The final round of the Friction Hydraulics Series saw the outstanding Junior medals and the destination of the Top Club Award settled; and David Griffiths take a solid win in the West Cheshire TTCA 25. Held on the popular and fast Tern Hill – Shawbirch course, Griffiths stopped the watch on 52 minutes 20 seconds, 2:49 ahead of Friction Series Bronze medallist Tomos Hales on a quick morning. Griffiths has been largely absent from the 2023 Series due to illness blighting much of his season, but has been taking advantage of late season events to get something from the year whilst testing various combinations of the latest ‘body fairing’ trend sweeping the sharp end of time trialling. Despite that superb ride Griffiths expressed dissatisfaction as his effort, stating: “I’m not particularly pleased with my performance, but it was good to be able to ride towards the end of the season after feeling a bit washed out”.

Hales beat Friction Silver medallist Jonathan Mills-Keeling by 34 seconds on a fine morning with a great time of 55:09 and expressed satisfaction and led Wrekinsport to the Top Club Award for the second year running with great support from Oliver Rodwell, Adam Mumford and Deb Hutson-Lumb all scoring Top 10 positions to end with a 350 point advantage. Hales commented: “The 25 mile time trial went well and unusually it was quick conditions for the last one of the year – thanks to all that organised and marshalled on the day”.

Mills-Keeling also liked the Open season closer, taking the final podium spot in 55:43, 20 seconds ahead of Rodwell as well as the runner-up spot in the Friction Veterans race with +12:27, 35 seconds ahead of Paramount’s Chris Riley. The Aerologic rider commented: “The last 25 of the season, I enjoyed it. Nice to see friendly faces was a decent day, and looking forward to next season already”.

Mills-Keeling couldn’t beat Hutson-Lumb in the Veterans however as she took another fine win with a superb +16:45 and beat the hour on actual in 59:52 in conditions that suited her. Hutson-Lumb has suffered throughout the warm weather with hay fever but made the most of the cooler, near perfect conditions with a fantastic 25mph effort which won the Women’s event by exactly eight minutes, showing what a major ride this was in her fastest Friction event of the season. She commented: “I didn’t quite manage to optimise on the morning’s great weather conditions but still super pleased to dip under the hour. A fabulous final 2023 Friction Series event; thank you to everyone involved”.

The final two Junior medals were settled without a pedal being turned as Ben Southgate ended his season with yet another medal as he took Silver ahead of a Ludlow CC rider making his debut in 2023, Tristan Harvey who took Bronze.

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series – Round 19

Posn Name Club Cat Time Points
1 David Griffiths Oswestry Paragon CC S 52:20 60
2 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 55:09 55
3 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT V 55:43 50
4 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V 56:03 45
5 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 56:31 40
6 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V 57:15 35
7 Adam Mumford Wrekinsport CC S 58:31 30
8 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV 59:52 25
9 Rob Kerr Oswestry Paragon CC V 1:00:50 20
10 George Coombes Newport (Shropshire) CC S 1:01:04 15
11 Paul Mulready Bridgnorth CC V 1:01:57 10
12 Alex Hall Wrekinsport CC S 1:02:42 5
13 Karl Lombardi Oswestry Paragon CC V 1:06:10 5
14 David Drew North Shropshire Wheelers V 1:07:31 5
15 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 1:07:52 5
16 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V 1:09:25 5
17 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 1:09:58 5
18 Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers WV 1:28:10 5
. James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers V DNS .
. Matthew Price Wrekinsport CC V DNS .

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship – Round 19

Vets Posn Name Club Cat Vets +/- Vets Points
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV +16:45 60
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT V +12:27 55
3 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V +11:52 50
4 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V +11:25 45
5 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V +10:29 40
6 Geoff Edgerton North Shropshire Wheelers V +08:16 35
7 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV +07:33 30
8 Paul Mulready Bridgnorth CC V +06:26 25
9 David Drew North Shropshire Wheelers V +05:57 20
10 Rob Kerr Oswestry Paragon CC V +05:54 15
11 Karl Lombardi Oswestry Paragon CC V +01:21 10
12 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V +00:34 5
13 Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers WV -13:47 5
. James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers V . .
. Matthew Price Wrekinsport CC V . .

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship – Round 19

Women’s Posn Name Club Cat Time Women’s Points
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV 59:52 60
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 1:07:52 55
3 Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers WV 1:28:10 50

Top Club Award – Round 19

Pos’n Club Points
1 Wrekinsport CC 160
2 Oswestry Paragon CC 90
3 Aerologic RT 50
4 Hafren CC 40
5 Paramount CRT 35
6 North Shropshire Wheelers 20
7 Newport (Shropshire) CC 15
8 Bridgnorth CC 10

Final Cumulative Standings after nineteen rounds

Friction and Hydraulic Services Shropshire Championship Points Series

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club V 685
2 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT V 625
3 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 580
4 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT V 425
5 James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers V 370
6 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC WV 345
7 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 330
8 Simon Romei Paramount CRT V 325
9 Bryn Davies Hafren CC V 310
10 Dean Callister Revolutions Racing S 300
11 Paul Duncan Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 245
12 Hayley Wells Paramount CRT W 210
13 Robbie Disney Ludlow CC S 205
=14 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 195
=14 Simon Jones Hafren CC V 195
16 Mason Durant Paramount CRT S 165
17 Robert McGregor Paramount CRT S 155
=18 David Griffiths Oswestry Paragon CC S 120
=18 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC V 120
=20 John Westhead Paramount CRT V 115
=20 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 115

Friction and Hydraulic Services Veterans Championship

Vets Position Name Club Best 12
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC 730
2 Tim Beardmore Bridgnorth Cycling Club 700
3 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Aerologic RT 660
4 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT 525
5 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 450
=6 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 345
=6 James Neale North Shropshire Wheelers 345
=8 Simon Romei Paramount CRT 305
=8 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers 305
10 Paul Duncan Mid Shropshire Wheelers 240
11 John Westhead Paramount CRT 230
12 Simon Jones Hafren CC 190
13 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers 165
14 Philip Gardner Mid Shropshire Wheelers 135
15 Ian Connolly Ludlow CC 125
16 Oliver Rodwell Wrekinsport CC 120
17 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 115
18 Peter Jukes Mid Shropshire Wheelers 100
19 Rich Smith Wrekinsport CC 95
20 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC 85

Friction and Hydraulic Services Women’s Championship

Women’s Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Wrekinsport CC 730
2 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 685
3 Hayley Wells Paramount CRT 540
4 Victoria Doran Wrekinsport CC 235
5 Linda Beckett North Shropshire Wheelers 205
6 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 130
7 Jayne Powell Paramount CRT 120
8 Bethan Till Wrekinsport CC 115
9 Thea Osmund-Smith Paramount CRT 100
10 Catherine Coley Bridgnorth CC 60
11 Jan Davies Hafren CC 55
12 Helen Blake Wrekinsport CC 50
13 Kathryn Rossiter North Shropshire Wheelers 45

Friction and Hydraulic Services Junior Championship

Junior Pos’n Name Club Best 12
1 Chester Romei Paramount CRT 180
2 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC 115
3 Tristan Harvey Ludlow CC 60

Top Club Award

Position Club Total Points
1 Wrekinsport CC 1850
2 Paramount CRT 1500
3 Bridgnorth Cycling Club 1425
4 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 810
5 North Shropshire Wheelers 595
6 Hafren CC 555
7 Oswestry Paragon CC 425
8 Ludlow CC 325
9 Revolutions Racing 300
10 Aerologic RT 50
11 Newport (Shropshire) CC 40