Glorious conditions faced riders in Round 7 of the Friction Hydraulics Series, Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ 10 and National Youth Championship GHS Regional Championship Qualifier as Kieran Morris became only the fifth rider to beat the 20 minute/30mph mark on the Waters Upton – Hodnet course. Morris charged around the simple ‘out and back’ course in 19 minutes 44 seconds in near ‘float’ conditions which always assures fast times, pushing out Oswestry Paragon team mate David Griffiths in a rare 1-2 for the club.

Morris normally rides to the numbers, but revealed that he changed tack thanks to an injury and surprised himself in the process: “I was pretty happy with the ride after having a bit of an injury in one leg, so I decided to go on feel instead of any numbers and it seemed to have worked! Big thanks to Dave Mellor and the team for putting on a great race and well done to everyone else! I’m looking forward to the Shropshire 25 now”.

Griffiths was riding to power however – or so he thought, with his 20:05 taking the runner-up spot ahead of Nova Raiders’ Dean Callister, elevating him into the Friction Series Top 10 in the process. Griffiths could have done more however, as he explained: “I felt very good, but I was surprised by the power I put out, especially as I wasn’t completely empty by the end. It turned out my power meter had broken! So I went from being very pleased with a ride that I did a lifetime power personal best in to being slightly frustrated that I could have gone a bit harder”!

With riders flying out to the turn at Espley island they feared the worst when turning south, but such fears were allayed thanks to those ‘float’ conditions. Callister also found himself securing a space in the Series Top 10 thanks to a fine ride of 20:27, just pushing Henri Bedford out by four seconds. Callister stated: “I paced it well, but did expect more of a headwind on the return. It was a great day of racing with many great times from others – thanks to Mid Shropshire Wheelers for putting the event on”.

Bedford narrowed the gap to the Series lead held by Tim Beardmore to 45 points after taking fourth spot Overall in 20:33 and pushing Beardmore out by 30 seconds. He additionally seems almost impossible to catch in the Friction Junior Series with a fabulous 255 point advantage at the top, although now 17 years old it felt a little bittersweet that he no longer qualifies for the National Youth Championship George Herbert Stancer Regional Championship Qualifier, colloquially referred to as the ‘GHS’ which preceded this event: “I have done the Mid Shropshire Wheelers/GHS for the past five years since I was 12, so it was unusual being too old to go to the GHS finals. I love the course, although I didn’t quite get the time I wanted but I’m happy to come away with the Junior win. Big thanks to Mid Shropshire Wheelers”. Among the young riders Harry Corney of Market Drayton CC was closest to Bedford’s time with 22:58, whilst a brace of Mid Shropshire Wheelers also posting fine efforts, with Alex Hart recording 24:05 and Noah White crossing the line in 27:15.

Beardmore not only remains at the head of the Overall Friction Series, he aso recorded a personal best over 10 miles and additionally extended his lead in the Friction Veterans Series too with a fine win of +5:43, with Rob Jackson of Wrekinsport CC getting closest in +5:05. Beardmore revealed that 10 mile efforts aren’t really his thing: “This was only my second 10 of the season, and not my favourite distance, but it turned out to be a bit of a ‘float day’. I paced it well and was expecting some head wind on the return leg which simply wasn’t there. Consequently I found some decent speed and was delighted to knock six seconds off my personal best. I’m now hopeful for a sub-21 this season – big thanks to Dave Mellor and everyone at Mid Shropshire Wheelers for a great day’s racing”.

In the Friction Women’s Series a personal best was also the order of the day as Nova Raiders’ Jenny Newton took a dominant win in 25:18, 1:54 ahead of Helen Tudor and moving up to fourth in this Championship as a result. She commented: “I was feeling pretty good on the day and stuck to my plan. I’m very pleased to get a course personal best as well as another win. Thanks Mid Shropshire Wheelers for all event organising”.

Result

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series – Round 7

Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Points
1 Kieran Morris Oswestry Paragon CC S 19:44 60
2 David Griffiths Oswestry Paragon CC S 20:05 55
3 Dean Callister Nova Raiders S 20:27 50
4 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 20:33 45
5 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club V 21:03 40
6 Andrew Lacon Nova Raiders S 21:14 35
7 Jason Walkley SCCA Private Member V 21:35 30
8 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 21:57 25
9 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth Cycling Club V 21:58 20
10 Andrew Rose Nova Raiders V 22:09 15
11 Graeme Donnell Nova Raiders V 22:17 10
12 Rob Jackson Wrekinsport CC V 22:19 5
13 Harry Corney Market Drayton CC J 22:58 5
14 Mark Hammond Bridgnorth Cycling Club S 23:20 5
15 Allan Henderson Wrekinsport CC S 23:28 5
16 Philip Gardner Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 23:43 5
17 George Coombes Shropshire CCA 1st Claim S 24:06 5
18 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 24:08 5
19 Ian Connolly Ludlow CC V 24:27 5
20 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V 24:31 5
21 Andrew Williams Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 24:55 5
22 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 25:18 5
23 Phil Guy North Shropshire Wheelers V 25:23 5
24 Daniel Ramsbottom SCCA Private Member S 25:24 5
25 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 25:25 5
26 Simon Jones Hafren CC V 25:48 5
27 Mark Stocks Newport (Shropshire) CC V 26:36 5
28 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 27:12 5
=29 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 27:15 5
=29 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V 27:15 5
31 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers V 28:51 5
32 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC WV 30:37 5
33 Alison Salthouse SCCA Private Member WV 31:28 5
34 Mel Griffiths Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 40:43 5
. Jason Arnold Hafren CC V DNS .
. Adam Baker SCCA Private Member S DNS .
. Ben Gilpin Nova Raiders S DNS .
. Rob Kerr Oswestry Paragon CC V DNS .
. Steve Mold Wrekinsport CC V DNS .
. Peter Mulloy Mid Shropshire Wheelers V DNS .
. Emma Serjeant Hafren CC WV DNS .
. Kirk Vickers Holohan Coaching RT S DNS .

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship – Round 7

Vet Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Vet +/- Vets Points
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club V +5:43 60
2 Rob Jackson Wrekinsport CC V +5:05 55
3 Graeme Donnell Nova Raiders V +5:01 50
4 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V +4:59 45
5 Andrew Rose Nova Raiders V +4:58 40
6 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth Cycling Club V +4:43 35
7 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V +4:39 30
=8 Jason Walkley SCCA Private Member V +4:31 25
=8 Phil Guy North Shropshire Wheelers V +4:31 25
10 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV +4:11 15
11 Philip Gardner Mid Shropshire Wheelers V +3:24 10
12 Andrew Williams Mid Shropshire Wheelers V +2:49 5
13 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V +2:39 5
14 Ian Connolly Ludlow CC V +2:34 5
15 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers V +2:31 5
16 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV +2:23 5
17 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V +2:12 5
18 Mark Stocks Newport (Shropshire) CC V +0:42 5
19 Simon Jones Hafren CC V +0:39 5
20 Alison Salthouse SCCA Private Member WV -0:49 5
21 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC WV -1:02 5
22 Mel Griffiths Mid Shropshire Wheelers V -10:49 5

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship – Round 7

Women’s Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Women’s Points
1 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 25:18 60
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 27:12 55
3 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC WV 30:37 50
4 Alison Salthouse SCCA Private Member WV 31:28 45
. Emma Serjeant Hafren CC WV DNS .

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship – Round 7

Junior Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Junior Points
1 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 20:33 60
2 Harry Corney Market Drayton CC J 22:58 55
3 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 24:08 50
4 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 27:15 45

Top Club Award – Round 7

Pos’n Club Points
1 Oswestry Paragon CC 120
2 Nova Raiders  115
3 Bridgnorth Cycling Club 65
4 Revolutions Racing 45
5 Hafren CC 30
=6 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25
=6 North Shropshire Wheelers 25
8 Wrekinsport CC 15
=9 Ludlow CC 5
=9 Market Drayton CC 5
=9 Newport (Shropshire) CC 5

Cumulative Standings after seven rounds

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth CC V 310
2 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 265
3 Victor Chetta SCCA Private Member V 220
=4 Andrew Lacon Nova Raiders S 190
=4 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 190
6 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 170
=7 Kieran Morris Oswestry Paragon CC S 165
=7 Kirk Vickers Holohan Coaching RT S 165
9 Dean Callister Nova Raiders S 130
10 David Griffiths Oswestry Paragon CC S 115

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

Position Name Club Best 12
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth CC 415
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC 255
3 Victor Chetta SCCA Private Member 245
4 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 235
5 Graeme Donnell Nova Raiders 190
6 Rob Jackson Wrekinsport CC 175
7 Andrew Rose Nova Raiders 160
8 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers 130
9 Jason Walkley SCCA Private Member 115
10 Leonie Keeling Oswestry Paragon CC 105

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Alison Dockney Market Drayton CC 250
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 225
3 Leonie Keeling Oswestry Paragon CC 170
4 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders 160
5 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC 125
6 Marie Llewellyn Nova Raiders 110
7 Lauren Turley Nova Raiders 90
=8 Clare Cotterill Wrekinsport CC 50
=8 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC 50
=8 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 50

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

Junior Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing 310
=2 Max Bufton Hafren CC 55
=2 Harry Corney Market Drayton CC 55
4 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers 50
5 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers 45

Top Club Award

Position Club Total Points
1 Nova Raiders  660
2 Bridgnorth CC 415
3 Oswestry Paragon CC 355
4 Wrekinsport CC 310
5 Hafren CC 270
6 Revolutions Racing 210
7 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 190
8 Holohan Coaching RT 165
9 North Shropshire Wheelers 105
10 Ludlow CC 65
11 Market Drayton CC 50
=12 Clee Cycles 30
=12 Paramount CRT 30
14 Newport Shropshire CC 20