Watts turns on the power

Watts took a convincing victory of 23 seconds to stop the watch on 20 minutes 48 seconds and finally get his hands on The Gordon Davies Trophy, an achievement he has long desired. He commented: “Really pleased to finally win the Shropshire 10 Championship having missed out on winning it multiple times, a win that I’ve wanted for several years so I’m happy to finally take it. It was a tough day in the conditions not helped by the downpour of rain as I set off, which in reflection may have made me ride faster so I could get back to the warmth of the HQ quicker so I can’t complain. Thanks to the marshals and timekeepers who had to stand out in the conditions, without them we wouldn’t have such a successful time trial scene in Shropshire”.

Watts' closest challenger was Paramount CRT's Mason Durant, taking 10 Silver in 21:11, with a close chasing pack snapping at his heels as he alluded to in his post-race comments: ”My first test since illness and I was happy with the result; coming the right side of a bun fight behind me. Well done to Dan on taking the win”. Durant pushed out Revolutions Racing's Dean Callister by 12 seconds for that medal – but more importantly leading the club to Team victory with great support from Mark Pritchard and Graeme Donnell in a combined 1:06:48, 33 seconds ahead of Paramount.

Callister was pleased with his efforts, stating: “A change of usual wind direction for this course made things more interesting. I gave it all I had on the day but got bogged down in places on the way out. Happy with my result and a great effort by the rest of the Revs team to take Gold; thanks Mid Shropshire Wheelers for a great afternoon”. Pritchard added: “Happy with taking the Team Gold. The weather wasn't the best but I managed to put out a pretty solid time for me on that course, thanks to everyone for organising”. That left the final comment to Donnell: “Great to be racing in team colours for the first time and I went out hard hoping for a fair wind on the return, which didn’t materialise - always thrilled to step onto the podium with such a fast team, and appreciation to Mid Shropshire Wheelers for their enthusiasm and professionalism”.

Despite not liking racing in the wet and cold Deb Hutson-Lumb still did her customary double by retaining both the Women’s 10 mile Championship, as well as the Veterans 10 Championship. The Wrekinsport rider put in a powerful effort of 23:50 actual to help herself to Women’s Gold and put her name on The Gordon Davies Women's Trophy again after finishing 25 seconds ahead of Hafren CC's Emma Serjeant; and 58 seconds ahead of Bridgnorth CC’s Tim Beardmore on Veterans Standard with a fine +6:18. She was happy with her effort, stating: “Very

pleased to win both Women's and Veterans. Well done to everyone who raced in the grotty, cold weather; and massive thanks to everyone standing out in the wet making it all happen”.

Beardmore extended his lead in both the Friction Hydraulics and the Friction Veterans Series, with his 21:31 actual just missing out on the medal positions whilst he helped himself to Veterans 10 Silver with +5:20, pushing out team mate Jonathan Mills-Keeling to Veterans Bronze with +4:44. Despite their efforts however the five points extra Wrekinsport gained saw them draw level on 1055 points each in the Top Club Award in a battle that looks set to go down to the wire. Beardmore stated: “I went out as hard as possible into a headwind and hoped for a big push on the return leg. I managed a lifetime power PB for a 10, but unfortunately it did not equate to a really fast time, but I gave it everything. A strong ride by Dan Watts to take the Championship Gold; thanks to all at Mid Shropshire Wheelers for organising”. Mills-Keeling added: “A turn in the weather made for a slow ride. I was also held up with traffic at the island, but still enjoying the racing - thanks to everyone for making the racing happen”.

Serjeant missed out on a Veterans medal by 17 seconds, and starting midway through the field endured a soaking, posting a fine 24:15 to take Women’s 10 Silver. She did have a bit of help to keep warmed up however: “I just caught the heavy rain as I was lining up for the start but soon forgot about it once I had set off. I pushed hard on the way out hoping for some free speed with the tailwind on the way back! Well done to Deb on taking the win, and to Sally White for the loan of the DryRobe keeping me dry and warm at the start line”! Like many Women’s 10 Bronze medallist Helen Tudor didn’t find conditions conducive to racing, but still recorded a solid 27:13: “After the heat wave 10ºC wet and windy wasn’t pleasant - thanks to the marshals who stood out in it, and well done to Deb and Emma”.

It was a close call for victory in the Junior 10 mile Championship as Mid Shropshire Wheelers' Alex Hart beat off the attentions of Wrekinsport's Ben Southgate by eight seconds to win The Alan Roberts Junior Trophy in 23:46. However with all Juniors off at the front of the field they unusually suffered from traffic hold-ups, a rarity on this course. Hart stated: “A tough ride out but the wind blew me home. A lovely course, shame about the traffic - I got stuck behind cars and came to a stop. Very happy to have done well, and thank you to all the volunteers who make these races happen”.

Southgate has got faster and faster as the season has progressed and made up a little ground on Chester Romei as he pushed the North Shropshire Wheeler into the Bronze medal spot be 27 seconds. Southgate commented “I went well - tough winds going out but easier on the way back”. Romei's comments however reveal that things could have been different if traffic had not intervened: “It was a great, well organised race, however it didn’t go well for me, being held up for 30+ seconds at a standstill of cars! Not the best conditions either, so thank you to the marshals for braving it!”