Racing round-up
Round 10 of the Sussex Cycle Racing League Track League took place at Preston Park outdoor velodrome on the evening of Wednesday 21st June. Peter Baker represented Lewes Wanderers and he placed 6th from 12 in the 6-lap Scratch Race; 8th from 12 in the “Snowball” over the same distance; 11th in the 3-lap “Dash” and 24th in the 6-lap Block Handicap.
On Thursday 22nd June Sally Turner (HUUB Wattshop) was among 36 females competing in the British National Elite Time-Trial Championships over a 24.7 kilometre course incorporating the Croft Motor Racing Circuit and some of the nearby Yorkshire roads. Her time of 40 minutes 47.53 seconds placed her 28th in the country for 2023.
That evening June Peter Baker and Adrian Hills were among 15 racers competing in an Eastbourne Rovers time-trial on their tough 7.2 mile course from Birling Gap up past Beachy Head and back round through East Dean. Peter placed 8th overall and 4th of the five riders on road bikes in a time of 22:25. Adrian was 14th in 33:15.
It was Gina Boakes’ turn to race at Preston Park in Round 3 of the Sussex Cycle Racing League Summer Series on Friday 23rd June. She had only intended to race a few laps as a training session and then drop out to prepare for future events. However having given away her third place she realised the four riders behind were a long way back so dug in to claim 4th at the flag.
On Tuesday 27th June Richard Burchett and nine others competed in a Brighton Excelsior 10-mile time-trial on the A283 near Steyning. His superb time of 22 minutes and 15 seconds earned him third spot on the podium.
Peter Baker was back at Preston Park on Wednesday 28th June for Round 11 of the SCRL Track League. He competed in a trio of events all run over half-a-dozen circuits of the outdoor velodrome. Peter placed 7 from 13 in the “Scratch Race”; 11th in the “Snowball” and 9th from 13 in the Elimination.
Gavin Richards by Emma Gearing
On Thursday 29th June Eastbourne Rovers held their annual 25-mile time-trial Championship with Gavin Richards competing as a guest rider on the A22-based course. He gatecrashed the party somewhat as he claimed fourth place in a field of a dozen and smashed his personal best set in 2021 with a new mark of 58 minutes and 48 seconds.
Hot off her performance in the British National TT Championship Sally Turner (HUUB Wattshop) backed that up with runners-up spot in the Cycling Time Trials National 50-mile on roads near Chelmsford as her time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 41 seconds was one of only three of the 19 entrants to beat the 2-hour mark.
