A new course and the only remaining bonus point round of the 2024 SB Sports Injuries Series saw Tomos Hales take sole lead following Round 10 – and set an inaugural course record in Wrekinsport CC’s 25. Rescheduled following road works that saw both applied for courses belatedly out of action on the original date; that delay gave opportunity for a trial run on a newly designed course starting and finishing at Hopton Chapel and taking in two laps of The Tiddly circuit on what turned out to be a glorious evening. 26 points were available for the win due to the extra distance, designed to stretch riders stepping up from club level events – although experience told as Tomos Hales set the inaugural record on 54 minutes 24 seconds to beat Army Cycling’s Jonathan Whittaker by 1:06.

Hales had held the joint lead of the Series with Jonathan Mills-Keeling, but moved into the sole lead on the strength of this ride – albeit by a narrow two point advantage. Hales stated:  “I enjoyed the new 25 Mile Wrekinsport course. Making use of the top section of the A53 made for a quick start. I do enjoy lapped courses as you can get a good gauge for where you are; thanks to Wrekinsport for hosting and rearranging the fixture”.

Mills-Keeling took third overall in 56:10 after a fast start where he equalled Hales on 7:53 on the first pass of the finish line after 3.6 miles – which he suffered for later. He still holds a fabulous lead in the Veteran’s Series after finishing runner-up on the night to Deb Hutson-Lumb, stretching that advantage to a commanding 84 points after finishing in +11:58 to Riley’s+10:54. Mills-Keeling commented: “I started fast and paid for it on the second lap. It was a perfect evening of racing, nice to do a new course, well done to all”. But there was no stopping Hutson-Lumb who put in a dominant Veteran’s performance of +13:12 – but ended as runner-up in the SB Female Series behind Hayley Wells after finishing in 1:02:18 for 7th spot Overall.

Wells set the inaugural Female record of 59:54, helped perhaps in a last gasp for the finish line, racing Alvydas Janusauskas side by side over the final few hundred metres. She stated: ”It was a very warm evening, and great to try out a new course. Not as quick as expected, but I enjoyed incorporating more of the A53! Looking forward to tackling it again; cheers to Wrekinsport for organising”.

A bruised and battered Ashley Kirkham was determined to defend his SB Road Bike Series lead despite significant cuts and bruises from a racing incident the day before, and took full advantage of being the sole rider in that category to extend his lead to 34 points with an adjusted 1:12:45. He commented: “After crashing out of a race early on the day before I had fresh legs and pushed hard despite some sore limbs. I really enjoyed the new course; hopefully it becomes a regular fixture in the calendar – thanks to all the volunteers”.

Full:

Pos’nNameClubCat3.6 miles14.3 miles25 milesPoints
1Tomos HalesWrekinsport CCS7:5331:0254:2426
2Jonathan WhittakerArmy CyclingS8:0031:2455:30.
3Jonathan Mills-KeelingAerologic RTV7:5332:0856:1024
4Alvydas JanusauskasParamount CRTS8:2333:0057:5322
5Chris RileyParamount CRTV8:2233:2258:2220
6Hayley WellsWrekinsport CC8:4234:2459:5418
7Deb Hutson-LumbWrekinsport CCFV9:0935:351:02:1816
8Rob GarbettWrekinsport CCV9:1537:301:06:1314
9Chris DunnUnattachedV9:2537:231:06:33.
10Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCFV10:0539:211:08:5712
11Vince EvansWrekinsport CCV10:0540:311:11:0110
12Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV10:3442:091:13:468

Veterans:

Vets Pos’nNameClubCatVet +/-Vets Points
1Deb Hutson-LumbWrekinsport CCFV+13:1226
2Jonathan Mills-KeelingAerologic RTV+11:5824
3Chris RileyParamount CRTV+10:5422
4Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCFV+5:1320
5Rob GarbettWrekinsport CCV+5:1018
6Vince EvansWrekinsport CCV+1:1216
7Chris DunnUnattachedV+0:28.
8Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV-6:4514

Females:

Female Pos’nNameClubCat3.6 miles14.3 miles25 milesFemale Points
1Hayley WellsWrekinsport CC8:4234:2459:5426
2Deb Hutson-LumbWrekinsport CCFV9:0935:351:02:1824
3Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCFV10:0539:211:08:5722

Road Bikes:

RB Pos’nNameClubCatRB Adj TimeRB Points
1Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV1:12:4526

Cumulative Standings after ten rounds

Overall

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 160
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT V 158
3 Chris Riley Paramount CRT V 76
4 Hayley Wells Wrekinsport CC F 74
5 Dean Callister Aerologic RT S 60
6 Oil Freeman Wrekinsport CC S 44
7 Devon Round Mid Shropshire Wheelers S 38
=8 Alvydas Janusauskas Paramount CRT S 36
=8 Mark Hill Hafren CC V 36
10 Mark Pritchard Aerologic RT S 32

Veterans:

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT V 182
2 Chris Riley Paramount CRT V 98
3 Mark Hill Hafren CC V 60
4 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC FV 56
5 Ashley Kirkham Wrekinsport CC V 54
6 Jan Davies Hafren CC FV 48
=7 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC FV 42
=7 Rob Garbett Wrekinsport CC V 42
9 Scott Palmer Aerologic RT V 34
=10 Richard Nickless Paramount CRT V 32
=10 Rob Kennard Aerologic RT V 32

Females:

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Hayley Wells Wrekinsport CC F 146
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC FV 92
3 Jan Davies Hafren CC FV 74
4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC FV 42
5 Karen Proctor Hafren CC FV 16
=6 Emma Brown Paramount CRT F 14
=6 Jess Bufton Hafren CC FJ 14

Road Bikes:

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Ashley Kirkham Wrekinsport CC V 80
2 Matt Muir Propel CC V 46
3 Mark Fenn SCCA 1st Claim Member V 40
4 Peter Everett Oswestry Paragon CC V 34
=5 Adam Riley Oswestry Paragon CC V 20
=5 Dan Watts SCCA Private Member S 20
=5 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC FV 20
=5 Mick Case Hafren CC V 20
=5 Steve Minton Ludlow Brewery RT V 20
=10 Alun Roberts Hafren CC V 18
=10 Ben Bramford-Hale Newport Shropshire CC J 18
=10 Jack Young Oswestry Paragon CC S 18
=10 Richard Simpson Market Drayton CC V 18
=10 Stacey Morgan Ludlow Brewery RT V 18
=10 Tim Mayo Propel CC S 18

Juniors:

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 60
=2 Ben Bramford-Hale Newport Shropshire CC J 20
=2 Jess Bufton Hafren CC FJ 20