Gray mentioned that he had great support from the Congleton CC crew as they passed each other during the event. He would also like to thank the club members who rode out to offer support although they did miss his stop before they arrived and due to the long next leg left before he returned although Phil Jones and Liz Burns of Macc wheelers who rode out with the club had stayed a little longer did pass on their good wishes. Thanks also to Marc Briand who drove over for a photo call in the morning, and last but not least long suffering wife Brenda who along with the dogs endured 12 hours at Prees in the support car. The winner of the event was Darren White of North Shropshire Wheelers with 264 with Congletons Neil Skellern coming in 2^nd at 262 miles, which along with Karl Austins 236 and Rob Waghorns 227 gave Congleton the team prize.

The following Sunday in the wilds around Manchester covering some familiar Cheshire lanes Dave Bridden, tackled a 100 mile ride. The event started and finished at Wythenshawe Park Manchester. Heading out into Cheshire, through Northwich and Delamare Forest with the first compulsory stop at Nantwich after 55miles. The route then turned due north through Middlewich and Wilmslow before returning back to base. Coincidently it also took Dave around 6 .5 hours. Not bad considering Dave did his good deed for the day helping a damsel in distress with a pucture! Lack of space means we will have to catch up with the greatest distance covered by a club member Dave Coopers intrepid Paris-Brest Randonuer and the rest of the racing round up another week.

Finally get well wishes to Kevin Sharrock who was taken into hospital late last week.