ESCA Hardriders and cyclo-cross
The local time-trial season kicked off on Sunday 12th March with the traditional curtain-raiser - the East Sussex Cycling Association “Hardriders”. As the name suggests this is far from an easy opener, occurring as it does when the weather is still often inclement and covering 15.06 miles that would be hard-work even without all the potholes generated by a British winter.
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.
On the day the conditions were mild and dry and afforded a generous tailwind on the most exposed southern section of the circuit so lending themselves to potentially fast times. Three Lewes Wanderers were among the twenty-three riders to take to the start with two of those forming half of the female entry.
Darren Haynes by Nicloa Hale
Repeating her victory of twelve months earlier was Sally Turner, racing for Huub-WattShop, who sped round in three seconds outside of 42 minutes to place an impressive 6th overall into the bargain.
Third fastest female was Kate Mankelow who beat her own personal best from last year by almost two minutes in recording a new mark of 46:43 for 14th overall. Splitting that pair in 9th overall was Neil Edwards (44:35) who took almost a minute off his time from 2022 and took the prize for fastest male in the 55-59 year old category.
Back on Sunday 18th December Darren Haynes headed west into Kent for Round 4 of the East Kent Cyclo Cross League. There was a late change of course from race promoting club VC Deal as the north facing slopes of Lydden Hill Rally Cross Circuit were still frozen and icy, but the twenty-two racers were not to be denied.
Darren lost two places early on, but gained one back when a competitor suffered a puncture and another due to being able to ride an off-camber bank that another rival could not and made his way back to 9th place by the end of the five laps.
Darren competed next on 22nd January when VC Deal were again the promoters, this time of Round 5, which was held at Betteshanger Country Park. For this round the sun was out and the temperature a few degrees above zero, but that brought other issues as it made the grass banks exceptionally slick and slippery. Darren coped less well in these conditions, but still finished a fine 19th from 39 after five challenging circuits.
