The finale of the SB Sports Injuries Series, the SCCA’s 3rd Autumn 10 could hardly have been any different from the first two Autumn events as sopping wet weather, cold and thoroughly miserable conditions saw 14 of the 31 entered riders stay at home for Round 17 as spray and standing water gave riders out to close their seasons an extra challenge on the Waters Upton – Hodnet course. With torrential rain cascading down the A442 the road at times more resembled a river, but those who braved conditions seemed determined to take a last chance to turn a competitive pedal.

There was a familiar name at the head of the standings with Tim Beardmore taking a fine win in 21 minutes 30 seconds, beating Bridgnorth CC club mate Jonathan Mills=Keeling into the runner-up spot by 15 seconds. Beardmore’s post-race comments reflected what many riders find in such conditions – easy passage through the air: “The weather was pretty horrible. I was expecting more of a head wind on the return leg, and in hindsight I wished I’d gone out harder. I was pleased to take the win, thanks to timekeepers and marshals for braving the weather”.

With three medals still in play Mills-Keeling’s eye was on Veteran’s Gold. Lying in that position before the race with a narrow points advantage the weather robbed the event of a head-to-head with Chris Halford as he thought better of it. Mills-Keeling sealed Gold and took the Overall runner-up spot with a 21:45 effort which converted to a +5:01 standard – the same 15 second gap to Beardmore who made it a double win on the day. With Halford also the same age this was always going to be decided on actual time gaps, but his absence didn’t stop Mills-Keeling trying his hardest to battle through the deluge, stating: “Soaking roads but not too bad. I was pleased with my ride, and it’s been a fantastic first full year doing time trials – many thanks to everyone involved, always helpful and friendly”. Halford is known not to favour cold and wet conditions so his absence was not entirely unexpected as he gained Veteran’s Silver. His post-race comments were, as usual, understated: “Thanks to all the helpers in the Shropshire Series. It’s been a challenging year on the bike”.

Mills-Keeling isn’t the only new rider making an impact this season as Mason Durant took third place on the day in a fine 22:07. Racing in the wet was a new experience for the Paramount CRT rider, as he encountered the issue of potholes rendered invisible in standing water: “Conditions weren’t as bad as I feared, although the water did mask a few potholes I went straight over. Well done to all other riders and thanks to Mid Shropshire Wheelers for organising – I was happy to come third in my first wet time trial”!

Only one Junior took the line with Junior Series Gold and Silver medallists Henri Bedford and Harry Corney instead electing to marshal, but Cerys Greaves showed that she wasn’t holding anything back after taking the Overall Women’s win too in 25:36 with a fine personal best, again showing how passage through the air is aided in such conditions. She stated: “My legs felt good and I was glad to get a personal best in such awful conditions. Thank you to the organisers and volunteers who did a great job in such grim weather”.

That left one final medal to be decided, Women’s Bronze, with SCCA Chair Helen Tudor taking that medal after being the best placed of the affiliated riders with 27:17, pushing another newcomer Jan Davies of Hafren CC out by 21 seconds. Tudor has had a low key season by her standards and had praise for the Gold and Silver medallists Marie Llewellyn and Clare Cotterill in her post-race comments: “I haven’t targeted any Series this year, I’ve just enjoyed getting out there and racing – lucky that despite Covid-19 we have had almost a full season, it wouldn’t be possible without all those who gave up their time. Well done to Marie and Clare. Not quite as cold as the start of the season but a pretty grim finish – thanks to Mid Shropshire Wheelers for running the event, and especially the marshals and timekeepers”.

Full:

Pos’nNameClubCatTimePoints
1Tim BeardmoreBridgnorth CCV21:3020
2Jonathan Mills-KeelingBridgnorth CCV21:4518
3Mason DurantParamount CRTS22:0716
4Ian RobertsBala CCS23:20.
5Tomos HalesWrekinsport CCS23:4014
6George CoombesSCCA 1st ClaimS24:2512
7Stan ElmittFibrax Wrexham RCV24:54.
8Cerys GreavesLichfield CCCWJ25:36.
9Chris BowersMid Wirral Wheelers CCV26:03.
10Jan KardaszFibrax Wrexham RCV26:22.
11Simon JonesHafren CCV26:3110
12Mark StocksNewport Shropshire CCV26:438
13Dave FanningFibrax Wrexham RCV26:59.
14Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCWV27:176
15Jan DaviesHafren CCWV27:384
16Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV27:56.
17Dave VartOswestry Paragon CCV28:482

Veterans:

Vets Pos’nNameClubCatVet +/-Vets Points
1Tim BeardmoreBridgnorth CCV+5:1620
2Jonathan Mills-KeelingBridgnorth CCV+5:0118
3Chris BowersMid Wirral Wheelers CCV+2:55.
4Stan ElmittFibrax Wrexham RCV+2:24.
5Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCWV+2:1816
6Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV+2:05.
7Jan KardaszFibrax Wrexham RCV+1:36.
8Jan DaviesHafren CCWV+1:3414
9Mark StocksNewport Shropshire CCV+0:3512
10Dave FanningFibrax Wrexham RCV+0:25.
11Simon JonesHafren CCV+0:0110
12Dave VartOswestry Paragon CCV-0:508

Women:

Women’s Pos’nNameClubCatTimeWomen’s Points
1Cerys GreavesLichfield CCCWJ25:36.
2Helen TudorOswestry Paragon CCWV27:1720
3Jan DaviesHafren CCWV27:3818
4Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV27:56.

Juniors:

Junior Pos’nNameClubCatTimePoints
1Cerys GreavesLichfield CCCWJ25:36.

Final Cumulative Standings after seventeen rounds

Overall

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Dean Callister Nova Raiders S 242
2 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 220
3 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 160
4 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 140
5 Chris Halford Wrekinsport CC V 118
6 Mark Pritchard Nova Raiders S 88
7 Adam Baker SCCA Private Member S 72
8 David Griffiths Oswestry Paragon CC S 52
8 George Coombes SCCA 1st Claim S 52
10 Mason Durant Paramount CRT S 46
11 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders V 44
=12 Andy Rose Nova Raiders V 38
=12 James Satoor Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 38
=12 Mark Stocks Newport Shropshire CC V 38
15 Rob Jackson Wrekinsport CC V 34
16 Harry Corney Market Drayton CC J 32
=17 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V 28
=17 Marie Llewellyn Nova Raiders W 28
19 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V 24
=20 Allan Henderson Wrekinsport CC S 22
=20 Clare Cotterill Wrekinsport CC WV 22
=20 Conrad Taylor Hafren CC S 22
=20 Phil Birch Market Drayton CC V 22

Veterans

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 208
2 Chris Halford Wrekinsport CC V 188
3 Rob Jackson Wrekinsport CC V 114
4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV 82
5 Mark Stocks Newport Shropshire CC V 80
6 Andy Rose Nova Raiders V 72
=7 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 58
=7 Tim Beardmore Nova Raiders V 58
=9 Clare Cotterill Wrekinsport CC WV 48
=9 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 48
11 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers V 46
12 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 44
13 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V 40
14 Rich Smith Wrekinsport CC V 36
=15 Darren Shaw SCCA Private Member V 34
=15 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V 34
=15 Rob Jones Nova Raiders V 34
18 Gareth Brookes North Shropshire Wheelers V 32
=19 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 26
=19 Pete Mulloy Wrekinsport CC V 26

Women

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Marie Llewellyn Nova Raiders W 178
2 Clare Cotterill Wrekinsport CC WV 152
3 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 118
=4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders WV 96
=4 Jenny Newton Nova Raiders WV 96
6 Clare O’Donnell Wrekinsport CC WV 68
7 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers WV 52
8 Jan Davies Hafren CC WV 44
9 Alison Dockney Market Drayton CC W 40
=10 Alison Salthouse SCCA Private Member WV 36
=10 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC WV 36
12 Carys Blowers Mid Shropshire Wheelers WJ 34
13 Pauline Hughes Revolutions Racing WV 24
=14 Charlotte Chapman Nova Raiders W 20
=14 Emma Horne Wrekinsport CC WV 20
=16 Lauren Turley Nova Raiders WV 18
=16 Milly Deer North Shropshire Wheelers W 18
18 Karen Proctor Hafren CC WV 16
19 Megan Fletcher Newport Shropshire CC WJ 12
20 Becky Pugh Propel CC W 10

Juniors

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing J 246
2 Harry Corney Market Drayton CC J 132
3 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 86
4 James Satoor Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 52
5 Ethan Campbell Newport Shropshire CC J 38
6 Nathan Fullwood Bridgnorth CC J 36
7 Carys Blowers Mid Shropshire Wheelers WJ 32
8 Ben Pierce Mid Shropshire Wheelers J 18
9 Megan Fletcher Newport Shropshire CC WJ 16
10 Luka Stolic Wrekinsport CC J 14
11 Chester Romei Market Drayton CC J 12