Roller Racing

PostDateIconSunday, 18 November 2007 14:56
 

Wheelers roll out for annual event

 

West Suffolk Wheelers spent an evening going nowhere - competing in their annual Roller Competition.
Rollers are the predecessors of the Turbo Trainers  used to-day, but they have no artificial friction to push against, and the bike isn't held on to the machines in any way.
There are up to four sets of Rollers on the stage, each a different colour and each connected to a very large "clock" with four different coloured hands which match the colours of the rollers.
They are connected, not by advanced wireless technology, but with a gear-driven flexible drive each. The clock is calibrated in metres with one revolution being 500m. Riders start on a whistle and are timed with a stop watch - with a timekeeper for each competitor.
Fifteen riders took part and around thirty Club Members turned up to cheer them on. In many ways these events are just the same as they would have been in the thirties.
The First Event was a 500m time-trial . This was won convincingly by Adi Grimwood in 22.03s from Nathan Colman at 0.47s (16yr old junior) Steve Newman at 0.57 and first-timers Christian Pudduck at 1.01s and Garry Shields at 1.61. The other notable ride was from National Silver Medallist Esther Colman (under 12 youth) gaining 10th spot with 28.07.
Those who put everything into the opening event paid the price with the next one - a 500m Handicap. In this event the faster the competitors went in the time trial, the further they had to go in the handicap.
This put the novices to the back of the results, gave Julian Colman (Nathan & Esther's Dad) a win over Steve Newman, Adi Grimwood and Nathan Colman. Evergreen Steve Mays made 5th and Esther Colman finished a very creditable 6th.
In the Youth Scratch 500m Nathan Colman cantered to an almost 5-second win over his sister Esther.
She was followed by Novice Will Curtin, who beat his own 500m time in the previous event by outstanding 11 whole seconds to make Third Spot, beating track-racing regular Alan Trolove by 4.39s and a tiring Lewis Jarman filled fifth place. The effort put in by each of the Youths in all their events was highly impressive.
The Final Event was the 1,000 metre scratch for seniors. Might not sound far, and they're only riding of a bit under a minute, but I really thought that Gary Shields was going to explode.
The Surprise Winner was Christian Puddock, one of the five first-timers, who beat second place Steve Newman by 1.56s and Adi Grimwood by 2.53s.
Overall Placings:
Youths.
1st Nathan Colman, 2nd Esther, 3rd Alan Trolove, 4th Lewis Jarman
and 5th Will Curtin
Seniors. Adi Grimwood & Steve Newman (equal points but Adi had a win and so won)
then came Christian Puddock, Garry Shields, Paul Rooke & Julian Colman.
Hard Luck Stories?      Has to be David Leaver and Jeff Agricole for getting punctures - Jeff got two!

 

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