News & Features

Both the men’s and women’s national 24-hour competition records were smashed last weekend, as a new generation of long distance legends took part in the National Championships in Cheshire.

Graham Kemp (Team Bottrill) covered a provisional 544.32 miles to set a new record, beating Andy Wilkinson’s old mark by three miles.

And in the women’s event, all three riders on the podium broke the old competition record, with Christina Murray (Army Cycling) taking the win with 478.42 miles, 17 miles more than the previous record.

“The record wasn’t really an aim,” said Kemp. “But my coach and I had worked out 22.9mph roughly worked out to 549 miles so I had a little clue and I’m just so pleased, I can’t really put it into words.”

And Murray said: “Once I knew that the record was in sight, it spurred me on and I just raced the last two hours and put everything out there.”

Elsewhere, Chris Fennell clocked a personal best while his team-mate at the Independent Pedaler Emma Lewis was fastest female at the Realteam.co.uk 25-mile time trial near Rhigos in South Wales on Sunday.

Fennell covered the course in 44-58 to inflict a rare loss on second-placed Marcin Bialoblocki (NOPINZ).

In Cheshire Ben Norbury and Claire Harrison were the fastest male and female at the Congleton CC 50-mile time trial that took place near Cranage on Saturday.

Norbury (Congleton CC) topped the podium after finishing his run with an excellent time of 1-48-31. Harrison (Pro Vision Cycle Clothing) finished her run with a time of 2-07-07.

In Cambridgeshire Chris Bartley and Vicky Gill topped the podium as fastest male and female at the Shaftesbury CC 50.

Bartley (AS Test Team) finished his run with a time of 1-35-08 to top the standings as the fastest overall male. Gill (Drag2zero) clocked a time of 1-49-40.

Over the same distance Chris McNamara and Michelle Walter were the fastest male and female respectively at the Southdown Velo 50 near Fontwell in West Sussex.

McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) clocked a time of 1-42-12, while Walter (Bournemouth Arrow CC) finished her run with a time of 2-15-22.

And in the Yorkshire CF 50 on Saturday Richard Dean (Rockingham CC) clocked 1-49-44 to take the win by two minutes from Darren Yarwood (Vive le Velo), while Matthews was fastest female, the Halifax Imperial Wheelers rider clocking 2-20-47.

Corinne Clarke and Josh Griffiths were the fastest female and male at the Bristol South CC 50 near Malmesbury in Wiltshire.

Clarke (Vitfor OTE) set a new women’s course record as she powered to victory with a time of 2-12-25. And Griffiths (Bikestrong-KTM) topped the standings in the men’s event as he finished his run with a time of 1-59-54.

In South Yorkshire the Rossington Wheelers 10 was won by Billy Jarish (Rose RT0 in 20-26, which was just five seconds quicker than team-mate Jack Levick, while fastest female was Karen Ledger (Ace Test Team) with 22-37.

And over the same distance Lloyd Chapman (Plomesgate CC) was victorious in the Anglia Velo event near Besthorpe in Norfolk. He clocked 19-56, while fastest female with 23-49 was Denise Hurren (Team Velovelocity).

And in the nearby Diss and District 10 the following day, Chapman won again with 20-28, while Kerry Tate (Newmarket C&TC) was quickest of the women in 24-30.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

* See the individual event listings for more detailed reports on these and other time trials.