Club Notes - 16th August 2003

We are on catch up this week with last weeks absence which I would like to blame on the weather well it works for the roads and railways and although YT did suffer on the hottest Saturday of the year, the truth is I ran out of time and was still waiting for some information from my sources but anyway here we go for a quick (ish) round up starting with the latest from the TLI SPOCO series held on the 2nd of August Leek’s Regulars Mark Poyser and Stuart Cope represented Leek, with Leek'ite, Team Luciano rider Karen Lovatt also in attendance. Stuart Cope maintained his form with a time of 35-41 to finish 9^th. The rose between the two thorns Karen was fastest lady finishing 5^th overall in 34-40. Whilst Mark Poyser strengthened his position in the overall League with another strong ride garnering second place with a time of 31-31, behind Fibrax CC’s rider Paul Holt who recorded a time of 30-01, however on point with Marks consistency and completing more events the pair are virtually neck and neck in the league with only two races to go.

Moving onto Sunday and YT was the only Leek rider taking part in the ill fated Long Eaton 25 although I was joined by ex Leek man Pat Kinch of Churnet Valley Velo, between us it was Pat who took the edge with a time of 55-33 to my 55-47. However un be known to us the event resulted in tragedy when one of the later riders John Needham of Long Eaton Paragon C.C. was struck by an artic and despite best actions at the scene and recovery by the air ambulance died of his injuries, our sympathies go out to Johns family and his friends both outside and within the cycling community.

Moving onto Monday and it was the clubs hill climb more of which later first I will complete the results for the last of the 10’s starting with the Congleton's on Tuesday’s and the penultimate event on the 5^th saw 17 riders with Leek supplying 4 riders new man on the block Graham Hill 25-20, newly crowned Hill climb champ and track star Adam Kenway 23-18, Adams mentor Gary Thomas who managed to pip his protégé despite having his chain come off with a time of 23-02, YT in 2^nd at 22-28, behind Crew Clarion rider John Waddilove's 22-05, skipping a week to the final event the Bermuda triangle on 12^th and despite the challenging nature of the course there were still 14 riders with Leek providing 1^st and 2^nd place riders YT only just getting the better of Mark Poyser with times of 23-35 to 25-40, . Our third man Dave Butterworth also had a strong ride his time of 27-19 placing him bang in the middle of the result table.

Jumping back a week to the 6^th and the Last Maccelsfield Wheelers 10 attracted 30 odd riders whether that was due to the pleasant weather or the buffet afterwards will remain a mystery. But we did field 6 riders, regulars Dave Butterworth, YT, Phil Gayes and more recently Graham Hill, being joined by Gary Thomas and Adam Kenway who were making it 3 nights of racing in a row. On the night the battle between Dave and Graham continued to swing to Graham with times of 25-49 to 25-16, who knows perhaps it will spur Dave to train a little bit through winter for next season. Training is no problem for Phil Gayes and it finally paid off with Phil recording a personal best of 23-23, placing him tenth despite getting tangled up in farm traffic. A little higher up the leader board and the return bout of mentor and prodigy swung Adams way despite Gary having a trouble free ride Adam sneaking under 23 minutes with 22-58, with Gaz at 23-03 the pair finishing 7^th and 8^th respectively. I could only manage 3^rd with 22-12, behind Macc riders Roger Wrenn and Graham Trevana fresh from their summer sabbatical and flying like the wind Roger just ahead of Graham with 22-02 and 22-05.

I will finish the round up with my thwarted attempt at trying to consolidate my third place in the M & D.T.T.A. series by riding the Veterans Open 25, Only having to finish to gain a few points it wasn’t to be when having punctured on my first trip down King street in Northwich I discovered that when you stop on baking hot days you just melt into a soggy mess making it virtually impossible to A) get your tyre off and B) put it back on without trapping the tube and staying flat resulting in a looong walk back, that would have been longer if it wasn’t for a fellow competitor who came back in his car. I wasn’t on my own however 17 riders didn’t start and out of 47 who did 15 did not finish making Pat Kinch's 59-39 for 3rd impressive and winner Nick Giles, Warrington R.C.’s 57-23 incredible.

Next week I will have the long awaited Hill climb results, honest! Plus we will be catching up on Adam Kenway's performance in the schoolboy’s nationals at the track, where as they say in the colonies, confidence is high.