Setting a new or bettering an existing club record is never easy in the longer distance events – but for Spalding Cycling Club’s Sarah Bentley the challenge is both unique and rewarding
The 2016 ladies’ best all- rounder and already the ladies’ 50-mile time trial record holder, Bentley recently posted the second fastest time over 100 miles of 4.57.30hrs, just under two minutes slower than the 2013 record set by Aimee Stocker (4.55.33hrs).
Fittingly in the Spalding CC’s 90th year, she has now written a new record into the club’s history, notably that of the ladies’ 12-hour time trial champion.
Bentley is, as far as the club is aware, the only Spalding member to have attempted the 12-hour event.
Covering just short of 212 miles to finish as 14th lady in the RTTC National 12-hour Championship on the fast E2/12 Baldock to Newmarket course is in itself no mean feat, so this record looks set to stand for some time – unless Bentley has another go in 2018.
- At the other and more familiar end of time trialling, round 11 of the Spalding 10-mile Championship was business as usual, albeit with slightly more traffic and a rising headwind on the return leg to contend with
With some of the usual participants absent, the results for round 11 showed a remarkable consistency with round ten.
The club member’s top spots went to Matt Ellis and Ben Moore with 22.21mins and 22.56mins, while the overall fastest time of the night – Neil Palmer’s 21.50mins – was six seconds quicker than that posted by the Velo One racer in round nine.
Frazer Wallis, Andrew Gurney and Mark Hills occupied third, fifth and sixth places respectively, with very similar times too. Gurney was slightly slower in 25.51mins and Hills slightly quicker on 26.00mins, while Wallis’ 24.31mins was another personal best (PB) ride.
This was not the only PB of the night as brothers Will and Ed Gurney both impressed with 26.47mins and 32.29mins respectively.
Placed fourth in the club standings, Chris Bettinson’s time of 25.39mins was also an unconfirmed PB, while Brian Johnson – using Derek Chamberlain’s bike – set a new best time with his 30.35mins, too.
This obviously paid off as Chamberlain rode his training bike to a finish time 31.18mins.
Elsewhere, a season’s best of 34.31mins went to Adrian Thurston after a long time out due to illness.
Nigel Howard and Barry Drew posted ride times of 27.57mins and 28.29mins respectively while Simon Hare, whose ride was impeded by traffic, used his fixed gear machine effectively enough to cross the line on 29.45mins.
The only lady in the 14-strong club field, was Sarah Bentley, who finished on 28.39mins.
That was just three seconds slower than her 2016 ride time – an amazing effort after a relatively short recovery from her above-mentioned 12-hour ride.
Of the other guests, Chris Ward took 22.31 to complete the course while Josh Wallis (Velo One) used his road bike to just stay ahead of Bourne Wheelers’ Tim Lister. They finished on 23.14mins and 23.36mins respectively.
