SCCA & WCTTCA 30

Just one second separated the winner from the runner-up in a tight contest for honours in the SCCA and WCTTCA 30 as the Series leader stretched his advantage at the top of the Overall standings in Round 7 of the Friction Hydraulics Series – though chance events played their part. With riders licking their lips at the prospect of a first County-level race over the sparkling new tarmac at Peplow – though not the just laid chippings at Shawbirch – the top three all finished on 67 minutes, split just by seconds, with Bryn Davies taking the win in 1 hour 7 minutes and 13 seconds.

Starting from Waters Upton and taking in a circuit of Hodnet, Market Drayton and Shawbirch before finishing at Crudgington, Davies extended his Overall Series to 75 points after beating Victor Chetta by a second, and saw his Veteran’s Series lead narrowed to 50 points after he finished third in this Championship with a +13:40 Standard. With the field unusually set out in National Championship format from slowest to fastest based on past best performances Davies started one place in front of Chetta, and a chance look behind provided all the spur he needed, as Davies explained: “It couldn’t have been much closer! I nearly messed it up trying to take a drink en route and couldn’t get the bottle back in costing me time sitting up to get it back. I looked around and thought I could see Victor in the distance and thought I’d best get a move on – it was certainly a motivation knowing Vic was behind chasing me down! A great morning’s racing, well organised, even the weather was kind. Thanks to all involved in organising and marshalling the event“.

Chetta meanwhile was left rueing a poor start having been determined to make up lost ground after a non-finish in Round 6, and put in a huge effort in the first part of the race to try to reel Davies in, as he explained: “After the previous round’s DNF in the Championship 50 I was pleased to finish so close to Bryn this time, and it looked like I might end up catching him at one point, but he must have stretched the gap out again in the second half. After the event I was of course thinking that I really could have summoned up that little bit of extra effort – hindsight is a wonderful thing! I botched my start a bit, almost toppling over so that is one of the places where I lost that precious second or two“.

Cementing the Hafren CC 1-2 at the top of the Overall standings Ian Nisbett tightened his grasp on the Overall runner-up spot after finishing third on the day in 1:07:38, just missing out on the same spot in the Veteran’s Championship by 11 seconds. 30 miles is a very old, traditional distance that appears in the calendar all too rarely, so most riders unfamiliar with the distance try to ride it at 25 mile pace and then ‘hang on’ for the last five miles – but not Nisbett whose self-confessed variable form saw him pace things as for a distance he is more familiar with: “I was pleased with a solid ride and a good time, but to be honest I probably rode in 50 mile time trial mode too much. A smooth Peplow surface was a nice treat“!

Deb Hutson-Lumb moved to the top of the Women’s standings taking over from Nova Raiders’ team mate Charlotte Chapman with a dominant ride of 1:14:14 – exactly 7½ minutes ahead of runner-up Jenny York showing the strength of her effort. But Hutson-Lumb wasn’t finished there as she took the win in the Veteran’s race too with a superb +15:55, +1:40 ahead of another team mate Dean Dovey who took over the sole runner-up spot in the Veteran’s Championship he shared with Nisbett pre-race. Hutson-Lumb is in sublime form, and having spent several years away from the sport has clearly regained the sort of form she formerly enjoyed: “I was really pleased with my ride – only 12 seconds off my old 1996 personal best. The Peplow surface is so much better, and I’m looking forward to racing over that again soon. Thanks to everyone for another great event and especially the marshals ringing cow bells on the roundabouts – fabulous“!

Henri Bedford is making a late challenge for the Friction Junior Championship after entering the last two rounds, and put in a strong personal best performance of 1:13:34 capturing sixth spot Overall. The 15 year-old just gets better and better this season and is an unusual Junior competitor at the longer distances which he appears to take in his stride. He stated: “My first ride on the new surface at the top of the A442, and it was lovely. Also my first ride on the not so nice surface towards the turn around point at Shawbirch… A good ride overall, and I shaved a few minutes from last years PB which is always nice to see. Well done to all who rode and assisted“.

Result

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series – Round 7

Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Points
1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 01:07:13 60
2 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 01:07:14 55
3 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC V 01:07:38 50
4 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders V 01:08:47 45
5 Steven Ford Nova Raiders V 01:13:12 40
6 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 01:13:34 35
7 James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers S 01:13:49 30
8 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V 01:13:53 25
9 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV 01:14:14 20
10 Andy Davies Wrekinsport CC V 01:15:07 15
11 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V 01:15:25 10
12 Ian Connolly Ludlow CC V 01:16:55 5
13 Dave York Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 01:20:59 5
14 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 01:21:44 5
15 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers V 01:21:58 5
16 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 01:24:22 5
17 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 01:25:48 5
18 Terry Price North Shropshire Wheelers V 01:34:19 5
19 Elaine Langley North Shropshire Wheelers WV 01:48:10 5
  Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers WV DNS  
  Ed Middleton Nova Raiders S DNS  
  Dean Callister Nova Raiders S DNS  

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship – Round 7

Vets Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Vet +/- Vets Points
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV +15:55 60
2 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders V +14:15 55
3 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V +13:40 50
4 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC V +13:29 45
5 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V +13:00 40
6 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers V +12:37 35
7 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers V +11:54 30
8 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV +10:40 25
9 Steven Ford Nova Raiders V +09:20 20
10 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V +08:25 15
11 Andy Davies Wrekinsport CC V +05:31 10
12 Dave York Mid Shropshire Wheelers V +05:10 5
13 Ian Connolly Ludlow CC V +05:09 5
14 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV +03:16 5
15 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V -00:48 5
16 Terry Price North Shropshire Wheelers V -13:26 5
17 Elaine Langley North Shropshire Wheelers WV -19:37 5
  Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers WV    

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship – Round 7

Women’s Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Women’s Points
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV 01:14:14 60
2 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 01:21:44 55
3 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 01:25:48 50
4 Elaine Langley North Shropshire Wheelers WV 01:48:10 45
  Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers 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 01:13:34 60

Top Club Award – Round 7

Pos’n Club Points
1 Hafren CC 110
2 Nova Raiders  105
3 North Shropshire Wheelers 85
4 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 65
5 Revolutions Racing 35
6 Wrekinsport CC 15
=7 Ludlow CC 5
=7 Oswestry Paragon CC 5

Cumulative Standings after seven rounds

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 385
2 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC V 310
3 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 265
4 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders V 250
5 Kirk Vickers Holohan Coaching RT S 130
6 Ed Middleton Nova Raiders S 115
7 Matt Davies Holohan Coaching RT S 95
8 Dean Callister Nova Raiders S 90
=9 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 80
=9 James Griffiths Clee Cycles V 80
=9 James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers S 80
=9 Stephen Minton Ludlow Brewery RT V 80

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

Position Name Club Best 12
1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 360
2 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders 310
3 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC 300
4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders 285
5 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers 235
6 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers 130
7 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers 100
8 Stephen Minton Ludlow Brewery RT 90
9 Ian Pollard SCCA Private Member 85
10 James Griffiths Clee Cycles 80

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders 295
=2 Charlotte Chapman Nova Raiders 240
=2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 240
4 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC 170
5 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 100
6 Jane Chapman Nova Raiders 80
=7 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders 50
=7 Natalie Brooks Paramount CRT 50
=9 Elaine Langley North Shropshire Wheelers 45
=9 Milly Deer North Shropshire Wheelers 45

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

Junior Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Kieran Morris SCCA Private Member 180
2 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing 130
3 George Coombes Evolve 55

Top Club Award

Position Club Total Points
1 Nova Raiders 755
2 Hafren CC 720
3 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 370
4 North Shropshire Wheelers 330
5 Holohan Coaching RT 285
6 Wrekinsport CC 220
7 Ludlow Brewery RT 175
=8 Ludlow CC 85
=8 Revolutions Racing 85
10 Clee Cycles 80
11 Oswestry Paragon CC 55
12 Newport Shropshire CC 35
13 Paramount CRT 30
14 Evolve 5
  • Round 8 of the Friction Hydraulics Series takes place at 7pm on Wednesday, 5th June when Hafren CC promote their fast 25 on the Berriew – Four Crosses course.