ESCA Hardriders
Ten Lewes Wanderers took part in the East Sussex Cycling Association Hardriders time-trial on Sunday 13th March. As the name suggests this is a notoriously hard event, but at least it stayed dry for all but the last few of the 38 starters who even enjoyed a semblance of the tailwind on the main climb of the 15.06 mile course. That said, the tarmac was as rough and potholed as ever, greasy from overnight rain in places and even under water in one dip a few miles from the finish.
From the start just south of the Bodle Street Green Village Hall headquarters the course is fast downhill towards Windmill Hill and the first of several steep ascents. The rolling section along the A271 through Boreham Street is probably the easiest part of the course, but once having turned north back into the lanes the course barely offers the riders any time to relax.
A steep potholed descent kicks straight into the toughest section of the course up the appropriately named Agony Hill, the difficulty being reflected in the award of spot prizes to the fastest three riders timed to Ponts Green. After the long drag to Woods Corner the racers enjoy a swooping plunge to Earls Down before a slow grind up to Three Cups. The left turn to Rushlake Green is downhill, but at the expense of being back on minor roads littered with imperfections to put it mildly. From Rushlake Green a sequence of yet more ramps and descents lead back to the finish.
There were seven non-starters among the 38 men to pre-enter, but all half-dozen of the female contingent to commit to this ordeal turned up to test themselves. Fastest of which was Sally Turner (trainSharp) who raced round in just 2 seconds outside of 41 minutes to place a highly impressive 7th overall and beat the previous women’s course record of 45:48 by almost 5 minutes.
Dave Beale by Paget Cohen
Sally was also 8th overall up the intermediate hill climb in 3:19, but only 7 seconds quicker than Kate Parrish who was second fastest female in both competitions and a superb 16th overall in 44:20, which was also well inside the previous best mark. 4th fastest female in the hill climb and overall was Kate Thomas in 3:57 and a new course personal best of 48:31.
Richard Burchett fared best of the Lewes men in 14th place overall (44:15) and 13th on the prime (3:31). Neil Edwards (45:28 and 3:35) was 4 seconds faster than Dan Street in both the overall and the hill prime. Peter Baker matched Neil’s time up the climb, but finished only 28th overall as his time of 49:09 included 35 seconds for starting late, although he was still fastest amongst the over-60s. He was thus behind 21st Darren Haynes in 46:46 and Gavin Richards (24th in 48:06), but ahead of Dave Beale in 35th with 55:48.
