Just six seconds separated Gold from Silver in a hotly contested Shropshire Championship 25 presented by North Shropshire Wheelers, the 16th and final round of the Friction Hydraulics Series. Twice cancelled due to unexpected traffic lights on the Berriew course; the Championship was instead transferred to the popular D25/23T Tern Hill – Shawbirch course, and saw many great performances on a fine morning – as well as settling three final outstanding medals in the Friction Hydraulics Series. Taking the win and retaining The Freeston Trophy was Aerologic’s Dean Callister with a fabulous effort of 52 minutes 34 seconds to edge out Wrekinsport’s Tomos Hales, who crossed the line in 52:40.

Callister led Aerologic to Team Gold too with great back-up from Mark Pritchard and Jonathan Mills-Keeling posting a combined 2:43:10 to push Paramount out by 1:20. He was not feeling at his best however thanks to taking up a cycling discipline new to him, as he explained: “Really pleased to of retained my title and take Gold. I didn’t think I was going to as my legs were not feeling good after starting cyclo-cross; but I pushed as hard as I could despite some traffic hold ups also. Great rides by the whole team to take Team Gold also; thanks for all involved in the event”.

Callister wasn’t the only rider to encounter traffic, but thankfully that didn’t affect Pritchard sufficiently to stymie his winning ride. He stated: “Happy with the Team prize, I had a descent ride and hit a 25 mile power personal best. I got a little held up towards the Hodnet island on the return, but managed to push a bit after – thanks to the organisers for a great event with plenty of riders”. Mills-Keeling added: “Delighted to take the Team 25 Gold, a real team effort – well done to Mark and Dean; and thanks to everyone for putting on all the Series”.

Later starters among the 94-strong entry seemed to get the worse of increasing traffic building up due to terrific weather as the morning unwound, with Hales also caught up at times. However Callister has won all three straight head-to-heads in the Friction Series this year so Hales had no complaints, even if he was left agonising a little by the closest winning margin of the three, all over the 25 mile distance, with Round 6’s margin of 1:04 and Round 13’s of 21 seconds seeing Hales getting closer each time. He commented: “A great turn out for the last Friction time trial of the year. This however did put me in a busy period of traffic which I think most the later starts got. I really felt good in the last five miles and pushed hard, but it wasn’t enough for Gold or the win. Well done to Dean for Gold; and thanks North Shropshire Wheelers for hosting a very well run event. Good to be back on that 25 Mile course after a year’s absence”.

Simon Romei not only had interest in 25 Championship medals too, but also a vital head-to-head against Paramount club mate Chris Riley to sort out who took Overall Friction Series Bronze too. Romei had a 20 point advantage going into the final round, and secured his third medal of the day to join 25 Bronze and Veterans 25 Silver with 53:08 on actual, pushing out Jonathan Whittaker by 31 seconds; and registering +14:00 on Veterans Standard to put an end to Riley’s challenge. He stated: “I was super happy to have secured Overall Bronze in the Friction Hydraulics Series. It was near perfect conditions for the Championship 25, so I left everything out on the course to come away with a personal best along with picking up Silver in the Veterans category, pipping my team mate Chris! Big thanks to North Shropshire Wheelers for organising a great race, along with all the timekeepers who also did a great job. It’s been a good season, I’ve enjoyed racing along with picking up some good trophies along the way, even with my ‘off’ during a 25. With bit of time out to recover my aim was to come back stronger. Thanks again to all the marshals and club organisers for doing a first class job, without you these races wouldn’t happen; it’s a great community to be a part of”.

Riley didn’t go home empty-handed as he took 25 Veterans Bronze with +12:45, beating Hafren CC’s Bryn Davies by 1:04. He clearly enjoyed his morning’s racing and the big race season climax: “The NSW 25 was a banging race on which to end the Friction Hydraulics Series; a big crowd and a great atmosphere. I was very pleased to be among the medal winners; and having 13 Paramount riders on the results board was a rapturous end to our 2025 Top Club campaign. Huge thanks to North Shropshire Wheelers and all the event organiser clubs; and of course the wonderful SCCA”. Riley was referring to what became a virtual lap of honour as Paramount had wrapped up the Top Club Award an event early, and ended with an incredible winning margin of 920 points in a solid defence of the title they first won in 2024.

Despite Romei versus Riley being high on the day’s agenda they had no answer to Deb Hutson-Lumb who retained The Veteran’s 25 Mile Trophy for the third year running with a large winning margin of 1:38 after posting a superb Veterans plus of +15:38 to take the Gold medal. Even with that large margin however she revealed she could have gone better if not for the dreaded spectre of over-extending herself a week earlier: “It was good to be back on the D25/23T. It was quite a conservative effort on my part, not wanting to repeat the previous week’s blow up ride in Wales. I was pleased therefore to skip under the hour and also take the Veterans Trophy. A great morning and thanks to all involved”.

Hutson-Lumb posted a fabulous actual 59:52 to capture Female Silver, but even she had no answer for a rider in imperial form during 2025 – Hayley Wells, who retained The Brian and Gill Morrison Trophy and took Gold in 57:28. Wells has won all 12 of the Friction Series rounds she has entered and is richly deserving of the win, with Wrekinsport team mates joking she’ll need to hire a van to take all her trophies home with her after the presentation ceremony. Wells’ quest to win was made easier with a course she rates highly: “Tern Hill to Shawbirch is one my more favourable 25 mile courses in Shropshire, knowing the roads so well. A still, warm morning made for near perfect race conditions. The ‘out’ leg was the toughest, with a hard slog on the final two kilometres to Shawbirch island; but a welcome tail wind on the return made for a speedy second half. I managed to save some in the tank for the final three kilometres, having a strong finish. A brilliant field of riders for the Shropshire 25 Championship; I was delighted to take the win; a great way to end the Friction Hydraulics Series. It was a close battle at the front between Dean and Tomos; many thanks to North Shropshire Wheelers for a very well organised event”.

Female Bronze went to Paramount’s Thea Osmund-Smith thanks to a superb personal best effort of 1:02:36. There is little more pleasing as a time triallist than heading downhill with a tailwind and on for a personal best by some margin, and Osmund-Smith certainly felt that ‘buzz’: “I wanted to end the season on a high and was super pleased to come away with a big personal best and third place in a strong female field. The course, which was a new one for me, was great, and I executed the race plan perfectly, going out harder in the headwind and sailing home – the last few miles of downhill were an absolute delight! Well done to Hayley on the win, and the organisers and the marshals for managing such a huge number of participants – massive kudos to my team, Paramount CRT, for a great showing in the last big event of the season; and for some stellar personal bests”.

In the 25 Road Bike Championship it was another Paramount rider, Jon Goh, riding a lap of honour. Already having sealed the overall Friction Series Road Bike Championship, Goh retained Shropshire Road Bike 25 Mile Championship Trophy thanks to a fabulous actual time of 59:02 which converted to 58:05 on handicap. Goh appeared rejuvenated after a short break and ready for action, as he explained: “After a romantic getaway on the beautiful Welsh coast with my wife I was charged and ready to give this final event a proper blast. It was really exciting that the final event of the Series was the Shropshire 25 mile Championship, and there was a real buzz. There was a headwind on the way out and a tailwind on the return leg – just how I like it. I was close to my road bike personal best so I was happy with my time. Thank you to the excellent Coach Thacker for all the support this year. Thank you also to all the organisers and volunteers for putting on great events all year”.

The rider in the Silver medal surprised himself with a great performance to finish in an adjusted 59:28 as Richard Simpson took to his first ever 25 mile time trial like a duck to water. Newly signed to North Shropshire Wheelers and in his first appearance in the Friction Series, Simpson commented: “Delighted and very surprised to have won the Road Bike Silver medal riding amongst such a large field. A great course and really good conditions for my first 25; and I was very pleased with my performance even though I wasn’t quite giving it the full beans as I was unsure how to pace it. Still, a target to beat next year”!

Simpson pushed out another Paramount rider getting amongst the medals as Will Preston took 25 Road Bike Bronze in an adjusted 1:00:14. He was delighted with his performance on a course new to him, stating: “Really happy to take home the Bronze, matching my result from last year. This was actually the first time I’ve raced this course and I really liked it – especially the tail wind on the way back! It’s been a great season of time trials; thank you to everyone who has put in the time and effort to organise these races, I’m already looking forward to more next year”!

That left two Overall medals in play, with a further Paramount rider, Emma Brown, taking the Overall Road Bike Bronze at the last gasp. Brown scored 40 points on the day; enough to overhaul Mark Fenn to take the final medal position on that podium to add to her already won Female Silver sealed in round 15. She stated: “I’m very happy again with my results from the final Friction Hydraulics Series race and the overall Bronze medal for Road Bike to join the Silver medal for the Females! It was a fabulous final race and a great turn out, with so many amazing riders and marshals! Thank you to the organisers; and I can’t wait to race next season”! Meanwhile Jess Bufton captured The Shropshire Junior Championship Shield and Friction Junior Series Gold.

SCCA:

Pos’nForenameSurnameClubCatMachineTimePoints
1DeanCallisterAerologic RTSTT52:3460
2TomosHalesWrekinsport CCSTT52:4055
3SimonRomeiParamount CRTVTT53:0850
4JonathanWhittakerSCCA Private MemberSTT53:3945
5MarkPritchardAerologic RTSTT54:0340
6RobertMcGregorParamount CRTSTT54:3935
7DanielWattsSCCA Private MemberSTT55:0030
8BrynDaviesHafren CCVTT56:2125
9JonathanMills-KeelingAerologic RTVTT56:3320
10ChristopherRileyParamount CRTVTT56:4315
11HayleyWellsWrekinsport CCFTT57:2810
12JamesNealeNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT57:385
13AdamMumfordWrekinsport CCSTT57:475
14MarkHillHafren CCVTT58:495
15JonathanGohParamount CRTVRB59:025
16DebHutson-LumbSCCA Private MemberFVTT59:525
17WilliamPrestonParamount CRTSRB1:00:145
18IanConnollyLudlow CCVTT1:1:095
19AlexPaulukiewiczNorth Shropshire WheelersSTT1:02:145
20TheaOsmund-SmithParamount CRTFTT1:02:365
21RobKerrOswestry Paragon CCVTT1:02:375
22RichardSimpsonNorth Shropshire WheelersVRB1:03:365
23AlvydasJanusauskasParamount CRTSRB1:03:595
24JohnWestheadParamount CRTVTT1:04:485
25JamieRossiterNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT1:05:015
26RobertGarbettWrekinsport CCVTT1:05:135
27JanDaviesHafren CCFVTT1:05:555
28TimEvansNewport (Shropshire) CCVTT1:07:045
29SimonJonesHafren CCVTT1:07:075
30ColinWellsParamount CRTVTT1:09:275
31HelenTudorOswestry Paragon CCFVTT1:09:355
32KathrynRossiterNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT1:09:525
33EmmaBrownParamount CRTFRB1:10:455
34HughAshworthParamount CRTVRB1:10:595
35AshleyKirkhamWrekinsport CCVTT1:11:185
36LesBougheyNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT1:11:405
37NickHickmanParamount CRTVRB1:12:435
38DavidWilsonNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT1:14:435
39TerryPriceNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT1:14:565
40DougBrownParamount CRTVRB1:15:525
41RobertElliottWrekinsport CCVTT1:18:545
42ElaineBeckettNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT1:20:225
.GeorgeCoombesNewport (Shropshire) CCSTTDNF.
.DavidGriffithsOswestry Paragon CCSTTDNS.
.MasonDurantParamount CRTSTTDNS.
.AndrewDawsonParamount CRTVRBDNS.
.BenjaminNickollsParamount CRTVRBDNS.

25 mile Team Gold:

Aerologic RT (Dean Callister/Mark Pritchard/Jonathan Mills-Keeling) 2:43:10

Veterans:

Vets Pos’nForenameSurnameClubCatMachineVet +/-Vets Points
1DebHutson-LumbSCCA Private MemberFVTT+15:3860
2SimonRomeiParamount CRTVTT+14:0055
3ChristopherRileyParamount CRTVTT+12:4550
4BrynDaviesHafren CCVTT+11:4145
5JonathanMills-KeelingAerologic RTVTT+11:2940
6MarkHillHafren CCVTT+10:3935
7DavidWilsonNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT+9:3130
8JohnWestheadParamount CRTVTT+9:0725
9JamesNealeNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT+8:5820
10IanConnollyLudlow CCVTT+8:0015
11JonathanGohParamount CRTVRB+7:5510
12JanDaviesHafren CCFVTT+7:255
13RichardSimpsonNorth Shropshire WheelersVRB+6:325
14RobertGarbettWrekinsport CCVTT+6:265
15JamieRossiterNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT+5:285
16KathrynRossiterNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT+4:535
17HelenTudorOswestry Paragon CCFVTT+4:345
18RobKerrOswestry Paragon CCVTT+4:095
19ColinWellsParamount CRTVTT+3:315
20TimEvansNewport (Shropshire) CCVTT+1:305
21HughAshworthParamount CRTVRB+1:055
22SimonJonesHafren CCVTT+0:135
23LesBougheyNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT-0:255
24RobertElliottWrekinsport CCVTT-1:365
25NickHickmanParamount CRTVRB-2:555
26AshleyKirkhamWrekinsport CCVTT-4:105
27DougBrownParamount CRTVRB-4:375
28ElaineBeckettNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT-6:415
29TerryPriceNorth Shropshire WheelersVTT-6:545

Females:

Female Pos’nForenameSurnameClubCatMachineTimeFemale Points
1HayleyWellsWrekinsport CCFTT57:2860
2DebHutson-LumbSCCA Private MemberFVTT59:5255
3TheaOsmund-SmithParamount CRTFTT1:02:3650
4JanDaviesHafren CCFVTT1:05:5545
5HelenTudorOswestry Paragon CCFVTT1:09:3540
6KathrynRossiterNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT1:09:5235
7EmmaBrownParamount CRTFRB1:10:4530
8ElaineBeckettNorth Shropshire WheelersFVTT1:20:2225

Road Bikes:

RB Pos’nForenameSurnameClubCatMachineRB Adj TimeRB Points
1JonathanGohParamount CRTVRB58:0560
2RichardSimpsonNorth Shropshire WheelersVRB59:2855
3WilliamPrestonParamount CRTSRB1:00:1450
4AlvydasJanusauskasParamount CRTSRB1:03:5945
5EmmaBrownParamount CRTFRB1:04:0640
6HughAshworthParamount CRTVRB1:04:5535
7NickHickmanParamount CRTVRB1:08:5530
8DougBrownParamount CRTVRB1:10:3725

Top Club Award:

Pos’nClubPoints
1Paramount CRT150
2Aerologic RT120
3Wrekinsport CC85
4North Shropshire Wheelers45
5Hafren CC40
6Oswestry Paragon CC10
=7Ludlow CC5
=7Newport (Shropshire) CC5

Final Cumulative Standings after sixteen rounds

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

PositionNameClubCatBest 12
1Tomos HalesWrekinsport CCS730
2Jonathan Mills-KeelingAerologic RTV625
3Simon RomeiParamount CRTV545
4Christopher RileyParamount CRTV490
5Robert McGregorParamount CRTS485
6Hayley WellsWrekinsport CCF355
7Jonathan GohParamount CRTV345
8Bryn DaviesHafren CCV290
9Dean CallisterAerologic RTS240
10Mark PritchardAerologic RTS175
=11Mark FennShropshire CCAV160
=11Oli FreemanWrekinsport CCS160
13Jonathan WhittakerSCCA Private MemberS140
14Adam MumfordWrekinsport CCS135
=15Deb Hutson-LumbSCCA Private MemberFV130
=15Phil CollinsWrekinsport CCV130
=17Victor ChettaMid Shropshire WheelersV115
=17William PrestonParamount CRTS115
=19Alex PaulukiewiczNorth Shropshire WheelersS105
=19David ScottParamount CRTS105
=19Ian LaverieWrekinsport CCV105
=19Paul EdwardsWrekinsport CCV105

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

Vets PositionNameClubBest 12
1Jonathan Mills-KeelingAerologic RT695
2Christopher RileyParamount CRT640
3Simon RomeiParamount CRT565
4Jonathan GohParamount CRT425
=5Bryn DaviesHafren CC390
=5John WestheadParamount CRT390
7Deb Hutson-LumbSCCA Private Member310
8Andrew DawsonParamount CRT270
9Mark FennShropshire CCA265
10Robert GarbettWrekinsport CC240
11Ian LaverieWrekinsport CC225
12Clive MiddletonWrekinsport CC170
13Paul EdwardsWrekinsport CC160
14Tim EvansNewport (Shropshire) CC150
=15Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CC145
=15Mark HillHafren CC145
=15Phil CollinsWrekinsport CC145
18Les BougheyNorth Shropshire Wheelers125
19Victor ChettaMid Shropshire Wheelers110
20Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CC100

Friction and Hydraulic Services Female Championship

Female Pos’nNameClubBest 12
1Hayley WellsWrekinsport CC750
2Emma BrownParamount CRT590
3Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CC535
4Deb Hutson-LumbSCCA Private Member295
5Thea Osmund-SmithParamount CRT275
6Gill SnelsonParamount CRT210
7Kathryn RossiterNorth Shropshire Wheelers205
8Elaine BeckettNorth Shropshire Wheelers160
9Jan DaviesHafren CC150
10Claire Blackwell-SmythParamount CRT145
11Rebecca PughParamount CRT105
12Evie Fryer-JonesParamount CRT90
13Jayne PowellParamount CRT70
14Ella HamiltonOswestry Paragon CC55
=15Alison Fryer-JonesParamount CRT45
=15Emma RichardsParamount CRT45
=15Jess BuftonHafren CC45

Friction and Hydraulic Services Road Bike Championship

Road Bike Pos’nNameClubCatBest 12
1Jonathan GohParamount CRTV745
2Andrew DawsonParamount CRTV650
3Emma BrownParamount CRTF505
4Mark FennShropshire CCAV480
5William PrestonParamount CRTS385
6David CannellParamount CRTV220
7Doug BrownParamount CRTV200
8David ScottParamount CRTS140
9Alvydas JanusauskasParamount CRTV120
9Billy PanterParamount CRTS120
11Claire Blackwell-SmythParamount CRTFV110
12Rebecca PughParamount CRTF100
13Nick HickmanParamount CRTV95
14Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV85
14Gregg TaylerParamount CRTS85
14Peter RickardParamount CRTV85
17Hugh AshworthParamount CRTV80
17Peter JukesWrekinsport CCV80
19Lee ProctorParamount CRTV65
20Evie Fryer-JonesParamount CRTF55
20Richard SimpsonNorth Shropshire WheelersV55

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

Junior Pos’nNameClubBest 12
1Jess BuftonHafren CC60

Top Club Award

PositionClubTotal Points
1Paramount CRT2955
2Wrekinsport CC2035
3Aerologic RT1130
4Hafren CC415
5North Shropshire Wheelers365
=6Newport (Shropshire) CC180
=6Oswestry Paragon CC180
8Mid Shropshire Wheelers145
9Ludlow CC60