Cyclo-Cross - Snetterton Sunday 3rd Jan

The penultimate round of this season’s Eastern Cyclo Cross League rolled into the World Horse Welfare centre at Snetterton, Norfolk on Sunday. A perennial favourite with cyclo cross racers, the technical and heavy going course was probably better suited to farm machinery in parts, especially as the course quickly became badly rutted and muddy due to the rain and high turn out across all race categories.

Top West Suffolk Wheeler & Triathlon Club performance of the season looks to be from U10 Harley Gregory, who again stormed to a well fought 1^st place and in doing so has cemented a podium finish currently standing 1^st overall after his 11 scoring races out of 17 to date, with only Trinity park on the 24^th January left.

Triathlete Scott Williams, in only his 2^nd cyclo cross race, will take much from his debut season, finishing 34^th in the Sen/Jun race.

The men’s 40-49 race was met with enthusiasm typical of this highly competitive group of Wheelers, with Mike Bowen, despite suffering a mechanical, forcing his way to 13^th, followed by a gutsy ride from Matt Shingleton (21^st), the ever present Matt Denny (who also suffered a puncture) moving up the rankings with a fine 34^th and Giles Prime (57^th).

In the U12, Oliver Griggs will be pleased with 10^th. In the Youth race, Harry Shingleton finished 37th, Thomas Macro not far behind in 45^th, with Lianna Denny chalking up a DNF.

The combined Men’s 50+ and women’s race again saw Paul Watson (7^th) being pushed all the way by Peter Golding (14^th), both improving with each race. Adi Grimwood matched the conditions with 37^th David Griggs will be very pleased with his season’s performances, finishing with a fine 41^st. Darren Baker ploughed around slowly for 49^th.

Trisha scores an early 2016 TT win

Meanwhile, back on the roads Wheeler Trish Goulden started the 2016 time trial season in fine style at the Norfolk based CC Breckland’s New Year’s Day 10-mile TT. Held over the B10/3 out and back course between Besthorpe and Wymondham on the A11, Trish’s time of 24:50 was well rewarded with 1^st lady home and 21^st overall.

Last but not least... the Fred Filby!

The final highlight of Wheeler’s 2015 calendar was the Boxing Day Fred Filby time trial, held around the 10 mile Horringer course at Brookes Corner.

A fun, non competitive Christmas event saw 13 riders pace themselves around the course unaided by any form of recording device with the winner finishing closest to their anticipated time.

2015’s winner saw a finely paced ride from David Young, 15 seconds away from his expected finish time, with Neil Grimmer second (+ 22s) and Mark Eastwood (+53s). The other finishers were Ben Mickleburgh (VeloVelocity, 4^th +1:06); Julian Long (5^th, + 2:30); Darren Baker (6^th, + 2:40); Darren Sharman (7^th, + 2:58); Chris Hinitt (8^th, + 3:05); Sam Asker (U18, Welwyn Wheelers, + 3:06); Jim Greenwood (10^th, + 4:38); Dale Sturman (11^th, 5:20); Adi Grimwood (12^th, +6:02) and Guy lesser (13^th, + 6:02).