Evening 10s Rd 4 and racing round-up

The fourth of Lewes Wanderers’ series of 10-mile time-trials took place on the evening of Monday 23rd May on the generally accepted to be harder course featuring The Broyle and the Laughton Road plus a short dash back down the A22.  There were eleven competitors with nine from the host club.

Returning from injury Joe Benians was the clear winner by over a minute as he raced round in two seconds under 23 minutes on his road bike.  Four seconds over 24 minutes was runner-up Gavin Richards, which was one second quicker than his winning time from last week.

Kate Thomas was fastest female and third overall in 25:05, 15 seconds ahead of Darren Haynes.  Charlie Middleton (27:35) took second place in the road-bike category and 5th overall.  Jamie Goldstein was 7th in 27:53, Paul Hanratty 8th in 28:38 five seconds ahead of 9th placed Peter Baker, while Dave Beale took 10th in 29:09.

On Saturday 21st May Sally Turner (trainSharp) finished in a superb second place in the Eastern Counties Cycling Association championship 50 in Cambridgeshire as she rocketed around the course in 1 hour 49 minutes and 18 seconds to also place 23rd from 60 finishers.

On Tuesday 24th May Richard Burchett was one more in the thick of the action for the latest of the Goodwood Summer Series racing series around the historic motor racing track where he placed 12th out of twenty.

Gina Boakes by Tobias Bunyan

Wednesday night saw Round 6 of the Sussex Cycle Racing League Track League at the outdoor velodrome in Preston Park, Brighton.  In the showcase 15-lap point race Gina Boakes was 3rd across the line in the first sprint and 5th, one place behind clubmate Peter Baker, at the chequered flag to scoop the female points championship.

She went out too hard in the following 12-lap “Block Handicap” race, was dropped and pulled out to save her legs for later, but Peter lasted out to finish 14th from 17 racers.  Both Lewes riders were back on the start line for the 5-lap “Scratch” race where Peter was 5th and Gina 6th, while in the final Bunch race Peter was 15th and Gina 17th.

In Thursday night’s Southborough & District Wheelers “Ladies Mile” time-trial Joe Benians was an excellent 2nd place from 23 riders as he completed the tough 11.72mile course in 30 minutes and 29 seconds.

That same evening Eastbourne Rovers hosted a 12.5-mile TT on rolling roads through Ninfield and Wartling. Michael Valks was 13th in 36:20 and Peter Baker 21st from 23 in 39:05.