News & Features

New 25-mile champions were crowned in both Wales and Scotland last weekend, with records falling along the way.

Team-mates Tom Ward and Anna Morris (AeroLab Ward WheelZ) both set course records on their way to winning the men’s and women’s events at the Welsh 25 Mile Championships in Monmouthshire, promoted for the Welsh CA by RealTeam.co.uk.

27-year-old Ward – who also won last month’s Welsh 30-Mile Championship - covered the R25/7 course near Usk in 45-36 to win by 1-41 from Chris Gibbard. And Anna Morris set a new women’s mark for the course with her time of 51-24, while Louise Burnie (Swansea Wheelers) taking second.

North of the border, the Scottish 25-Mile Championship was won by Christina Murray (Army Cycling), the reigning National 24-Hour Champion, and Kyle Gordon (RT 23).

Gordon clocked 48-15 to win by just over two minutes from Douglas Watson (GTR-Return to Life), while Murray’s time of 57-38 gave her the win over Natalie Stevenson (Eat Plants Not Pigs CC) by 25 seconds.

In a joint promotion by the West Cheshire TTCA and the Lancashire TTCA, David Parkin (Chorley CC) and Michelle Fairclough (Salford CC) were winnings in their 12-hour event near Farndon in Cheshire on Sunday.

34-year-old Parkin covered 282.96 miles in the time which was just under four miles more than Victor Chetta (Pirate Juice CC) in second. Meanwhile, Fairclough covered 211.23 miles to finish as fastest female.

Across in Yorkshire, Darren Yarwood (Chapeau! Vive Le Velo) took his second victory in a row in the Yorkshire Cycling Federation 100, while Ruth Astle (Ful-On Tri) won the women’s event by over five minutes.

Veteran Yarwood won the Cleveland Coureurs/VTTA North 25 last weekend and showed his endurance over the longer distance to win this time out in three hours, 50 minutes and 39 seconds.

Astle’s winning time of 4-11-26 was enough for a clear victory beating veteran rider Fiona Sharp (Chapeau! Vive Le Velo) into second in 4-17-05.

In Wiltshire there were course records for the U86/25 for FTP Racing colleagues Jake Sargent and Charlotte Davies in the Chippenham and District Wheelers 25-mile event on Sunday morning.

Despite less than perfect conditions Sargent came out on top with a time of 51:47, five minutes ahead of team-mate Michael Davis (FTP Racing), while Charlotte Davies clocked 1-02-37 to win the women’s prize by over three minutes.

Also breaking a course record was Hannah O’Brien (Loose Cannon’s Conditioning) in the Diss and District CC 25-mile event in Norfolk, whose time of 59-42 gave her victory on the day by just over a minute from Laura Davies (Orwell Velo).

O’Brien’s team-mate at Loose Cannon’s Conditioning, Lloyd Chapman was fastest man in 51-49 which gave him victory by 44 seconds over Mark Richards (DAP CC).

Down in West Sussex, Andy Critchlow (Norwood Paragon CC) secured his first win of the season in the Bec CC 25 at Shoreham by Sea, clocking 52-26 which was enough for victory over Simon McNamara by 20 seconds.

And Gemma Freeman (Sussex Revolution) was quickest woman, her time of 1-03-57 giving her the win by just 18 seconds from Anouska Greenaway and a first victory since April.

Gemini BC were victorious in the Kent CA three-up 25-miler between New Romney and Ashford, with James Hawkins, Neil Harrigan and Huseyin Vardal combining for a time of 54-17, which was over three minutes better than their nearest rivals.

Donald Brooks (Mid-Devon CC) clocked 32-09 to win the City Cycle Couriers 13-mile event in the Tamar Valley to the west of Plymouth.

He was victorious by just one second from Robert Shaw (Alltrax), while fastest female was Lisa Crawford (Plymouth Corinthian CC) in 40-55, while was 17 seconds better than second-placed woman Rose Willis.

Chris McNamara secured the first win of a weekend double, while veteran Danuta Tinn was fastest female at the Epsom CC 10-mile time trial in Hampshire on Saturday.

McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) went on to win Sunday’s Wally Gimber Trophy road race in Kent, but started his weekend off in style with victory in this event near Bentley, clocking 19-14 to beat brother Simon McNamara (HuntBikeWheels) into second spot by eight seconds.

Tinn (Maidenhead & Dist CC) clocked 22-50 to finish as fastest female by over a minute and a half from Delyth Williams (Dulwich Paragon CC).

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