Spalding Cycling Club’s “Dash Down the Delph” event served as the penultimate meet of the season – and was another huge success.
Comprising a series of short sprint time trials over 250, 500, 750 and 1000 metres on a closed road course, it is an ideal way to introduce the under-12 year olds and other older members of the club to time trialling.
A field of 24 lined up at the start and, with the help of a rising tail wind, it wasn’t long before some fast times were posted. Fastest over the 250m dash was Sam Bentley (19.41secs), who was one of only two to get inside 20 seconds.
The youngest riders taking part, Jack and Velvet Bowser both recorded 26 seconds.
Best of the ladies, Katie Wright, crossed the line in 25 seconds, while fastest girl Sophie Wright took just 23 seconds.
The step up to 500m saw Bentley dislodged from the top spot by Neil Palmer, who took just 33.73secs to tear up the road. Sophie Wright was once again fastest girl (46.07secs), matching her brother Tom’s time exactly. Will Gurney was fastest boy, posting 42.07secs, while fastest lady at 500m was Susie Bowser on 48.66secs.
Bentley returned to the top of the 750m table with 53.35secs, squeezing inside Neil Palmer’s ride time of 54.04secs.
Fastest Lady over the 750m, Susie Bowser, stopped the clock on 1.09.14mins – just point seven of a second down on event organiser Barry Drew. A similar tight finish occurred between Sophie
Wright (1.00.48mins) and Will Gurney (1.00.64mins) who won the girls’ and boys’ events.
With the assistance of a tail wind, finishing times for the 1000m race were all well inside two minutes.
Bentley (1.13.35mins) clinched the overall win in a total time of 3.06.65mins – some seconds clear of Palmer who, given the year he has had, was widely regarded as the favourite.
Susie Bowser finished the day as first lady with a total time of 3.57.06mins, while a ride of 1.33.20mins gave first girl Sophie Wright a total time of 3.47.75mins.
