R7 Mower Mec 2-Up Series: Wrekinsport CC 10

The finale of the 2025 Mower Mec 2-Up Series saw a narrow win for the Silver medallists and the destination of the remaining Series medals resolved as Wrekinsport CC hosted their 2-Up on a glorious sunny evening tempered by a tough northerly wind. Held on the club’s usual Shawbirch – Crudgington – Cotwall Bank circuit, Oswestry Paragon’s Peter Fletcher and Jack Young took their second win of the Series by just two seconds from the promoting club’s Chris Halford and Clive Middleton in 23 minutes 32 seconds. Fletcher enjoyed the sweeping new turn of Crudgington roundabout which allows more speed to be carried; however, things could have been very different for the pair due to a mix up over the start location, as he explained: “On exploration of the course we felt it was a much improved layout and so it proved, although we went to the incorrect start line within minutes of the kick off! Jack and I stuck to the plan and left it until the final round to finally nail it, and to find we triumphed by the slightest of margins made it feel all the more pleasing. Once again the platitudes are the same in thanking our fellow competitors, organisers, marshals and of course the time keepers who all played an important part in the usual smooth running of an excellent evening”.

Whilst Fletcher and Young have honed their abilities over all seven rounds of this Series at all corners of the County, the runners-up and third-placed pairings were not familiar at all with each other’s styles – and in the case of Wrekinsport’s Chris Halford and Clive Middleton, on different bike types. It’s usually best for both to either ride time trial or road bikes but not to mix them, and the issues caused were graphically stated by Halford: “It was a challenge keeping on a road bike, but we managed the situation as best we could having not ridden together before”. Meanwhile Middleton had an expensive evening and was lucky not to end up on the floor after hitting a missing drain cover hard. Thankfully he recovered enough to stay upright, but not without issues: “The race went great, but I lost my car key when I hit a hole and cracked both wheels. I didn’t find the keys and it cost £180 to get the car back home, £130 for someone to pick the lock, and £960 for two keys – and I can’t get them for two weeks”!

The welcome sight of two 15 year-old Junior riders saw Newport Shropshire CC’s Ben Bramford-Hale team up with Wolverhampton Wheelers’ Tom Oxley in their first ever experience of the 2-Up format – and they took to it well enough to get the better of Hafren CC’s Neil Vose and Mark Hill by a single second, finishing in 24:03. Bramford-Hale commented: “I really enjoyed my first 2-Up time trial with Tom. We quickly got into a good rhythm, and I’m really pleased we secured third overall – thanks to Wrekinsport for putting on a great and welcoming event”.

Vose and Hill had good consolation for being nudged down to fourth on the night as they sealed the Bronze medals in the overall Mower Mec Series on the strength of their 24:04 effort, with Vose commenting: “The Wrekinsport 10 mile course is excellent. It was a tough headwind out on the day; but a great tailwind back to Shawbirch. Mark was on fire and did most of the hard work down to Shawbirch; and we managed to get near our best time for this course. The 2-Up Series is a great way to improve your times on courses around Shropshire & Powys. We missed the first two, and this meant we were trying to catch Pete and Jack for the last five rides. We are already planning how we can improve for 2026 – thanks to all the clubs for putting on the events for 2025”.

That left the final medals to be settled from riders not competing on the night, with two Mid Shropshire Wheelers father and daughter pairs taking Mixed Team Silver and Bronze behind the already settled Gold medallists Sorrell Williams and Karl Lombardi. Silver went to 13 year-old Georgia and father Simeon Lloyd, with Simeon commenting: “It was good to be able to compete alongside Georgia. We have never raced together, so it was a great opportunity to test ourselves. We started strong, finished strong and both really enjoyed the event”.

Meanwhile Florence Parkinson just turned the minimum allowed age to compete of 12, and won a medal in her first ever time trial. Naturally she was delighted, and seems to have the bit between her teeth to go on to greater things, stating: “I am thrilled to win the Bronze, and with a bit more training for my Dad over the winter I think we can come back stronger next year to see if the Silver is in reach”! Dad Mark added: “Florence just turned 12 years old in May, so this was a perfect race to introduce her to time trialling, with a 2-Up together as a father-daughter team”.

In the Female teams competition Paramount’s Emma Brown and Liz Hagen had sealed Gold as early as Round 4, but the finale saw Silver settled by another first-time pairing, Jane Morris and Jenny Cooper of Market Drayton CC. Both decided the 2-Up format was the perfect introduction to time trialling, similar to the Parkinson’s decision; and Cooper’s comments show just how easy having a go is for the inexperienced and those without full aero equipment, which is not a barrier to competition: “It was the first time either of us had competed in a time trial – it felt a bit less daunting doing 2-Up to start with. Everyone was very welcoming, and it was a very relaxed environment to have a go. I haven’t got any specific aero kit and was just on a normal endurance road bike”.

Full:

Final Cumulative Standings after seven rounds

Overall:

Mixed Team:

Female Team: