Hilly 19/5/09

Bath CC held its first club event of the year, a hilly time trial, on Sunday. There was a change from the Bratton course used in previous years. This year's event, an 18 mile test, was held on the UC32 course based at Maiden Bradley.

The UC32 club course is a shortened version of the U32R course used for the club's open event held earlier in the year. The start is just north of Maiden Bradley and the course omits the initial leg to the Blatchbridge roundabout and back.

The event was ably organised by Bob Bolwell and used the Maiden Bradley village hall as the event HQ. Tea and cakes were kindly supplied by Bob's wife Eve for the riders and the club run which rode out to the event.

Weather for the event was bright, sunny and dry. A chilly northerly breeze helped the riders to 40 mph on the wind-assisted outward leg towards Mere. However reality had its revenge with speeds of up to 6 mph being reported on the hilly, headwind sections back through the Deverills.

Five riders, with Marilyn Jones testing a sleek new Quintana Roo speed machine, rode the event. Times were:

RiderTime
Rob Pears45m 41s
Mark Keyford47m 44s
Nigel Vuagniaux51m 07s
Pete Wilson57m 00s
Marilyn Jones1h 01m 46s

As far as I'm aware, this is the first time this course has been used by any club. So Rob's time of 45 minutes 41 seconds is the course record for others to target.