This week we were ‘blessed’ with rain showers and a cold blustery south-westerly wind that should have blown riders back from Ashley.
Twelve riders started but Lawrence Cox (WVCC) unluckily picked up a puncture and did not finish.
Paul Beattie (RFW) put in by far the best time, finishing in 23:47. Alex Whitmore (Ratae) came in a good while behind in 25:01, while Will Deeley (riding RFW second claim) did 26:17.
Of our two Juveniles, Harrison Fay (WVCC) beat the 30 minute barrier, finishing in 29:52 while a younger Mac Carter put in a creditable 34:38.
Our photograph shows Mike Harvey riding ‘old school’ on his steel Condor. Results can be downloaded below.
My usual thanks go to all race officials and helpers.
 
John Aldridge

​Much better weather tonight, which brought out a field of 23 riders, with some who had never ridden with us before. Fastest rider of the evening was newcomer Mark Williams (RAF C.C.) with 22:24. I think he’d ridden a few TTs before. Paul Beattie (RFW) came in almost a minute later in, a still very creditable, 23:14 with Lawrence Cox  almost two minutes further down, in 25:08.
Arthur Bourlet (RFW) was very unlucky to narrowly miss the 30 minute time mark, finishing in 30:01.
Our only lady rider, Lisa Brady (Wellingborough Cycles) finished in 30:37 and vowed to improve on this ‘next time’.
Thirteen year-old Michael Carter (RFW) finished in 34:22 – a big improvement on last week’s 37:20.
My usual thanks go to all officials and helpers. Let’s hope the weather holds!

Please note that our Risk Assessment requires at least 2 marshals - I am advised that without these our insurance is invalid and we must therefore cancel the meeting.
​RFW Club Rules make it a requirement that RFW riders should marshal once during each TT Series in order for your points to count towards an award. When you marshal, the average of your points will be added to your record. I'm very happy for riders to 'bring a friend' who can act as a proxy marshal for them.
I do not want a 'boom or bust' situation, so please look at the sheet on the notice board and sign up accordingly.
I also desperately require someone to collect the signs at then end of the meeting. It is a real faff to have to do this after I have finished doing everything else. Again, please look at the sheet on the notice board.
 
John Aldridge

​Did we miss summer? It certainly felt almost like November tonight, with cold, fog and a steady drizzle. In spite of this we had ten customers for the first of our ‘Spring Series’ of time trials.
As expected, Kristian Woolf (VC Equipe) put in the best time of the day, finishing in 23:03 with Paul Beattie (RFW) over a minute behind in 24:09 and Chris Fowler in 26:15.
To be fair, it was a dreadful evening and nobody expected to put in a ‘personal best’.
Special mention should go to Mike Harvey, competing on a beautiful steel Condor and twelve-year-old Michael Carter who bravely bashed round, almost finishing in the dark.
My usual thanks go to all race officials and helpers.
The forecast for next week is supposed to be good – let’s hope it’s true.

The weather during the preceding day for the first of our evening time trials was not very auspicious but it cleared to produce a window for the time of the actual event. However, it would seem that a lot of people were expecting rain and so we only had an entry of four hardy riders.
Best time of the day for was Austin Smith (RFW) with 6:43 for the 2.8 miles, followed by Tim Eaton (RFW) in 7:10. Thirteen year-old Dominic Switzer rode as second claim for RFW to put in a very creditable 7:40.
Johnny Pinkerton rode a fixed-gear but still managed 8:07.
Our usual thanks go to all officials and helpers, without whom the event would not run. Let’s hope for a better turn-out next week for the first of our full 10 mile events.
 
John Aldridge