IT was a case of "after the Lord Mayor's Show" for New Forest Cycling Club.
Following a busy week during which the club beat Crabwood CC in the annual inter-club competition and several fast personal bests were set, the following seven days literally turned out to be a damp squib.
With the threat of rain on the cards, only seven brave souls turned out for the second and final leg of the Thorney Hill series.
The rain stayed away during the event, but competitors had to face a tough headwind, which slowed times on an already tough course with a serious uphill finish on Braggers Hill.
Tony Green (GA Cycles/GBN) was fastest overall with a quality 24-59.
Kirk Wilson was best of the home riders with 27-36, which added to his 26-53 in the first round gave him a winning 54-29 aggregate.
Applemore School pupil Henry Blackbourn was third with 27-50, which gave him an aggregate of 56-37. But that was bettered by Danny Cottingham's 56-13, made up of 28-21 in the first leg and 27-52 in the second round.
Phil Wilson only rode the second leg and clocked 27-53, as did Peter Norris (28-30).
Club secretary veteran Peter Weaver was the only other rider to complete both races, with 29-17 in the first and 28-28 in the second (57-45 total).
The only other bright spot during a wet and windy week was Martin Beale and Terry Jefferies' visit to the Andover Wheelers' club 10 at Thruxton on Wednesday.
Beale zipped around in 22-43 and Jefferies was not far behind with 23-08. Fastest overall was Jake Prior from the promoting club with a quick 20-20.
l WITH Martin Beale well off his best form the doors were opened for Craig Humphries to score the maximum three points in a New Forest Cycling Club championship event.
Aussie Humphries who clocked a good 38-15 for the 15-mile time trial on the Lyndhurst/Balmer Lawn/Beaulieu/Bolton's Bench loop was third overall, being beaten by Sotonia CC pair Dave Koss first with 34-42 and Kevin King (35-46).
Fourth place overall also went to a Sotonia rider, Tim Wildschut with 38-44.
Phil Gates claimed two club points with his 39-02 for fifth and Nick Williams collected one point for his 39-04.
Others (New Forest CC unless stated otherwise): Rob Catling (Sotonia) 39-05, Mark Darcy (Bacardi) 39-18, Gary Plumb 39-34, Nick Buis (Soton Tri Club) 39-48, Aaron Carter and Richard Mason 39-57, Howard Doe 40-08, Nick Tattersall 41-16, Stuart Grace (GA Cycles) 42-08, Philip Wilson 42-24, Danny Cottingham 42-24, Martin Beale 43-17, Henry Blackbourn 43-28, Peter Weaver 42-33, Chris Hughes 44-20, Kirk Wilson 45-04, Jim Pascoe 46-12, Lucy Jones (Soton Tri Club) 46-53, Roger Bacon 50-49, Claire Newman (Crabwood CC) 51-10 including time lost changing a punctured tubular tyre.
Rain hit the weekend's racing with both Elmtree Wheelers' South District Council 25-mile championship event at Andover on Saturday being postponed and New Forest CC's open 25 on the Fordingbridge to Sopley course on Sunday being cancelled.
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