For me personally, the omens were written for this event when I found out that after parking in the Inholms car park a bird had taken a hearty dump on my car, my beloved TT bike and me. As I cleaned the greeny-yellow gunk off of everything the temperature dropped and my ebbing mojo dropped with it.
It seemed that I was not the only one afflicted with early season tt-itis. Rick Opie had not got his gear mech out of medium gear mode and Rachel then went and punctured before reaching the start. Along with that a hearty number of no-shows due to various reasons meant that we had a field considerably smaller than our first event last year. Still, 15 KPRC riders along with Phil Ember from Paceline and Rob Gardner from the Wheelers made an honest event of it.
The consensus seemed to be hard work on the outward leg and then stick the spinnakers out on the way home. My evening was complete when I found that I couldn't get the bottom 7 sprockets on my block owing to a loose lockring. I don't think it would have made much difference to the speed at which Phil Ember went past me. It seems that pretty much every night is a fast night for Phil. Our first rider home was David Watt, who is already starting to look like the man to beat this season. I think he's been cheating. Sorry, training. At 24.16 that was a great time to put down so early in the season. Russell Williams was second man home with John Beer taking both third place in the scratch and handicap competitions.
Jake Dodd started where she left off last season and put her Mallorca fitness to good use as she was first lady home with Lynda Gale and Samantha Pickup taking second and third spots respectively. Mike Morley took the top handicap points and Grant Pyke taking second spot.
Many thanks to Rachel and Joe for putting out and retrieving the signs, Andy for pushing off and Frank, as ever, for stopping the clocks. And a big happy birthday on the night to the evergreen Ken Williams.
The next evening 10 is on Wednesday 13th April. Names to me or Frank to get on the start sheet.
Points
No Name Time H/T Vets
+/- Scr / Hcp Awards
15. Phil
Ember 22-28 Paceline
22. David
Watt 24-16 23-16 7 / 2
1st Place
20. Russell
Williams 24-33 23-03 + 3-00 6 / 3
2nd Place
18. Rob
Gardner 25-12 Kingston Wheelers
9. John Beer 25-18
22-48 + 5-27 5
/ 5 3rd Pla/ 3rd
Hcp
11. Alex Kew 25-51 23-41 + 0-27 4 / 2
23. Simon
Waller 26-56 23-11 3 / 2
21. Joe
Bertorelli 27-36 24-21 + 0-36 2 / 2
6. Mike Morley 27-44
20-44 + 5-18 2
/ 7 1st Hcp
25. Steve Hillier 28-33 24-03 + 0-33 2 / 2
12. Jake
Dodd 29-11 24-41 + 0-51 7 / 2 1st Woman
3. Rick Opie 30-31 24-01 -
3-24 2 / 2
13. Lynda
Gale 30-36 23-36 6 / 2
7. Patrick Ryan 31-55
22-55 - 1-25 2 / 4
1. Grant Pyke 32-18
22-18 + 2-04 2
/ 6 2nd Hcp
8. Samantha Pickup 33-25
23-55 - 5-25 5 / 2
2. Ken Williams 34-04
23-34 + 0-02 2
/ 2
4. Philip Burgin D.N.S.
5. Rachel Watkins D.N.S. Punctured
going to the start
10. Deborah
Hurst D.N.S. (Apol)
14. James
Roberts D.N.S.
16. Simon
Trehearn D.N.S. (Apol)
24. Adrian
Feasby D.N.S. (Apol)
26. Marcus Edwards D.N.S.
)Apol)
Salim
Mohamed D.N.S. (Apol)