Last Sunday, 85 riders signed on for the annual Suffolk Punch reliability trial, organised by the West Suffolk Wheelers and Triathlon Club. The record number of entrants was partly due to riders wanting to catch up with their training after the hard winter; but perhaps mainly because the entry fee had been waived, and riders were asked for donations towards the East Anglian Air Ambulance – who had provided valuable assistance at a club-run accident in early January.  

This year’s Suffolk Punch followed the same 55 mile route as last year’s - and took riders out through Hawstead, Lawshall, Shimpling, Hartest, Hawkedon, Clare, Stradishall, Wickhambrook, Dalham, Ashley, Newmarket, Moulton, Ousden, Hargrave, Whepstead and back through Hawstead. Plus a 40 mile option which missed out the Dalham/Newmarket loop.

First to arrive back at Nowton Village Hall were Ron Fisher, Jonathon Sjolin and Steve Willet, having covered the 40 mile route well within the 15 mph average speed time limit. It was good to see Ron riding so well, as he was one of the three riders injured in the January accident. 16 other riders made it back inside the 15 mph average, while 14 came in at 13 mph and another nine at 11 mph.

Next it was the turn of the 55 mile groups to arrive back. Hot on the heels of the 40 milers, were five riders from the 18 mph group, who had made light work of the strong winds and endless hills, and returned in under three hours: Jonathan Howe, Brian Phillips, David Giffin, Dale Sturman and Simon Daw turned in a remarkable performance. Remarkable too was the performance of the Wheelers’ rising young star, Alan Trolove. He had hung on to the flying quintet until the climb up through the Newmarket Gallops, where he lost contact. He stayed focused and came home with two minutes to spare for an 18 mph average. Brothers James and Paul Rooke also rode strongly to get just inside the cut-off time. Lee Sturman didn’t quite make it; however, for much of the ride he was alone with no one to share the work into the wind.

23 riders achieved the 15 mph average, three the 13 mph (including the Wheelers’ resident photographer and artist, Stephen Hill, riding fixed who, in spite of laying awake the night before memorising the route, managed to go off course and clock up the extra miles that made all the difference to his time), and two the 11 mph. Eight didn’t finish the ride and three were outside the time limits.

Another successful event, made even better by the generosity of the riders who contributed almost £600 towards the vital service provided by the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Thanks also to the cake-makers and tea ladies, who helped in the riders’ recovery process.


Justin Wallace       7 February 2011