Bob Jolliffe reports.......
A NORTH-westerly breeze on the long leg from Lyndhurst to Leygreen Farm meant fast times in New Forest Cycling Club’s final evening 10-mile time trial of the season.
In only his second evening event of the season, Nick O’Hara again took the spoils from Ben Boardman, clocking a quick 21-18 against Boardman’s 21-31.
Nevertheless, with five wins and a choice of second places from the six placings required to score points, Boardman won Division One of the series with 89 points, just one short of the maximum.
Fareham Wheelers’ Mark Ashley took third place overall with 21-53, but third place in the club competition went to James Bannister who rattled off a personal best 22-31, which earned him first division runner-up spot.
Forest junior, Hugo Walters was next with 22-55, tying with both Team Feat’s Marc D’Arcy and Antelope RT’s Steve Woods. Walters finished third in the division.
Andrew Hanley was another who took full benefit from the conditions, which meant a hard finish over the hill to the timekeeper near Beaulieu Road Station, clocking 23-16 to beat Forest clubmate Stuart Peckham by four seconds.
Others (NFCC unless stated): Mike Naulls (VC Venta) 23-07, Adrian Jenkins (GA Cycles) 23-51, Jonny Brooks 23-53, Matt McDonald (Hargroves Cycles CC) 24-07, Graham Lenton 24-34, Rob Brinsdon and Geri Robinson both 24-35, Stuart Grace (GA Cycles) 24-39, Adam Curtis (Primera) 24-52, Nick Williams 25-05, Barry Hards (unattached) 25-12, Phil Underwood 25-20, Keith Bradfield 25-24, Dan Mitchell 25-41, Neil Stevenson 25-51, Mike Anderson (VC St Raphael) 25-53, Chris Conrath 25-55, Andrew Weighill 26-38, Antony Moyle 26-48, Phil Harris 26-54, Chris Shimman 26-58, Patrick Walters 26-59, Chris Summers (Sotonia CC) 27-00, Jamie Walby 27-01, Phil Jones 27-25, Richard Wills 27-34, Martin Balk 28-12, Chris Mills 28-19, Chris Jolliffe 28-25, Paula Eardley (Fareham Whlrs) 32-46, Tracy Mitchell 32-58.
Division Two: 1, Graham Lenton, 87 points; 2, Keith Bradfield, 81; 3,Dan Mitchell ,75. Division Three: Antony Moyle, 81; 2, Phil Jones, 84; 3, Jamie Walby, 82. Women: 1, Tracy Mitchell, 29; 2, Samantha Aplin, 10. Juveniles: 1, Chris Norris, 29; Tom Reid, 20.
Derny excitement at Reading
New Forest CC’s John Heffernan finished fourth in the 20km Minor Final of the Reading Derny Fest at the Palmer Park track.
He won his way to the Minor Final by dint of taking fourth in Heat One of the Derny motorbike-paced event at the weekend behind Martin Harris of Banjo Cycles.
Oli Hitchings (Peter Hansford Racing) took third behind Vojtech Blazejovsky (Brixton Cycles) in the second heat, which led to him taking fifth place in the 25km Major Final behind winner Alex Wise of VC St Raphael.
Bournemouth Arrow CC’s David Carter was eighth in Heat Three and sixth in the 15km Minor Final.
Heffernan said: “I came fourth in the first heat one place away from the Major Final. My take on it was that with four laps to go Martin Harris made his move and left a group of three riders including me, chasing the final two qualification places; first 3 to go through to the A final, next 3 to B final, next three to C final.
“I was sitting happily at the back of this three man group. I left my move to the back straight on the final lap and missed out on the Major final by the width of a tyre, ruing what might have been if I had only started my attack a little earlier.
“In the B final I didn’t want to make the same mistake and, again in the leading four-man group, I started my drive for home with three laps to go. I led with two to go but when Trevor Bradbury came back at me, I tried to match him for half a lap but ‘blew’ as we heard the bell, eventually coming in fourth with Trevor going away for a deserved win.”
