31st March – Fowlmead
Given the near perfect conditions at Fowlmead for TRC’s opening evening 10 of the season it was surprising that we only had 10 riders and that their times were so slow. Ok so it is early season, but the indications are that with some of the main contenders for the points trophy just scraping ‘evens’, that riders were cycling with their brakes on!

NB (and this is for our new members), our evening points competition is scored based on the best improvement over the previous ride; thus the best improvement scores 10, the second best scores 9… etc. Call me a cynical old B’Stard, but on Wednesday’s showing, there’s a fair clutch of TRC riders aiming for a maximum next week!

Still, with your sketch writer off on no.9 and Simon Henderson starting 10, I was anticipating being caught by the first corner. In the event, our ‘in form’ rider didn’t start and was seen wandering about shivering; now this is hardly surprising, because he does indeed look seriously fit and with a BMI in single figures, he’s going to be feeling the cold, even on a balmy day at Fowmead. Anyway, to the racing… if you can call it that…

1st Tom Smart VC Deal 26:14
2nd Mister Able B’Stard Last Legs CC 26:32
3rd Chris Bax VC Deal 27:34
Bob Connell 28:54
Colin Robinson 29:09
Pete Huckstep 29:18
Tony Culshaw 29:29
Colin Inett 29:51
S Herrington Deal Tri 30:16
Ollie Robinson 39:52

For the record, the air temperature was 7 Celsius, with a fresh WSW wind, increasing to strong with the squally showers… as I said at the outset, near perfect for Fowlmead!