The Wednesday series of time trials organised by the a3crg (A3 cycle racing group) came to a spectacular finish last week when a team of A3 regulars took on a team of Farnham Road Club Tuesday regulars in a 3-up time trial over the 10-mile course between Greatham and Liphook. The A3 regulars won with an amazing time of 19mins 26secs.
The main event attracted over 50 riders and was split into 2-up teams and solos.
The Melville brothers from Newbury romped to victory in the 2-up, but in second place was none other than Northover's top woman, Lesley Allen, partnered by Aran Stanton of VC St Raphael.
Stanton was riding a fixed gear and their team tactics were for Lesley to lead out, go hard as she could and once Stanton wound his big gear up, she would slip in behind him. Well it worked and their time of 21-20 was over a minute quicker than Allen has covered the 10-mile course.
The pair are planning to ride the Duo Normand and it would be interesting to know their team tactics for that race.
Rother Valley's fast man John Hepper and rapidly improving Gary Gunner of Liphook Cycles were just seven seconds back in third place. Ten seconds behind were probably the oldest pairing (combined age 119), Alan Dawson and Jack Brown of Northover's Vets.
Claire Bather presented the riders with their awards for the season.
The regular riders compete in a points league. This year, 50 riders signed up and the best eight results, plus bonus points, from the 11 events, count towards the final placings.
Claire presented Gary Buckett with the winner's trophy. He had pipped reigning champion Steve Walkling by just five points. Petersfield triathlete Pete Younghusband took third place in front of Rother's John Hepper.
Jack Brown, on behalf of the riders, presented David Collard-Berry with a case of wine and a donation for the crew in appreciation for the work they put in each week to bring them the "best mid-week time trials in the area."
League results: 1st, Gary Buckett (Portsmouth NE) 490; 2nd, Steve Walkling (VC St Raphael) 485; 3rd, Pete Younghusband (Tri UK Inc) 472; 4th, John Hepper (Rother Valley) 468; 5th, Jim Howlett (Rother Valley) 465; 6th, Ben Fielden (Rother Valley) 449; 7th, Roger Scott (Northover's Vets) 448; 8th, Gary Gunner (Liphook Cycles) 440; 9th, Chris James (Portsmouth NE) 416; 10th, Paul Jordan (Rother Valley) 411.
3-up Teams: 1st, Simon Berogna, Steve Walkling, Pete Younghusband 19-26; 2nd, Dean Frost, Rob Pennell, Dave Campbell 22.30.
2-up Teams: 1st, Tim Melville & Matt Melville (Cambridge Uni / VC St Raphael) 20-57; 2nd, Aran Stanton & Lesley Allen (VC St Raphael / Northovers) 21-20; 3rd, Gary Gunner & John Hepper (Liphook Cycles / Rother Valley) 21-27; 4th, Jack Brown & Alan Dawson (Northover's Vets) 21-37.
Solos: 1st, Ray Robinson (Off The Record) 21-20; 2nd, Steve Lenn (Bognor Regis) 21-50; 3rd, Stu Damen (Off The Record) 22-19.