The East Devon Evening Ten series on the Honiton ‘Fenny Bridges’ course got under way this week, with the first race organised by Exeter Wheelers. This year EWCC’s main man on the TT front, Mike Rose, has recruited a couple of senior citizen apprentices to help him run the events this year, and the three of them were out on the course in plenty of time getting the signage in place.
The signs are good !
Twelve riders signed up on an overcast and slightly chilly evening, but at least the wind was only minimal.
Jimmy Richards of Pure Endurance was fastest on the night, on his road bike. Jimmy’s TT bike is broken after he was driven into by a car in the Four Firs Hilly – “Yeah, I still trying to get the insurance sorted” said Jimmy, but it was good to see him back in action after his scary experience at the Four Firs – “Thanks, yes, I’m okay, I was a bit groggy the day after the accident, it shook me up, but yeah, I feel okay, thankfully“. Jimmy’s winning time was 24:38.
Runner-up was Rich Babbage, of EWCC, who is back racing again after a couple of years away due to some health issues, and also due to the demands of becoming a dad again. He will be pleased with his excellent time of 24:50.
Another Wheeler took third place, this being Stu Pollard, on a road bike, with 25:09.
Above – Stu Pollard being a cheeky chappy as he swooshes past the marshall at the second turn.
A couple of younger riders made their time trialling debuts on the night – Lennox Turner, 18, finished with a time of 27:55 whilst his friend Harry McMahon, aged 19, recorded a creditable 26:20 despite having buried himself in a triathlon last weekend.
A mention also goes to Chard Wheeler John Hutchins, who previous to this evening had not ridden a time trial for 37 years, when he was a member of the St Budeaux CC club of Plymouth. John nearly got round on ‘evens’, missing it by a single second with 30.01, but not bad after a near-40 gap, and this was on a cyclo-cross bike, with the biggest rear sprocker the size of a small dustbin lid.
Full results:
| Age cat. | Bike type | Time | points | ||||
| 1 | Jimmy Richards | Pure Endurance | M | senior | road | 24:38 | 21 |
| 2 | Rich Babbage | Exeter Whs. CC | M | vet D | tt | 24:50 | 20 |
| 3 | Stuart Pollard | Exeter Whs. CC | M | vet A | road | 25:09 | 19 |
| 4 | James Salter | Sid Valley CC | M | senior | tt | 25:16 | 18 |
| 5 | Tim Fowler | Exeter Whs. CC | M | vet C | tt | 25:18 | 17 |
| 6 | Stewart Dunn | Mid-Devon CC | M | vet A | tt | 26:15 | 16 |
| 7 | Harry McMahon | guest | M | senior | road | 26:20 | 15 |
| 8 | Andrew Haydon | Exeter Whs. CC | M | vet E | road | 26:27 | 14 |
| 9 | Doug Parker | Tor 2000 | M | vet E | road | 27:51 | 13 |
| 10 | Lennox Turner | guest | road | 27:55 | 12 | ||
| 11 | John Hutchins | Chard Wheelers | M | vet D | road | 30:01 | 11 |
| 12 | John Baker | Exeter Whs. CC | M | vet D | road | 30:41 | 10 |
| age categories | |||||||
| 40 – 44 | A | ||||||
| 45 – 49 | B | ||||||
| 50 – 54 | C | ||||||
| 55 – 59 | D | ||||||
| 60 – 64 | E |
Thanks go to Mike Rose, Ann Owens, Phil Harris, Pete Bishop and Ken Evans for their time and energy in organising and running the event, and the club would also like to say special thanks to Mike’s partner Sally, who has now stepped back from her ‘evening ten’ duties after many years of devoted service, bless you Sally.
The next race in the series is next Wednesday, May 13th.
The evening ten on the 20th of May is our ‘Women Only’ event, so if you are a female, come along ! and if you are a male then tell your mum, your wife, your aunt, your sister, and the lollipop lady at your local school all about the joys of evening tens, and encourage them to enter.