Griffiths signs off series with victory in West Cheshire
David Griffiths ended the Friction Hydraulics Series in style by claiming victory in the West Cheshire TTCA 25.
The final round was held on the popular and fast Tern Hill-Shawbirch course and saw Griffiths stop the watch on 52 minutes 20 seconds, 2:49 ahead of Series bronze medallist Tomos Hales.
Griffiths has been largely absent from the 2023 Series due to illness blighting much of his season, but has been taking advantage of late season events to get something from the year while testing various combinations of the latest ‘body fairing’ trend sweeping the sharp end of time trialling.
Despite that superb ride Griffiths expressed dissatisfaction as his effort, stating: “I'm not particularly pleased with my performance, but it was good to be able to ride towards the end of the season after feeling a bit washed out."
Hales beat Series silver medallist Jonathan Mills-Keeling by 34 seconds on a fine morning with a great time of 55:09 and led Wrekinsport to the Top Club Award for the second year running, with great support from Oliver Rodwell, Adam Mumford and Deb Hutson-Lumb who all scored top 10 positions to end with a 350-point advantage.
Mills-Keeling took the final podium spot in 55:43, 20 seconds ahead of Rodwell, as well as the runner-up spot in the Friction Veterans' race with +12:27, 35 seconds ahead of Paramount’s Chris Riley.
Mills-Keeling couldn’t beat Hutson-Lumb in the Veterans', however, as she took another fine win with a superb +16:45 – and beat the hour on actual in 59:52 in conditions that suited her.
Hutson-Lumb has suffered throughout the warm weather with hay fever but made the most of the cooler, near perfect conditions with a fantastic 25mph effort which won the Women’s event by exactly eight minutes, showing what a major ride this was in her fastest Friction event of the season.
She said: “I didn't quite manage to optimise on the morning's great weather conditions but still super pleased to dip under the hour."
The final two Junior medals were settled without a pedal being turned as Ben Southgate ended his season with silver, ahead of Ludlow CC rider Tristan Harvey, who took Bronze.
