Hales sets pace to claim Series victory
Tomos Hales took the county win in round 13 of the Friction Series on a weekend of events which acted as the Emergency Services Championships.
The second ever use of the Shawbury – Hodnet 10 course saw Hales stop the watch on 19 minutes 58 seconds, a 29-second advantage over Friction Series leader Simon Romei to narrow the gap at the top.
“I was excited to use this course again as I believe it can be a fast course. However I was disappointed the road works cut it short. It was tough going out and felt hard on the uphill sections, but I managed to fly back with a tail return. Happy to take the win,” said Hales.
Romei took the runner-up spot in 20:27 ahead of Bryn Davies, and that same position in the Friction Veterans’ contest with +5:00, 26 seconds ahead of Chris Riley to maintain a 55-point lead Overall and an 85-point advantage in the Veterans’ standings.
Romei was 1:06 behind Wrekinsport’s Deb Hutson-Lumb, who took her fifth Veterans’ win from six races entered with +6:06. On actual she was well placed in the Friction Female Series too, taking the runner-up spot in 22:33.
But there was no stopping Female Series leader Hayley Wells as she almost sealed Series victory with her 11th straight win.
In the Road Bike Series, Paul Duncan took the in in 21:57, 58 seconds ahead of Series leader Mark Fenn
Junior Ben Southgate rode unchallenged to a further 60 points in the Friction Junior Series with a solid 22:52 for 12th place overall.
