Final Old Gore

There’s an old saying, whilst the mouse is away the cats will play or something similar, and that’s what happened last night. With so many away and possibly the threat of rain putting a few off, it left the door wide open for my first win of the season. Well actually left the door wide open for Harwood. The wind was close to gale force 10 making the return home an absolute nightmare, but by the same token not helping 100% on the way out. Dave gave it all the beans out, but once he’d caught me backed off a little, but then again it could have been the wind slowing him! New 2^nd claim rider Adam must have put a huge spurt on in the last 4 miles as I could see him up till that point, Oh how I hate hills….

On his new TT bike, complete with aero helmet Max put in a serious charge to show what new kit can do to times, just wait till he gets used to it. He was only about 20 seconds in front of me on Marcle straight coming back, but he too must have dropped the hammer down in the last couple of miles and up the climb. Taff look out he’ll be very close to your scalp. Tonking Tony was very happy with his ride knocking 46 seconds off his PB, not bad considering he’s not been out for the last couple of weeks. Jennifer this week had a big smile on her face afterwards, as she was not happy with last week’s performance. As we all know Old Gore is much harder than Walford, but even so finding 50 seconds on last week outing. Mike the Post found the evening tough, only excelling up the climb. Gerald also found it tough going but this week was rewarded by passing Mary just before the final climb. Mary was not despondent as on an evening where most had gone slower she’d only lost 2 seconds on her season’s best. Must have been all the training in the last 2 weeks.

Thanks this week go to John Hall, James & Tom Wilson at the roundabout (Tom only cheered me, did anyone notice?), Peb for pushing off and the 2 Julies for timing.

Rider of the night this week was easy, this week it’s Maximum Attack Suff, great ride.

Next week is the final 10 of the year, The Handicap 10. Be early for a handicap, Will and Sammy are in charge. At present we have no turn marshal and lots who want to ride, do we have any volunteers?

The week after is the Long hill climb I’m sure there will be more volunteers than riders for that one as we only need 2 timekeepers.

Don’t think the end of the season is nigh, we have The Vintage Tankard coming up scheduled for 2^nd October, we are hosting around the Marcle circuit.

Wednesday night was the second RFDCC Junior MTB Time Trial held on the FODCA/Free miners Trail at Cannop. The race was over a distance of either 1 or 2 laps with the fastest lap counting in each category. Several lads of our Ross dads took part.

They had an entry of 24 children ranging from 7 to 14 years of age. The most hotly contested category was the 9-11 age group with 15 competitors. Tom Wilson came top in the boys with a time of 22.07 and Ella Church was first girl in 33.47. The fastest ride of the night came from Under 15 category winner, Ashley Hutchison, aged 13, who completed two laps, his best being 19.29. The Under 9 boy’s winner was 7 year old Alastair Cook in 32.18 and the Under 9 girls winner was Lily Crowley, aged 7, in 33.26. James Cook rode around in 26:08 finishing 13^th overall, second in age group.

Tom is 1st left side, next to him is Alister

Penultimate Walford 10

This week’s event was the penultimate Walford 10 of the season, which means there’s only one left which is the Handicap 10. Will, you know what I’m going to ask for that night!

Conditions were slightly gusty making the outward leg a little more difficult than usual, but on the positive side you did get a push to the finish. Cookie took top honours this week just squeezing (he is a big lad) into the 21’s. Turbo Will was not 100% happy only improving a tadge on his previous time on Walford, but there must be something wrong when your time is so similar to Old Gore!

Fallon was the opposite being very pleased with his time and in the process giving Jwoooooones The Steam a drubbing along the way, who himself gave me similar. Just to add insult to injury Dave P snuck past me by a second, so Tuesday is my last chance to put him back in his place.

A close eye should be kept on Taff the Chair as he’s slowly closing in on everyone, only a matter of time before someone cops it. Millie just about held back the next wave of riders with Ian Smith still coming to terms with his new bike.

Adam Spector on holiday from a North London club gave his road bike an outing to a very reasonable time on our course, having met our club ride on the Sunday who gave him the invite. Good to see Wayne back out even if he’s not completely recovered, not a million miles from his best time! Max was on a mission this week, to go sub 28 which he did. This he wanted to do before his new machine breaks cover next week. Clive C put in a steady effort, but will need to do more training next year to keep the peasants at bay.

A strange night the next 2 riders were the first of 2 ties of the evening. Tom who was disappointed with his ride and Ziggy who was delighted (PB) just held off Come Try it Rider Walky who too was very delighted, this week again giving a whoop as he finished on another borrowed bike knocking a minute dead off last weeks efforts. Young Fallon JNR was another jubilant with his first time under the golden half hour marker. How much more can he chip off before the end of the season?

The second tie of the evening was between another come try it rider Louise Hart & B.C. Bill Reay (looked shocked by a lady coming so close to scalping him). Hopefully we will see more of Louise as I think there’s a lot more to come once she gets to know the courses. The second North Roads rider Jennifer Hill crossed the line using a monster gear, saying afterwards that was her chosen style mashing the last 100 metres. Gerald once again volunteered to bring up the rear of the field, but on a technical note was not last!

I said it was a strange night, this week we had 2 punctures. How often does anyone have a puncture let alone 2? Charlie Iron Horse Bowden was first only getting to Vention lane. Dave H was the second, who blamed poor Cookie for scaring the air out of his tub at the turn by shouting at him from 200 metres away. Now for anyone who’s not heard Cookie shout at 200 metres away, without looking you would swear he was 2 foot behind you.

Thanks this week goes to John Hall who was persuaded to go to the turn, Bob Ryan for balancing everyone at the start before launch and the 2 Julies, Suff & Stephens for timings.

Rider of the night this week is Louise for a cracking first effort.

Next week is the last Old Gore of the season.

In the Cardiff 100 miles 50 today(bit of a mouthful) we just failed in the team prize when Clive Chappe needed to finish in 1:57:00 to clinch it for us…..

Cookie destroyed the field in 1:47:20, I did a 2:06:55, with Clive in at 2:22:52

On 18^th & 25^th August we’re going to need some help running the events. Julie & I will not be around. We have some help but more will be required!!!

Monday will be the last supper for the Jwooooooones family before they go to America, when we’re going for a curry. Give me a shout if you fancy coming along.

28/7 Old Gore 10

Last night’s wind made the outward leg a little slower than normal, but the return lacked some push home with only the Marcle straight and the hill giving any assistance from the wind. Turbo Will is closing in on Cookie’s record, Harwood got a puncture before the start, and Ollie turned up half an hour late while the rest of us just suffered!

Nice to see some new faces and some old new faces. Turbo Will was once again was a very pleased chappie with his efforts breaking into the 22 for the first time on Old Gore, encouraged by everyone at the finish who could see it was going to be close for the sub 23. Fallon Snr had a great ride knocking a large chunk off his PB, at his interview afterwards spent 2 hours telling us he was lost for words!

“The Destroyer” raced the whole way to the bottom of the hill before he decided he wasn’t up for hurting himself racing. Cookie’s very old protégé Taff the Chair Lavington moved to within 5 seconds of giving me a beasting having been trained up during the week especially for this event.

Steve the Man Millard took his heart rate well up above max chasing and just passing Nick P on the line, both having a certain red glow afterwards. Just to make things more interesting for himself Chris Walker (a proper Iron man contestant) used an Urban Warrior cycle with flat bars to do the event, possibly embarrassing a few with his time along the way. James was heard to say not another 27:30!

Max looked like he was maxing out up the finish taking almost 2 minutes of his PB, again you’d not want to play poker with Max as he doesn’t let on if he’s pleased with his performance. Steve Williams represented the Forest this week finished a little after everyone, sorry for the late start, will move you up the pecking order next time. Clive Chappe graced us with his presence, could have sworn he said last week he hates Old Gore so wouldn’t be riding.

As I passed come try it rider Andy Walker up the final climb, I said if he wanted to break the 30 minute time barrier he was going to have to give it some large, which he did, then was seen to be skipping and dancing around afterwards and chanting Yes, Yes. What made it so pleasing for him was he was lent the bike by someone else who did a come try it recently, whom he just beat. I also said to Matt just before the climb to lock into Mr. Walker and pass him after half distance up the climb. I think he locked into me as he wasn’t very far behind me at the finish. Matt also took 32 seconds off his PB in the process.

“Mike the Post” was pleased to have got one over the Secretary (sounds wrong that statement!) Bill. Bill was all at sea having been rushing around picking Dave H up who sounds like he may have been having a quick beer in the Moody Cow when he got his puncture. Mary brought up the rear of the race home again, and she was still smiling….

Truant Tony was conspicuous by his absence…

Thanks this week to Dave Harwood for the push, John Hall turning, and Julie S for the timings.

Rider of the night this week was (so many choices) Turbo Will for just dipping into the 22’s, but it was a close fought thing with all the others who took large chunks off their PB’s

Next week is a very fast Walford

Still a few spaces left if anyone fancies a MTB trip to Coed y Brenin in September. Poeple do go on road bike as well all meeting up for a quiet beer after the riding.

Gary’s message

It's that time of year when Coedy is only just around the corner (the dates if you have forgotten are Sep 16th,17th and 18th), So below is the list of people that have paid their deposit and firmed up there bunk for the weekend:- 1/ Zade 2/ Gary Deaville 3/ Jason Bennett 4/ Taff 5/ Neil Lusher 6/ Oliver Hales 7/ Thag 8/ Thags Friend Ziggy

Other people that have said they’re going but not paid:- 1/ Adam Matchettes 2/ David Deaville 3/ Dean Dahlgren 4/ Mark Gill 5/ Ed Gill 6/ Paul Fallon 7/ Steve Hunt

I will need to know numbers by middle of Aug so I can confirm the number of rooms required.

Please can you let me know if any body else is interested to contact me as soon as possible?

Thanks Gary

28/7 Old Gore 10

Open events result sheets - 16 and 17 July 2011

The result of the Saturday '10' is here: open1011.pdf. It includes the combined results for the weekend at the end.

The result of the Sunday Don Woodman '25' is here: donw11r.pdf.

Both events enjoyed additional sponsorship from Echelon Cycles of Pershore this year - thank you.

A big thank you to the organisers, marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offerers, recorders, caterers, cooks, supporters and riders.

Jack Morgan 10

This week was the Jack Morgan 10, and one with a pot at the end of it for the winner! With no Cookie around one thing was for sure, he wasn’t going to have it this year. The conditions were cool with what felt like a head wind out. Funny enough it felt like a head wind home as well, so am going to assume the air was dense which made it tough in both directions. This year pot winner was “Turbo Will”. He noted power was up but his time was slower, which goes to prove it was hard going. Not a million miles away was Dave H. the only other person to be in the same minute As Will, and not that far behind either.

With my 12hr legs, in theory I should have been suffering a bit more but was more than happy to take third spot on the podium. Jwoooooones on one of his rare outings was hoping to take my scalp, but ended up just in front of Wobbly Bob who in turn was only just in front of Taff. It must be pointed out that 2^nd to 6^th all had many continental miles over some big climbs in their legs from past adventures over the past few weeks.

Visiting rider Jon came back for another go knocking 21 second off his best so far. “The Spinner” is stuck in no mans land at present, the only one in the 27’s.

Charlie on a TT machine looked very fast for the first 3 miles, but slowed once the climbs started. Must be pointed out he’s knocked almost a minute off his PB for this year. “Terse Tony” has to set his sights on Young Charlie, this could become a good battle to watch for the rest of the year.

Young Fallon junior has improved every outing so far, this week only 6 seconds away for his first sub evens (20mph average).

Bill took a young bloods scalp this week. Young Ollie did the mathematics at home before he came out, was it possible to ride hungry or should he have something to eat before hand? Well he decided the large portion of pie & chips his mum had got him were fine. Not wishing to be piggish, he declined the curry sauce, but alas they were a little heavier in the beer chamber than first anticipated, which in turn slowed his forward momentum down a little.

Only 2 seconds of his best this year Gerald rounded off the tail end of the field.

This week’s rider of the night for a second time this year goes to Young Mr. Fallon. Dad normally rides just behind him, this week he gave him a bit more space so it was defiantly more of a solo effort, well done Matt.

Thanks this week to Julie, the watch, Earl launch control & The Destroyer at the half way point.

A Marshal will be required for next week. The week after, we will require a timekeeper & turn marshal. Let me know if you can help out with either.

Next week is an Old Gore 10

Next weekend is the Club opens. Again if you can spare the club/us some time please contact either Will or myself. If anyone wants to donate a cake for the events, we would be grateful. http://rosscyclists.blogspot.com/2011/07/open-events-start-sheets-we-16-and-17.html

Open events start sheets - w/e 16 and 17 July 2011

The Saturday '10' start sheet is here: open1011s.pdf.

The Sunday '25' start sheet is here: donw11s.pdf.