TIME trialling is all about beating the clock but Peter Greenwood actually turned it back last weekend with a double victory and a course record in the Kent Valley Road Club time-trialling weekend at the age of 51, writes Richard Belk.

A North Lancashire best all-rounder champion more than 20 years ago, the Clayton Velo man is still reckoned to be one of the best hilly course riders around and, with a strong following wind, there was no stopping the compact Lancastrian as he lopped four seconds off Gethin Butler's record in the nine-mile Shap summit hill climb with a time of 25mins 18secs.

Then, for good measure, he was too strong for the rest in Sunday morning's Edwin Howson Memorial 25 on a wind and shower-swept Levens course, winning with 57-33.

Saturday's tailwind and strong field combined to produce an unprecedented crop of fast times in the hill climb. Ulverston's Anne Plant (Arthur Caygill RT) also struck another blow for the over 40s, breaking her own women's course record by more than two minutes with a 29-46 clocking, and she was just one of the 29 riders who beat the magical half-hour - previously regarded as an elite benchmark.

Fastest of the local riders up the hill was Kent Valley veteran Bruce Attwood, who captured the Vet40 award in seventh place with 26-23, and his clubmate Colin Hill, 12th in 27-13. Other leading locals were: 18th Gary Spenceley (Lakes RC) 28-02; 25th Chris Dixon (KV) 29-26; 33rd Ashley Gerrard (KV) 30-18; 37th Stuart McGurk (KV) 31-08.

Sunday's wind and rain should have suited the strongmen, but Peter Greenwood was more than equal to the challenge. His ride also won him the award for the fastest rider on aggregate in both of the weekend's events.

Kent Valley's Andrew Powell was second on 57:52 with Duncan Orme (Lancaster CC) third with 58-00, after 13th place in the previous day's hill climb. Kent Valley's Colin Hill had a fine ride to finish fourth in 58-13 and, with Andrew Barlow

ninth in 59-13, Kent Valley clinched the team award. Another local rider who did well was Simon Smythe, riding for Team Clean, who clocked 58-58. Other South Lakeland and Furness performances were: 17th Tony Dixon (KV) 1-01-45; 19th John Leach (KV) 1:02:26; 29th Chris Dixon (KV) 1:05:24; 32nd Terence Tideswell (KV) 1:06:03; 40th Tim Bennett (KV) 1:08:16; 45th Lois Gosnay (KV) fastest lady 1:11:39; 46th Bruce Barnes (KV) 1:15:33; 48th Anne Nicholson (KV) 1:16:49; 49th Frank Kilburn (KV) 1:17:01; 50th George Jackson (Barrow CW)1:17:46;

South Lakes' lady road racers were in action again in the 54-mile 4th round of women's road racing team series in Denbigh, North Wales, last Sunday. Kent Valley's Sharon Bianchi rode intelligently in the demanding hilly circuit to net 16th place from 32 starters in the bunch sprint, making the points for the first time this year. Meanwhile, Holme's Sharon Padley (Team Luciano) was enjoying fine form, winning an intermediate hill prime before making a spirited solo attack on the last lap. Sharon was not quite strong enough to escape the bunch, but hung on for ninth place to add to her excellent seventh the

previous week in the Surrey edition of the series. She helped her Luciano squad

who extend their overall

leadin the competition. Saturday's individual winner was ex-GB international Michelle Ward.

Kent Valley's latest Jungle Caf 12-mile hilly time trial was won by Jon Richardson in 32.38 from Andrew Powell on 32.40 and Ben Lawson on 32.45. The rest were led by Andrew Barlow with 32.46; Matt Woods on 33.45; Kevin Preston on 35.48; Terence Tideswell on 35.51; Stuart McGurk 36.40; Lois Gosnay 40-02 and Anne Nicholson 41-37.

Colin Hill won the latest 10 at Milnthorpe in 23:07 from Ben Lawson on 23:57 and Simon Smythe on 24:10. Other leading times were: Adrian Yate 24:13; Kevin Preston 24:57; Tony Dixon 25:10; Chris Dixon 25:20; Nigel Hooker 25:37; Matt Woods 26:14 and Ian Bullough 26:27. Fastest woman was Sharon Bianchi with 28:57. Conditions were tough with a strong SW wind.

May 15, 2003 13:00