The curtain fell on the Friction Hydraulics Series for 2017 with Bryn Davies putting in a dominant ride to prove just why he is this year’s Series Champion, as the outstanding medal positions were settled and the Women’s course record fell – twice. Davies coped best with a tough crosswind in Round 16, Nova Raiders’ Sporting 10 on the rolling Cherrington – Newport course. The Hafren CC rider stopped the watch on 23 minutes exactly for a 20 second margin of victory over North Shropshire Wheelers’ Richard Kay.

Those conditions meant Davies was 40 seconds off the course record, but as he drew a line under a glittering season he was pleased with his afternoon’s work, stating: “There was a tough cross-headwind going out and I found the hill on the return tough too. It meant my slowest time on the course, but I did just enough for the overall win. I enjoyed the course and great organisation by The Nova Raiders, thanks to all involved a great end to the season for me with that being my last race“.

Whilst Davies has experience of this new course, introduced for the first time in 2017 others hadn’t, with the next three riders split by just three seconds. With Richard Kay taking the runner-up spot in 22:20 he commented on the nature of the course, which means finding a rhythm is a challenge: “My first ride on the course, the pace difficult to gauge. I thought I’d be faster! A solid ride by Bryn“. Two seconds back Steve Minton made the trip up from Ludlow and was complementary about the course, though felt the end-of-season tapering off of form: “A nice rolling course, though very hard in the wind out to turn. I was not quite able to reach the peaks of a few weeks ago, time to recharge the batteries“!

Davies has been in a season-long battle for the Veteran’s Championship with Stuart Proctor, with the Revolutions Racer taking that Series by just 35 points. Proctor was just edged out to 4th spot overall by a second on actual time, but when converted to Veteran’s Standard he once again took the win in a close contest, recording +3:22 with Davies runner-up on +3:18. Proctor was another rider to struggle in the conditions, commenting: “Really nice to get back to racing after a couple of weeks off, but seem to have forgotten how to pace, hence a great surge for the last kilometre! The wind was a bit brutal in places, I got swept across the road quite a few times! Thanks to all at Nova Raiders for the event, and chapeau once again to Bryn for the win and Rich and Steve for beating me by seconds“.

Whilst all the medals had been settled in the Overall and Veterans Series the Women’s Championship still had Silver and Bronze to be settled – with a side issue of the destination of the Women’s Best All Rounder Trophy for good measure. Coming into the race needing to record a 10 mile ride Mid Shropshire Wheeler Becky Lewis showed her competitive edge by not just taking the County win – she lowered the Women’s course record too. Lewis, off second knocked 55 seconds off that record to finish in 25:01 and debut in the Women’s BAR at the number 1 spot right at the final opportunity. A delighted Lewis commented: “My first race in a couple of months, but I absolutely loved it. Brilliant course“!

However Lewis didn’t hold onto that course record for long – 23½ minutes to be precise as Beacon Roads rider Jessica Rhodes-Jones posted a fabulous effort of 24:30 to win the Women’s race overall. She also enjoyed the course, stating: “The K52/10c was a great course for a SPOCO TT, and brilliantly well run by Nova Raiders – everyone was super friendly and the marshals and photographers out on course were great! It was a hard day with a blustery cross wind, the hill on the return leg was brutal especially on a single chain ring! But it was a great course and I would love to do it again next year“.

 

Helen Tudor took full opportunity of Charlotte Chapman’s absence to overall the Nova Raider and leapfrog into the Silver medal position thanks to a County third place finish behind Jenny Newton. Tudor stopped the watch on 28:52 to overhaul Chapman, with Newton pleased with her 27:46 effort. Newton stated: “I wasn’t feeling great at the start but was very pleased with my result and & chuffed to get second place points“.

With Sam Morris already sealing the Junior Championship William Hints took Silver and Bronze had to be settled on third count back with Kieran Morris edging out Matty Redworth.

That left the resolution of the Top Club Award, with Nova Raiders taking the win on the day showing what worthy champions they are for 2017. The club have led the Award standings for the majority of the season, ending with a 945 point lead over 2016 Champions Mid Shropshire Wheelers showing their competitiveness.

Result

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series – Round 16

 

Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Points
1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 23:00 60
2 Richard Kay North Shropshire Wheelers V 23:20 55
3 Stephen Minton Ludlow Brewery RT V 23:22 50
4 Stuart Proctor Revolutions Racing V 23:23 45
5 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders V 24:11 40
6 Andrew Rose Nova Raiders V 24:43 35
7 Nick Long Nova Raiders S 24:57 30
8 Becky Lewis Mid Shropshire Wheelers W 25:01 25
9 Andy Maxwell Nova Raiders S 25:03 20
10 Fraser MacKinnon Wrekinsport CC V 25:38 15
11 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V 26:05 10
12 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 27:46 5
13 Ian Carson Oswestry Paragon CC V 28:22 5
14 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 28:52 5
15 Juliet Suddaby Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 30:57 5
  Scott Harris Nova Raiders V DNF  
  Paul Carroll Nova Raiders V DNS-A  
  Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV DNS-A  
  Richard Goddard Newport Shropshire CC V DNS  

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship – Round 16

 

Vets Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Vet +/- Vets Points
1 Stuart Proctor Revolutions Racing V +3:22 60
2 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V +3:18 55
3 Stephen Minton Ludlow Brewery RT V +3:10 50
4 Richard Kay North Shropshire Wheelers V +2:49 45
5 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders V +2:12 40
6 Andrew Rose Nova Raiders V +1:58 35
7 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV +0:53 30
8 Fraser MacKinnon Wrekinsport CC V +0:45 25
9 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V +0:36 20
10 Ian Carson Oswestry Paragon CC V +0:01 15
11 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV -0:09 10
12 Juliet Suddaby Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV -2:09 5

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship – Round 16

 

Women’s Pos’n Forename Surname Club Cat Time Women’s Points
1 Becky Lewis Mid Shropshire Wheelers W 25:01 60
2 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 27:46 55
3 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 28:52 50
4 Juliet Suddaby Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 30:57 45
  Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV DNS-A  

 

Top Club Award – Round 16

 

Pos’n Club Points
1 Nova Raiders 130
2 North Shropshire Wheelers 65
3 Hafren CC 60
4 Ludlow Brewery RT 50
5 Revolutions Racing 45
6 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 30
7 Wrekinsport CC 15
8 Oswestry Paragon CC 10

 

Final Cumulative Standings after sixteen rounds

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

 

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 715
2 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers S 670
3 Stuart Proctor Revolutions Racing V 615
4 Matt Gibbons Nova Raiders S 540
5 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders V 460
6 Ed Middleton Nova Raiders S 305
7 Richard Kay North Shropshire Wheelers V 245
8 Scott Harris Nova Raiders V 235
9 Sam Morris Revolutions Racing J 230
10 Nick Long Nova Raiders S 165

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

 

Vets Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Stuart Proctor Revolutions Racing 725
2 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 690
3 Pauline Hughes Revolutions Racing 620
4 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders 500
5 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 300
6 Mark Griffiths Wrekinsport CC 285
7 David Wilson North Shropshire Wheelers 280
8 Scott Harris Nova Raiders 235
=9 Gary Duncan Paramount CRT 220
=9 Richard Kay North Shropshire Wheelers 220

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship

 

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Pauline Hughes Revolutions Racing 730
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 465
3 Charlotte Chapman Nova Raiders 440
4 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders 430
5 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 375
=6 Becky Lewis Mid Shropshire Wheelers 250
=6 Ceris Eslava Paramount CRT 250
8 Juliet Suddaby Mid Shropshire Wheelers 210
9 Jane Chapman Nova Raiders 175
10 Sarah Mawhinney Mid Shropshire Wheelers 80

 

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

 

Junior Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Sam Morris Revolutions Racing 610
2 William Hints Ludlow CC 115
3 Kieran Morris Mid Shropshire Wheelers 55
4 Matty Redworth Mid Shropshire Wheelers 55
5 Sam Holwill Hafren CC 50
6 Ben Pierce Mid Shropshire Wheelers 45
7 Ryan Greaves Mid Shropshire Wheelers 40
8 Henri Bedford Mid Shropshire Wheelers 35
9 Hollie Owens SCCA Private Member 30
10 Jack Young Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25

 

Top Club Award

 

Position Club Total Points
1 Nova Raiders 2250
2 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 1305
3 Revolutions Racing 1020
4 Hafren CC 950
5 North Shropshire Wheelers 450
6 Paramount CRT 425
7 Wrekinsport CC 395
8 SCCA Private Members 330
9 Ludlow Brewery RT 220
10 Rhino Velo Race Team 175
11 Oswestry Paragon CC 155
12 Ludlow CC 130
=13 Clee Cycles 45
=13 Newport Shropshire CC 45
15 Market Drayton CC 10