Dan Watts finally got a grip on a trophy that had long eluded him as he took Gold in the wet and windy Coaching Revolutions Shropshire Championship 10 presented by Mid Shropshire Wheelers at Waters Upton. The event, comprising Round 10 of the Friction Hydraulics Series was held in weather that was a stark contrast to the balmy sunshine of the week before, with the back half of the field suffering the worst of the rain. Ironically sopping wet conditions are often fast as there is plenty of oxygen in the air and wind resistance is usually low – although riders endured a rare block Northerly headwind for the first leg to Hodnet.

Watts took a convincing victory of 23 seconds to stop the watch on 20 minutes 48 seconds and finally get his hands on The Gordon Davies Trophy, an achievement he has long desired. He commented: “Really pleased to finally win the Shropshire 10 Championship having missed out on winning it multiple times, a win that I’ve wanted for several years so I’m happy to finally take it. It was a tough day in the conditions not helped by the downpour of rain as I set off, which in reflection may have made me ride faster so I could get back to the warmth of the HQ quicker so I can’t complain. Thanks to the marshals and timekeepers who had to stand out in the conditions, without them we wouldn’t have such a successful time trial scene in Shropshire”.

Watts’ closest challenger was Paramount CRT‘s Mason Durant, taking 10 Silver in 21:11, with a close chasing pack snapping at his heels as he alluded to in his post-race comments: ”My first test since illness and I was happy with the result; coming the right side of a bun fight behind me. Well done to Dan on taking the win”. Durant pushed out Revolutions Racing’s Dean Callister by 12 seconds for that medal – but more importantly leading the club to Team victory with great support from Mark Pritchard and Graeme Donnell in a combined 1:06:48, 33 seconds ahead of Paramount.

Callister was pleased with his efforts, stating: “A change of usual wind direction for this course made things more interesting. I gave it all I had on the day but got bogged down in places on the way out. Happy with my result and a great effort by the rest of the Revs team to take Gold; thanks Mid Shropshire Wheelers for a great afternoon”. Pritchard added: “Happy with taking the Team Gold. The weather wasn’t the best but I managed to put out a pretty solid time for me on that course, thanks to everyone for organising”. That left the final comment to Donnell: “Great to be racing in team colours for the first time and I went out hard hoping for a fair wind on the return, which didn’t materialise – always thrilled to step onto the podium with such a fast team, and appreciation to Mid Shropshire Wheelers for their enthusiasm and professionalism”.

Despite not liking racing in the wet and cold Deb Hutson-Lumb still did her customary double by retaining both the Women’s 10 mile Championship, as well as the Veterans 10 Championship. The Wrekinsport rider put in a powerful effort of 23:50 actual to help herself to Women’s Gold and put her name on The Gordon Davies Women’s Trophy again after finishing 25 seconds ahead of Hafren CC’s Emma Serjeant; and 58 seconds ahead of Bridgnorth CC’s Tim Beardmore on Veterans Standard with a fine +6:18. She was happy with her effort, stating: “Very pleased to win both Women’s and Veterans. Well done to everyone who raced in the grotty, cold weather; and massive thanks to everyone standing out in the wet making it all happen”.

Beardmore extended his lead in both the Friction Hydraulics and the Friction Veterans Series, with his 21:31 actual just missing out on the medal positions whilst he helped himself to Veterans 10 Silver with +5:20, pushing out team mate Jonathan Mills-Keeling to Veterans Bronze with +4:44. Despite their efforts however the five points extra Wrekinsport gained saw them draw level on 1055 points each in the Top Club Award in a battle that looks set to go down to the wire. Beardmore stated: “I went out as hard as possible into a headwind and hoped for a big push on the return leg. I managed a lifetime power PB for a 10, but unfortunately it did not equate to a really fast time, but I gave it everything. A strong ride by Dan Watts to take the Championship Gold; thanks to all at Mid Shropshire Wheelers for organising”. Mills-Keeling added: “A turn in the weather made for a slow ride. I was also held up with traffic at the island, but still enjoying the racing – thanks to everyone for making the racing happen”.

Serjeant missed out on a Veterans medal by 17 seconds, and starting midway through the field endured a soaking, posting a fine 24:15 to take Women’s 10 Silver. She did have a bit of help to keep warmed up however: “I just caught the heavy rain as I was lining up for the start but soon forgot about it once I had set off. I pushed hard on the way out hoping for some free speed with the tailwind on the way back! Well done to Deb on taking the win, and to Sally White for the loan of the DryRobe keeping me dry and warm at the start line”! Like many Women’s 10 Bronze medallist Helen Tudor didn’t find conditions conducive to racing, but still recorded a solid 27:13: “After the heat wave 10ºC wet and windy wasn’t pleasant – thanks to the marshals who stood out in it, and well done to Deb and Emma”.

It was a close call for victory in the Junior 10 mile Championship as Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Alex Hart beat off the attentions of Wrekinsport’s Ben Southgate by eight seconds to win The Alan Roberts Junior Trophy in 23:46. However with all Juniors off at the front of the field they unusually suffered from traffic hold-ups, a rarity on this course. Hart stated: “A tough ride out but the wind blew me home. A lovely course, shame about the traffic – I got stuck behind cars and came to a stop. Very happy to have done well, and thank you to all the volunteers who make these races happen”.

Southgate has got faster and faster as the season has progressed and made up a little ground on Chester Romei as he pushed the North Shropshire Wheeler into the Bronze medal spot be 27 seconds. Southgate commented “I went well – tough winds going out but easier on the way back”. Romei’s comments however reveal that things could have been different if traffic had not intervened: “It was a great, well organised race, however it didn’t go well for me, being held up for 30+ seconds at a standstill of cars! Not the best conditions either, so thank you to the marshals for braving it!”

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series – Round 10

Pos’n Name Club Cat Time Points
1 Daniel Watts SCCA Private Member S 20:48 60
2 Mason Durant Paramount CRT S 21:11 55
3 Dean Callister Revolutions Racing S 21:23 50
4 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club V 21:31 45
5 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 21:35 40
6 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth Cycling Club V 22:02 35
7 Mark Pritchard Revolutions Racing S 22:20 30
8 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 22:21 25
9 Robert McGregor Paramount CRT V 22:47 20
10 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V 22:55 15
11 Graeme Donnell Revolutions Racing V 23:05 10
12 Andrew Rose Revolutions Racing V 23:09 5
13 Simon Romei Paramount CRT V 23:23 5
14 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V 23:26 5
15 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 23:46 5
16 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV 23:50 5
17 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 23:54 5
18 Rich Smith Wrekinsport CC V 23:57 5
19 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC WV 24:15 5
20 Allan Henderson Wrekinsport CC S 24:20 5
21 John Westhead Paramount CRT V 24:21 5
22 Chester Romei North Shropshire Wheelers J 24:21 5
23 David Drew North Shropshire Wheelers V 25:27 5
24 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 25:45 5
25 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V 25:52 5
26 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 25:59 5
27 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V 26:44 5
28 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 27:13 5
29 Helen Blake Wrekinsport CC W 30:41 5
30 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC WV 31:12 5
. Philip Gardner Mid Shropshire Wheelers V DNS-A .
. Angela Boycott Wrekinsport CC WV DNS-A .
. Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC WV DNS .
. Robert Elliott Wrekinsport CC V DNS .
. Barry Parsons Wrekinsport CC V DNS .

Team 10 mile Championship

Gold: Revolutions Racing (Dean Callister, Mark Pritchard, Graeme Donnell) 1:06:48

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship – Round 10

Vets Pos’n Name Club Cat Vet +/- Vets Points
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV +6:18 60
2 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club V +5:20 55
3 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth Cycling Club V +4:44 50
4 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC WV +4:27 45
5 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V +4:20 40
6 Graeme Donnell Revolutions Racing V +4:19 35
7 John Westhead Paramount CRT V +4:09 30
8 Andrew Rose Revolutions Racing V +4:03 25
9 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V +3:50 20
10 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V +3:46 15
11 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V +3:23 10
12 David Drew North Shropshire Wheelers V +3:22 5
13 Rich Smith Wrekinsport CC V +3:21 5
14 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V +3:19 5
15 Simon  Romei Paramount CRT V +3:04 5
16 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV +2:28 5
17 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V +1:45 5
18 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC WV -2:30 5

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship – Round 10

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Cat Time
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV 23:50
2 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC WV 24:15
3 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 27:13
4 Helen Blake Wrekinsport CC W 30:41
5 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC WV 31:12
. Angela Boycott Wrekinsport CC   DNS-A
. Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC   DNS

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship – Round 10

Junior Pos’n Name Club Cat Time
1 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 23:46
2 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 23:54
3 Chester Romei North Shropshire Wheelers J 24:21
4 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 25:45

Top Club Award – Round 10

Pos’n Club Points
1 Revolutions Racing 95
2 Paramount CRT 90
3 Wrekinsport CC 85
4 Bridgnorth Cycling Club 80
5 Hafren CC 30
6 North Shropshire Wheelers 25
7 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 10
8 Oswestry Paragon CC 5

Cumulative Standings after ten rounds

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth CC V 525
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 445
3 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 400
4 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 310
5 Graeme Donnell Revolutions Racing V 305
6 Chris Riley Paramount CRT V 235
7 Daniel Watts SCCA Private Member S 220
8 Dean Callister Revolutions Racing S 180
9 Adam Mumford Wrekinsport CC S 125
10 Mason Durant Paramount CRT S 115

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

Position Name Club Best 12
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth CC 555
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC 480
3 Graeme Donnell Revolutions Racing 425
4 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 315
5 Chris Riley Paramount CRT 295
6 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC 230
7 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC 215
8 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 195
9 Robert Elliott Wrekinsport CC 140
10 Simon Romei Paramount CRT 110

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 405
2 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC 310
3 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC 300
4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC 250
5 Bethan Till Wrekinsport CC 65
6 Robin Jones Bridgnorth CC 60
=7 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC 45
=7 Helen Blake Wrekinsport CC 45

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

Junior Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Chester Romei North Shropshire Wheelers 230
2 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC 110
3 Alex Hart Mid Shropshire Wheelers 60
4 Noah White Mid Shropshire Wheelers 45

Top Club Award

Position Club Total Points
=1 Bridgnorth CC 1055
=1 Wrekinsport CC 1055
3 Revolutions Racing 645
4 Paramount CRT 575
5 Hafren CC 435
6 North Shropshire Wheelers 225
7 Oswestry Paragon CC 120
8 Ludlow CC 30
9 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 10