Archives 1997

Mountain bikers struggle in mud

VC CAMELOTS Jane Willmott improved on her best placing in the GT Winter Series of mountain bike races with a second at Uley near Dursley on Sunday.
The conditions were so difficult in the thick mud that riding the climbs became impossible and the five-mile laps were taking the expert ladies an hour to complete.
Willmott could not hold veteran cycle cross champion Liz Slater over the three strength sapping laps but held on to second place.
Slater now replaces Willmott as series leader and the fifth and final event-will be in the Forest of Dean on 16 February.

23rd January 1997

Willmott runner-up

FIFTH place in the round of the GT Winter Series at Coleford in the Forest of Dean last Sunday was enough to give Jane Willmott (VC Camelot) second in the overall classification of the five race event.
Once again the riders were reminded that it was a Winter series as they battled through the wind and rain on a course which had everything from forest tracks to rocky descents. Liz Slater; (Bad CC) retained the overall lead by finishing second.
Willmott now has a six-week break from racing before her next objective, the National Points series, which starts in South Wales at the end of March.

20th February 1997

Seventh is best yet for Hinds

FIREMAN John Hinds was the first of Yeovil Cycling Club"s road team to turn pedals in earnest this season in Saturdays Springtime Pursuit at Starcross in Devon.
The veterans were first away in the six-lap 35 mile handicap race over a flat course. Hinds was in the second group made up of third and fourth category riders at one minute.
Second category were next followed by the scratch group of elite and first category, two minutes separating these groups.
The thirds soon caught the veterans and started to work well with Hinds prominent in the opening miles. The leading group split as the pace began to tell with Hinds one of the 12 leaders.
At the line the Yeovil rider took seventh place, his best to date.

27th February 1997

Brooks wins by a minute

VC CAMELOT’S Clive Brooks mastered the tough terrain and strong winds on Sunday in the Bath Hilly 30 time teal, recording 1 hour 10 minutes 46 seconds to win by over a minute.
Second placed Dave Russell (1-12-04) led his Mendip CC colleagues to the team award.
Yeovil CC road team rode the VC Venta Thruxton Circuit races on Saturday. The 56 kilo race followed the usual pattern of these big field circuit events with no riders strong enough to escape from the fast moving 70-strong bunch.
Nick Armstrong and Darren Edmonds finished in the top 20 after a near disaster when a rider braked in the sprint.
Chris Absolom was selected to ride for the Western Division team in the Europa 2 Day in Hampshire with Taunton’s Matt Watch and Jamie Fabrizio. The silver jubilee edition of this classic comprised a 63 mile road race and a short 3.5 mile time trial on Saturday with a final road stage of 75 miles on Sunday.
Absolom’s role was mainly to support his elite category team mates and they fared quite well with Watch placed second in the first road stage.

27th March 1997

Absolom’s tough start

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs road race champion Chris Absolom found his first event of the season last Sunday a real baptism of fire, with a bought course and a class field.
The Severn Bridge Road Race included nine climbs of the steep Old Down Hill in the 56 miles and the field of over 60 contained 13 elite and 16 first category riders.
Action came early when nine riders went clear on the first climb in what was to be the decisive more.
Absolom was in the chasing bunch of 20 which was unable to make any impression on the leaders.
The race was a triumph for Team Bristol with Rob Lyne first and Chas King second Matt Rogers, their third counter, was eighth. Absolom rode home in 19th place.
Jon Hinds rode the VIC Venta Spring Circuits at Thruxton, but suffering from the after effects of a cold he made little impression. When 12 riders sprinted clear straight from the start he gave chase but couldn’t close the gap and found he had nothing left when the main bunch closed in on him and left him trailing in a hopeless pursuit.

6th March 1997

Absolom third in a tight finish

LOCAL riders were involved in circuit racing and time trials last weekend as the season gets underway.
On Saturday at the second Thruxton meeting Yeovil’s Chris Absolom rode very well in the premier 56 km event for Elite, First and Second category riders. Absolom was in a three man break which slipped away from the main field of 30 with four of the 14 laps remaining. They were joined by three more and worked well together to hold off the chasers, which was no mean feat on the open motor circuit when they are always in sight. At the line the Yeovil man was placed third in a tight finish behind Bournemouths Steve Moss and North Hampshires Andy Self.
In the third, fourth ands junior category race again over 56 km, Yeovils Jon Hinds and Nick Armstrong were comfortable with the pace in a field of over 60.
Veteran Armstrong tried two solo breaks hoping other riders would join him, but with such a large bunch, all attacks came to nothing. In the mass sprint Hinds was placed 14th and Armstrong 19th.
Sundays Chippenham Hilly 27 mile time trial was Clive Brooks first race of the season, and he had to be content with third place, clocking 1.02.00, although it would have been nice to complete a hat-trick and get close to his 95 course record of 59.14.
The winner, Bath University student Nick Hutchings (MCS Racing- Team), recorded 1.00.36
Yeovil promote their Pittard and Ham Hill Trophy race next Sunday on the Ilchester-Coombe Street Lane-Mudford- Queen Camel-Yeovilton course. It starts at 10am and finishes outside RNAS Yeovilton at l2.45pm.

13th March 1997

Brooks is so convincing

CLIVE Brooks scored a convincing win in the Bournemouth & District CA 25 mile time trial on Sunday morning. Recording an impressive 53.55 on a wind swept course based on the A31 Avon Forest- Wimborne road, he was two minutes 32 clear of Chippenham’s Freddy Alway. In a field restricted to 90 riders only a handful managed to beat the hour.
VC Camelot’s team effort faltered as Andy Millward punctured and Danny Ellery clocked 1.05.20. In the ladies competition Linda Blackwell recorded 1.11 .10 and Pat Ellery collected second best improvement with her 1.13.10.
Yeovil’s roadmen had a good weekend with Nick Armstrong taking second place to Stourbridge star Roger Addles in a veterans league event at Raglan in South Wales;§Armstrong was satisfied with his performance, always at the front of the race and instigating the winning break on the fast windward part of the course.
Chris Absolom was also in the points taking eighth place in the 84 mile Fred Cowley Memorial Trophy at Logwood in West Sussex. A group of eight had got away at 40 miles and at 60 they were down to three with Absolom in a 12.strong chasing pack and the rest of the 40 starters strung out behind and it stayed like that to the finish. In a race of this distance eighth place scores 16 points towards the 40 required in a season to retain his first category status.
Somerton's Doug Northcott rode at a Reading track meet on Sunday, and on his open track debut. A third -place in a sprint heat was followed by a creditable fifth in the 10 kilo points race.
Last weeks Merryfield circuit races saw Rob Kilvington join Absolom and Armstrong at the front of the main bunch, making sure there was a Yeovil rider in all the breaks in another fast event.
The Yeovil Club 10 mi1e time dual was won by Northcott in 22.14. Second was Chards Stuart Woodsell (23.02). At the other end of the 24-strong field, 14-year-old Olive Tabor recorded 30.42 in her first time trial for 20th place.

1st May 1997

Malta teat for Mendip quartet

WITH teams competing from ltaly Germany Cyprus, England and the host country Malta, the four man Squad from Mendip Cycling Club were in for a tough time in the Tour of Malta stage race.
Douglas Bell, Iain Hounsell, Gary Fouracre and Dave Russell had been preparing solidly for the last six months for an event that covered 180 miles over five stages in four days, and, considering the high quality of the other teams, produced a set of results that reflected the enormous effort they put in.
Hard, fast stages every day, sometimes on tenable roads, took their toll on the 75 starters, with 25 dropping out before the end of the race. The Mendip quartet rode well as a team as well as individually, with Russell recording fourth place on three stages. He was cruelly robbed of a top three overall position after he punctured twice on the second day, losing over seven minutes on the leaders.
Gary excelled himself and grew stronger every day, revelling in the hills and finished. in the top 15 each stage, and both he and Dave impressed the other riders with their aggressive riding.
Iain and Dougie solidly backed their team-mates, both making breaks off the front on the stages trying to thin out the main bunch. Dougie suffered the first crash of the Tour when he fell off on the first day, a badly grazing his leg and elbow, but once patched up he completed the event. `
Final overall positions were - Gary Fouracre; (12th), Dave Russell (15th), Iain Hounsell (25th) and Dougie Bell (37th)

1st May 1997

Clive warms up for Nationals

Clive Brooks, the VC Camelot time trialist from Marston Magna, rode the Swan Velo 100 mile event at Didcot on Sunday. It was his first race over this distance this season, and a bit early for him. But it a good workout as it was over this years National Championship course and the National in July is one of Brooks targets.
Winner, in a course and event record time of 3.40.15 was Sean Yates, the former Tour de France stage winner now enjoying a return to time triallng where he began cycling. Brooks recorded 3.53.30 - not bad for a training ride.
Closer to home the time trialists only had 10 miles to contend with on the Bridgwater Flats in the Weston Wheelers event on Saturday. It was very wind and Douglas Northcott (Yeovil CC) was best of local riders recording 21.52, just 17 seconds behind winner Gerry Bowditch (Global Racing).
VC Camelot’s Bill Dycer locked 23.15, Danny Ellery 24.07, John Saunders 24.17 and Yeovils Roy Nutt 25.41. In the ladies event Pat Ellery clocked 26.51 and Linda Blackwell 26.59.
On Monday morning the Camelot riders found life much easier in the Poole Wheelers 10. Ellery clocked 23.06, Alan Brimecombe 23.24, Saunders 23.37 and Pat Ellery 25.43, her best for several years.
The Yeovil clubs Thursday evening 10 attracted 25 entries with the host clubs Northcott winning in 21.46 from Camelot’s Adrian Mead (23.11) and Yeovil’s Rob Kilvington (23.14). At the other end of the field 14-year-old Olive Tabor passed the first milestone in time trialing, clocking 29.06 to average 20mph for the first time.

29th May 1997

Pittards Trophy stays in Yeovil

FOR the first time in its 35 year history the Pittards Trophy will stay at Yeovil.
Bristol University student Patrick Mahon, whose home is in Park Gardens, took the trophy at the end of Sundays 43 mile road race when he outwitted the 40 strong bunch.
Sixty riders started the three laps of Ilchester-Yeovil-Mudford-Queen Camel- Yeovilton course and although the climbs of Coppits Hill reduced the field each time, there was still a big bunch as they approached Yeovilton for the final time.
Mahon, who started his cycling with Yeovil CC and now rides for Team Total Fitness, had eased his way to the front on the road from Queen Camel and as the field turned into the finish he surprised them by jumping away with 400 yards to go.
The moments hesitation by the leaders was enough to open a gap which he held to cross the line with four lengths to spare.
Keith Sheridan (VC ST Raphael) was second and Paul Gamlin (Global Racing) third. Wellingtons Andy Parsons was best junior in seventh.
The Yeovil club had a bad day with Douglas Northcott their only finisher from a team of five.
The Ham Hill Trophy race for elite, first, second and third category seniors was a good open race full of action all round the four laps. The 58 mile event attracted 38 including riders from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Midlands.
St Budeaux’s Robert Taylor was always at the front of the race in every move. He was in the first break on lap one with two others and when they were brought back again he was soon away again.
In the closing miles he. left Irishman Edward Porter (Carrick Wheelers) to score a fine solo victory. Welshman Darren Tudor (Cwmcam Paragon) was third.
The next group was led by Andy Colley (Gloucester City) in fourth from Matt Griffiths (Coventry Olympic) and Steve Moss (Bournemouth Arrow) sixth.
Yeovil’s Chris Absolom led in the depleted main bunch in 13th place.
On the time trial scene Clive Brooks (VC Camelot) returned to winning ways with a victory in the Sotonia 10 at Thruxton on Saturday. Recording 20.57 on a windy afternoon he beat Nick Yarworth (Gloucester City) by 14 seconds. Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong was disappointed with his 24.27.
On Sunday at Weston Wheelers 2up team 10 on the Bridgwater Flats, VC Camelot’s Andy Millward partnered Stuart Wroot (Yeovil CC) to clock 24.42 for eighth place while Pat Ellery and Lin Blackwell (VC Camelot) were the quickest all ladies side with 29.45.

20th March 1997

Brooks gets home by one second

VC CAMELOT’S Clive Brooks started his Easter campaign with a win in the Western Time Trials Association 25 at Sutton Benger on Friday. The strong cross wind ruled out really fast times but Brooks clocked 56.18 to beat Rob Lyne (Team Bristol) by just one second
On Sunday he rode the Charlotteville 50, traditionally the first 50 of the season. The conditions were a lot better than Friday but hopes of a repeat of last years winning ride were dashed by a stomach bug. He still recorded a respectable 1.53.22 but in-form roadman Paul Pickup (Festival RC) beat him into second place by 32 seconds.
Yeovils roadmen went to Castle Coombe on Friday and again the racing was very hard in the wind on the exposed circuit. Chris Absolom finished just outside the points in 11th place in the main 50 km event which had included a good class field, including Spanish-based Jeremy Hunt.
In the third category race, again over 50km Patrick Mahon (Team Total Fitness) showed his Pittard Trophy win was no fluke by taking second place from a four man breakaway which got clear in the closing stages.
Mountain bike rider Jane Willmott (VC Camelot) rode the first of this seasons National Points Series near Port Talbot. A new bike and a lot of effort paid off with a fourth place from 17 starters.

3rd April 1997

Brooks is getting into his stride

MARSTON Magna trial star Brooks getting into his stride as the season hots up. On Sunday he scored an emphatic win in the Salisbury 25 on the A303 east of Andover. Recording 52 minutes 36 seconds on the undulating dual carriageway course he beat army rider Keith Murray by a minute and 20 seconds.
His VC Camelot team members rode well with Andy Millward showing a return to form clocking 1 1.00.27. Adrian Mead had a personal best of 1.01.25 and veteran Danny Ellery 1.03.06. In the ladies competition Linda Blackwell clocked 1.13.03 and Pat Ellery 1.15.09.
Yeovil clubs road racers had an indifferent weekend. Chris Absolom was placed 15th in a mass 40 rider sprint at the end of the 65 mile circuit of Mendip. Nick Armstrong was sixth in class and eighth overall in a 36 mile veterans league event at Verwood and the most unfortunate was Darren Edmonds who travelled all the way to Launceston in Cornwall only to end up in Casualty with extensive abrasions. Well placed in the leading group of 15 riders with just over 10 miles to go points seemed to be there for the taking but a rider switched and the resulting pile-up left Edmonds bloody and battered in body and bike.
Yeovil CC promote their first open time trial next Sunday morning, a ten mile event starting and finishing in the Podimore area with the turn on the Ash flyover. First rider starts at 8.30 am and Brooks is top seed off at 9.20am but is up against track star Chris Ball of Harlow CC.

10th April 1997

Brooks meets his match

VC CAMELOTS Clive Brooks had to give way to shin distance specialist Chris Ball (Harlow CC) in both of the weekends 10-mile time trials. .
On Saturday, in the Bournemouth Jubilee event at Thruxton, Brooks clocked 20.16 to Balls 19.51. Sparkfords Dave Notley (Yeovil CC) was the only other local rider and was pleased to record 24.06 in his first outing of the season.
On Sunday morning Notley turned his attention to organising the Yeovil club 10 which went very smoothly and was a success despite the low entry of only 44 riders.
Balls winning margin was similar to Saturdays, recording 20.35 to Brooks 21.02. Gerry Bowditch (Global Racing) was third with 22.15 and his teammate Richard Scott found in 22.29. But they had no counter so Weston Wheelers took the team award.
Michael Lawrence (Clevedon & District) was best veteran on standard with a plus of 6.03, recording an excellent 23.45 at 60 years of age.
VC Camelot fielded eight riders. The nearest to Brooks was Andy Millward (24.15), veterans Danny Ellery (24.47) and John Saunders (24.58).
Linda Blackwell was fastest lady clocking 27.07 and Pat Ellery 27.59.
Chard Wheelers also entered eight and Dave Bidgood was their best with 24.16.
The promoting club only had two riders, Dave Walters clocking 24.57 and veteran Roy Nutt 26.35.
Luckless
Yeovil’s road racers had another luckless weekend and this time it was Steve Ashfords turn to have a close encounter of the tarmac kind. Riding with clubmates Douglas Northcott and Mike Loader in the 40-mile Tom Hawkins Memorial Road Race at Woodbury in Devon, Ashford was well placed when he was brought down. Northcott and Loader had retired earlier.
Veteran Nick Armstrong expended too much energy in a solo breakaway in his latest veterans league event and had nothing left in the final sprint, finishing 14th.
Chris Absolom rode the 80-mile Hounslow Road Race at Chobham in Surrey. In the final stages he was in a 30 man group chasing nine leaders. He tried to attack with 400 yards to go but faded.

17th April 1997

Greg’s best in Ilton warm-up

THE cold north east winds of the past week reminded riders that it is still early season as most recorded slower times.
Weekday evening sport started with the Merryfield training events at Ilton on Tuesday where 35 riders enjoyed a good high speed workout in a hotly contested race over 20 miles, Taunton’s Greg Sandy coming out on top.
A new novice event has been organised to give young riders and newcomers an insight into bunched riding.
Thursdays Yeovil club 10 mile time trial was won by Mendips Gary Fouracre in 21.53, over a minute ahead of Stuart Woodsell (Chard) 23.04 and VC Camelot’s Alan Brimecombe 23.43. Chard’s Dave Bidgood was fourth with 24.02 followed by Yeovil riders Darren Edmonds 24.11 and Nick Armstrong 24.15.

Fast course
Armstrong combined a family visit with a rid on one of the potentially fast courses on the A1 in Cambridge on Saturday. The weather was no better there, however, and he had to be content with 1.03.35.
Clive Brooks (VC Camelot) made light of the wind on Sunday when he won the Trowbridge Hilly 24 in a course record 57.18, over four minutes clear of Second placed Steve Howells (Corinium CC), Andy Millward recorded 1.07.28, Bill Dycer 1.08.44 on his first outing of the season, Danny Ellery 1.10.43 and Pat Ellery 1.25.43.
Yeovils Chris Absolom travelled to Telford for the 66 mile Stan Jones Cycles Road Race. He was covering nearly every move in the early stages but missed the one that mattered when 12 riders got away. Joining a six man chasing group he tied in vain to get on terms with the leaders and at the finish a slipping chain robbed him of a better place as he finished 15th, scoring just one point.
Camelot mountain biker Jane Willmott got onto the podium with third place in the sport class at the second National Points Series events near Reading.
Camelot’s juveniles were in action at the Trumps in Bath at the Diamondback Junior Series. Russell Bennett was fourth in the 12-14 age group and Matthew Law sixth in the 14- 16’s.

26th April 1997

Storms didn’t dampen the enthusiasm

THIS years version of the popular Oldsters Road Races for veterans had everything except good weather. Sundays strong winds and heavy showers, however, did not dampen the enthusiasm of these seasoned campaigners and both events featured early breakaways.
The races are divided into age groups and first away were the 40-44-49, followed at ten minutes by the over 50s. Both events were three laps of the Yeovilton-Ilchester- Yeovil-Queen Camel- Yeovilton circuit, a total of 45 miles.
In the younger mens race, Peter Wilson (Bournemouth Arrow) and Paul Dean (Team Stonehenge Cycles) held off a five man chasing group which broke up, with Ralph Wilson (Bristol RC) taking third place.
The senior race started with a break by Brian Tadman (Edgware RC) and John Needham (East Budleigh) but they were unable to hold their lead. Needham dropped back after 30 miles whilst a chasing group of five working riders and one passenger (Tadmans teammate John Miller), went on to catch Tadman.
On the final climb Miller was freed to join the pacesetting and together with Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong reduced the group to five.
Two miles from the finish an attack by Armstrong dislodged David Webb (Somerset RC) and the finish went to form with Miller proving too strong for his companions.
Armstrong - who was responsible for. the organisation - was second and 63-year-old Danny Morgan (Mount RT) took third from Peter Clayton (Salisbury RC).
Chris Absolom rode his first National Veterans Road Race Series event the same day at Kelshall in Hertfordshire. The 72 mile race was open to riders in their 40th year and over and the field read like a Who’s Who of the 60s and 70s cycling scene with several ex-pros.
Absolom was in the first split and did a lot of work, but the hilltop finish proved just too much and he had to settle for sixth place. He did have the satisfaction that there were some big names behind him.
Yeovil again had a single rider in the Belmont Hill road race near Nailsea. Darren Edmonds took his first points of the season when he finished ninth, a minute behind come- back rider Dave Coward (VC Taunton).
Clive Brooks was in fine form this weekend with two good wins. On Saturday he took the strong winds in his stride and recorded a
rapid 52.40 in the Andover Wheelers 25.
Andy Millward was best of the other Camelot riders with 1.01.05, followed by Bill Dycer 1.02.08 and Danny Ellery 1.02.13. Yeovil’s Dave Notley clocked 1.05.34.
In the ladies event Pat Ellery took second handicap with 1.11.13 and Linda Blackwell clocked 1.12.12.
On Sunday Brooks set a new Course record of 1.14.37 in the 32-mile New Forest Circuit time trial, slicing nearly three minutes off the old record.

15th May 1997

Jane’s journey not in vain

VC CAMELOT mountain biker Jane Willmott travelled to Scotland for the third round of the National Point Series at Fort William, and the journey paid off as she rode in a clear winner by four minutes in the Sport class.
The 11 mile course was very hard, particularly a wooded section which involved five miles of running in thick peat mud and tree roots.
The win moved her up to top spot in the Sport class for the series, two points clear of her nearest deal Sarah Warden from Leicester.
Closer to home Rob Kilvington had a good ride at Woodbury Common in Devon, taking fourth place in a 20 mile Expert class event. .
Clive Brooks continued his good form, winning the Crabwood CC ten mile time trial at Thruxton Saturday, recording 20.21 against a rising head wind.
The veterans had the best conditions as their event started two hours earlier. Bill Dycer led the Camelot team with a 22.21 personal best, followed by John Saunders (22.53) and Alan Brimecombe (23.01).
On Sunday morning Brooks broke the course record in the Westbury Wheelers Hilly 26,'clocking 59.46 on a very technical Salisbury Plain course. Clubmate Adrian Mead was well placed recording 1.06.38 in a disappointingly small entry of.43.
Yeovil Clubs roadmen were at at Colin Carfield Memorial Road Races in Chew Valley.
A surprise entry on the line in Chris Absoloms 72 mile top category race was Jeremy Hunt, the Spanish based professional who already has four wins in top continental races this year. Three riders went clear on the second of four laps and were joined by one more on the third. Hunt waited until the last lap before powering across the gap to join the leaders.
Steve Higgins, an old clubmate of Hunts in CC Giro took off in the last mile and let him go. The spent for second did not go to plan as Taunton’s Greg Sandy (JPM Racing) beat him on the line. Absolom took eighth place.
The 58 mile third, fourth and junior event proved a disappointment as Darren Edmonds sprinted home convinced he was in the top six, the judges did not place him in the top ten. Steve Ashford did not finish after losing contact with the bunch.
Nick Armstrong rode the Marchse Road Race, a 57 mile veterans league event at Ewyas Harold on the Welsh borders. Armstrong took second place to an in-form Lew Gardiner (Hardly Athletic CC) in the over 50s race

22nd May 1997

Wind makes it a trial of strength

THE weather was a big factor in last weeks cycle sport with the strong winds slowing the time trialists and turning the Western Division Road Race Championship into a real trial of strength and resolve.
The championship made a rare visit to the south of the region - Somerset, Avon, Gloucester and North Wiltshire - when the Somerset Road Club staged this years event around Langport.
It was a good course which started at Huish school and took riders through Somerton to Walton Hill near Street, across to Pipers Inn and on to Othery where they turned to Langport. After four laps they turned off the Somerton road to finish near High Ham, a total of 94 miles.
Undaunted by the distance the attacks started right from the start with eight riders soon going clear.
On the second lap the 60 man field split further with a dozen including Yeovil’s Chris Absolom forming a chasing group. As the distance took its toll the leading group was down to six and on the last lap Absolom joined three others in an all out effort to bridge the gap.
The leaders were down to four in the closing miles with three Team Bristol and Gloucester City’s Lee Davis. In the strength sapping drag up to High Ham
Bristols Rob Lyne led out with 400 yards to go but they were unable to match Davis, on top form after finishing tenth in the Irish FBD Milk Race last week, and he swept by to take the title.
Absolom took tenth place as his group got to within six minutes of the leaders and well clear of the fragmented field.
On the time trial front Clive Brooks had a good weekend winning the Frome 10 on Saturday and taking a good second in a class field in the Oxford 50 on Sunday.
Brooks mastered the windy conditions at Frome to clock 21.24 and win by a minute from Salisburys Lee Paxton. The VC Camelot times were Adrian Mead (23.42), Andy Millward (24.02), Bill Dycer (2433), Danny Ellery (24.57), Graham Lackford (25.09), Sandy Geddes (27.38) and Pat Ellery (28.11). Rex Facey was Chards best with 23.47 and Yeovil’s Roy Nutt clocked 26.53.
Sundays Oxford 50 was another wind swept event with Brooks recording 1.51.02 behind an in form Gary Dighton (Leo RC) who clocked 1.48.09.
Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong recorded 2.09.14, twelve minutes slower than his last outing on the course.
Camelot’s mountain biker Jane Willmott rode the Salisbury Plain Challenge Enduro and covered the 50km in two hours 18 minutes to win the womens combined expert and sport sections.
Mendips Gary Fouracre won the Yeovil Thursday evening 10 in 21.24, from Somertons mountain biker Peter Kench, who recorded 21.58 in a rare time trial appearance. Camelot’s Mead was third with 22.52.

5th June 1997

Brooks holds off Deane challenge

TIME trialing was the main activity last week and there were some good performances despite the continuing strong winds.
The 'wind died away on Tuesday for the Poole Wheelers 25. Camelot’s Clive Brooks was pressed to hold off Bournemouth Jubilee Wheeler Eamon Deane, Brooks clocking 52.43 to win by 16 seconds.
On Saturday the popular A303 based 10-mile course at Thruxton again attracted full fields of 120 in both senior and veteran events. The senior race was won by Tour de France star Sean Yates (Team Clean) in a course record 19.15 with Brooks clocking 20.10 iun third place.
In the veterans event Camelot’s Saunders clocked 23.01.
Sunday was even worse and none of the local riders found life easy going in the Sotonia 25 at Ringwood, although Camelot’s Adrian Mead rode well to clock 1.01.32.

12th June 1997

Brooks turns organiser as Camelot break new ground

CLIVE Brooks, who usually wins the races, turned organiser when Camelot CC promoted their first open time trial.
The ten mile event attracted an entry of 60 riders on the A303 Podimore to Ash Flyover and back course.
Wellington Wheeler Andy Winterbottom was fastest on the night recording a creditable 20.50.
Yeovil’s Douglas Northcott was only nine seconds in arrears with a club record 20.59, an 11 second personal best.
Team Zoyland’s Dave Barnes was third overall and fastest veteran clocking 21.53. Yeovil’s Chris Absolom was second veteran with 22.37.
Gwen Shillacker (Chippenham) was fastest lady recording 25.49 and the best improvement award went to Chards Gavin Moore. His time of 25.16 was 1.37 better than his previous best. Yeovil CC took the team prize with Northcott, Absolom and Dave Walters (23.51). Other Yeovil club times were Roy Nutt `(24.05), Dave Notley (24.15) and Olive Tabor recording an eight second personal best with 28.58.
Most of VC Camelot’s riders were busy marshalling the race but Matthew Law improved his personal best time by 26 seconds, recording 26.13. Sandy Geddes (25.55) and Angela Absolom (31.45) were the others, Chard Wheelers times were Dave Bidgood (23.28), Joe Wenglorz (23.44), Richard Porado (23.45), Dave Moran (24.02) and Colin Maddock (24.50).
On Saturday Brooks won the Salisbury RC50 mile event at Andover clocking 1.51.47, but it was touch and go when he blew up with six miles to go. He also lost his drinking bottle which caused him to suffer dehydration. .
There were also good rides from Chard s Porada who clocked 2.08.06 a 4.42 improvement on his best and Yeovil’s Notley shattered his personal best, clocking 2.11.45 a 6.29 improvement.
On the road race front Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong was fourth overall and second in the over 50’s in a LVRC race of 42 miles at Preshore near Winchester Absolom missed the important break in the 72 mile Chequers Road Race at Lytchett Maltravers and finished in the bunch On Sunday Yeovil promote their annual John Andrews Memorial race over six laps of the Ilchester-Coppitts Hill-Mudford Camel-Yeovilton course, a total of 88 miles. The start is at Ilchester Primary School at 10am with the finish outside RNAS Yeovilton at 1.30pm.

19th June 1997

Edmonds bids for a second category tag

YEOVIL clubs Darren Edmonds sprinted into third place in Sundays gruelling 88-mile John Andrews Memorial Road Race. It was the Long Sutton riders best performance to date and netted him 26 points towards the 30 required for his second category licence.
The 62 starters had to contend with strong winds but missed most of the heavy showers while some of the marshals were not so lucky.
Maybe it was a combination of the distance and the weather but no attacks gained more than a minute on the main pack and the wind was assisting the bunch up Coppits Hill at a steady 20mph.
By the sixth climb over half the field succumbed to the pace and around 25 riders contested the final sprint.
Paul Davies (Global Racing) led by four lengths at the 200 metre mark, but he faded and Somer Valleys Richard Smith surged past to win with Edmonds close behind. Steve Renshaw (Cardiff JIF) was fourth, Dave Rouse (Barnstaple) fifth and another Cardiff rider Dave Vas was sixth.
Yeovil’s Rob Kilvington was 11th but had he chosen the inside line on the last corner like Edmonds he could have fared better.

First season
VC Camelot’s Graeme Lackford was also in the points taking fifth place in the Lloyd Coward Road Race on Portland. In his first season of road racing he can be pleased with his performance in this tough race of 20 tight laps over 50km, finishing behind Pete Head, a seasoned campaigner riding for Somer Valley.
Saturdays Clarence Wheeler 25 mile invitation time trial was held on one of the fastest courses in the country at Botley in Oxford, but the weather was bad. Clive Brooks clocked 52.31 to finish in third place to VC Camelot teammate Andrew Horner, who won with 50.57. Yeovil’s Douglas Northcott recorded 57.34.
On Sunday Camelot’s Adrian Mead clocked a creditable 2.09.15 in his first 50 in the Andover Wheelers event. This was another tough race with only one rider finishing under two hours.

26th June 1997

Personal best for Adrian

MENDIP Cycling Club promoted a ten mile time trial on a new course starting on the new Glastonbury bypass with riders travelling the five miles to Wells on the A39 and back.
VC Camelot’s Clive Brooks set the standard recording 21.31 on a very Windy evening, with the promoting clubs Dave Russell clocking 22.14 in second place. The strength of the wind could be gauged by Brooks split times 12.15 out and 9.15 back.
Conditions were better for the Crabwood 25 at Sutton Scotney with Brooks breaking his own course record with 52.59. All did not go smoothly for the Camelot rider. His front tyre blew out with 1.5 miles to go and he had great difficulty controlling his machine. He must have lost at least a minute so the new record could have been 51.
His team-mate Adrian Mead also triumphed over mechanical trouble, recording a personal best 58.18, his first time under the hour, despite unshipping his chain in the early stages of the race.
Mead has been showing good form recently although the weather has ruled out fast times. The last one was the Yeovil club ten which he won with 23.41 to Yeovil’s Chris Absolom’s 24.24 and Rob Kilvingtons 24.26.
Sparkford’s Olive Tabor showed promise on Sunday scoring her First points at West Point near Exeter sprinting into third place in a circuit race.

3rd July 1997

CLIVE Brooks had a successful week with a narrow victory in Devon followed by a convincing win over a class field at Oxford.
The Mid Devon Roads Club event on the A38 at Chudleigh was marred by torrential storms and Brooks started in one but still managed to clock 52.46 to win by seven seconds
Former Yeovil rider Pete Blackshaw promoted the Oxford City race which was only open to riders who had beaten 56 minutes for the 25.
Brooks recorded 50.52 in awkward cross wind conditions but was nearly two minutes faster than the runner-up. The only disappointment for him was the non appearance of former Tour de France rider Sean Yates.
The Somerset Road Club promoted the High Summer Road Race on Merryiield airfield. Yeovil’s Chris Absolom was in a seven man breakaway right from the start and was always at the front.
During the 100km the group dropped to five but gradually riders closed and the group was up to 20 in the closing laps. Tim Bullen (Fareham) and Serge Scott (MCS) Slipped away on the last lap, and held a small lead to finish in that order. While Absolom closing fast, was third.
Montacute mountain biker Rob Kilvington scored an impressive win in the Experts race at Mendip Mania Three, coming. home seven minutes in front.
Rob, a teacher at Westfield School, has obtained sponsorship from Continental Tyres and Pro-Flex bikes for a dual slalom challenge at the school fete tomorrow. Pro-Flex has provided two full suspension bikes and contestants will race the short downhill course in pairs for prizes totalling £100 in value. Entry is only 50p and racing is from 4-6pm.
Yeovil’s evening ten mile time trial was switched to the Blackford-Sparkford course because of a contra flow on the Ilchester bypass. There were some good times on the hard course which finishes at the top of the climb to Blackford on the A303. Mendips Gary Fouracre won in 22.39, with Peter Kench 22.45 and Absolom 22.52.

10th July 1997

CAMEL Valley Cycling Clubs Chas O’Neill made the long journey from Padstow in Cornwall to beat all the locals in Yeovil’s 25 mile time trial on Sunday morning.
A rising southwest wind made the first part of the race quite hard and O’Neill recorded 54.34 to win by just over a minute. Street deer Dave Russell (Mendip CC) was third with 57.43.
Fastest of the promoting clubs team was Dave Walters (1.03.25) with David Notley (1.05.25) and Roy Nutt (1.07.13).
Stuart Woodsell was Chards best, recording 58.51, while Dave Bidgood clocked 1.00.33 and DaveMoran (1.05.29).
VC Camelot were close in the team race with Adrian Mead (58.5 1), Danny Ellery (1.01.23) and Andy Millward (l,01.24). Also John Saunders (1.05.10) and lady racer Pat Ellery (1.12.05) did well.
Nick Armstrong rode the North Bristol Road Race in the Veterans League series and outwitted companions in the sprint to come second. Chris Absolom rode the cycle section in a team Triathlon at Budleigh Salterton. The team were given a start by Alan Hayter in the 350 metre sea swin, reduced from 750 because of the sea state, leaving the water a very close second. Absolom completed the 40km hilly cycle section and Yeovilton’s Paul Leverick raced home in the ten km run to give them the £150 first prize in the relay.

17th July 1997

Olive’s at her best

SPARKFORD’S Olive Tabor recorded a personal best' 29.00 on Saturday in the West Region final of the GHS ten mile championship on the Gloucester road north of Bristol.
As the fastest girl she qualifies for the national final in September which is close to home this year at Frome.
The George Herbert Stances Trophy is in effect the juvenile time trial championship with the most famous winner being the Tour de France hero Chris Boardman.
The highlight of Yeovil’s evening time triad series for club members is ten mile Handicap Shield event. Riders best three times on the local course are averaged and an allowance given against the scratch riders.
Last Thursdays race was one of the hardest of the year with a strong crosswind offering no help in either direction.
It is only in these conditions that the scratchman does well and this was no exception as Chris Absolom clocked 23.09 to win. Tabor was second with an adjusted time of 24.00 (6.43 allowance). Veteran Terry White was third with 24.03 (4.13 allowance).
Overall winner on the night was Mendips Gary Fouracre clocking. 22.55 from Absolom and Peter Kench third 23.10.
Clive Brooks has decided to concentrate on the shorter distances this season and chose the Bournemouth Jubilee 25 on Sunday. .
The Avon Forest-Ferndown-Wimborne course is flat but never easy and Brooks recorded his best time for the course (52.58) to beat VC St Raphael rider Jamie Fabritzio by 1.41. VC Camelot team mate Adrian Mead clocked 59.27.

24th July 1997

Flats course gets red light

THE once popular time trial courses on the A38 Bridgwater Flats road have now been rendered impracticable by the inclusion of traffic lights and islands and new courses are being tried.
VC Camelot’s Clive Brooks is setting the standard on the new courses at both 10 and 25 miles. On Saturday he regained the course record for the Glastonbury-Wells and back 10 mile he set last month. The Weston Wheelers event was windy but Brooks recorded 20.50. beating Baths Tony Evans by 1.34.
Sunday mornings Somer Valley 25 was on a new course in the Frome-Westbury area and Brooks set a good standard, recording 54.12. He was over two minutes clear of the next man.
Yeovil clubs Thursday event was a 25 and the first four beat the hour. Mendips Dave Russell (56.63) beat teammate Gary Fouracre (57.23). Yeovil’s Chris Absolom was third in 57.50 and mountain biker Peter Kenth fourth clocking 57.56.
Kench was back on a mountain bike in the Southern Championship at Corfe Castle on Sunday and took fourth place in the 60 man expert class Kench will almost certainly move up to the Elite category next season.
VC Camelot’s Graeme Lackford picked up three points with eighth place in a sprint finish at the Exeter Wheelers Classic, a hilly 46 event at Crediton.

31st July 1997

Brooks ranks among the nation's best

MARSTON Magna time trial ace Clive Brooks confirmed his place among the nations top 25 milers on Sunday when he recorded his second 30mph ride.
The Clarence Wheelers event was restricted to riders who had beaten the hour in the last three sessions and attracted a good Class field to the fast Oxford course.
Brooks clocked 49.57, a two second personal best, to win by nearly a minutes from Leo Road Clubs Kevin Nears (50.51). Clive’s travelling companion, Team Zoyland veteran Dave Barnes, clocked 55.14.
The Yeovil club’s veteran roadman Nick Armstrong rode the Veterans League Circuit of Bredon Hill, a an undulating course near Tewkesbury. On the second of the two and a half laps he was in
a break which was the turning point of the race. In the sprint for the line Armstrong was fourth which gave him third place in the over 50 class.
A fresh north westerly wind made it hard going on Thursday evening in the Yeovil club 10 mile time trial. Somerton’s Peter Ketch mastered the difficult conditions to win with 22.47. Chris Absolom was second clocking 23.22 and Armstrong third in 25.01 New riders are allowed to enter on a day membership to try a time trial and one of them, debutant Chris Burton, recorded a very creditable 28 minutes 59 seconds.

7th August 1997

Camelot’s Brooks still dominant

VC CAMELOT’S Clive Brooks continues to dominate local time trials, with two convincing victories last weekend.
VC Bristol’s 10 mile event at Devizes on Saturday was held on another course threatened by traffic lights. Brooks recorded 20.35 to beat former junior champion Ceri Pritchard by 26 seconds.
Clubmates Geoff Giddings and Danny Ellery clocked 23.45 and 24.11, while Pat Ellery was second in the ladies race with 26.59.
The Salisbury Road Club 25 on Sunday morning was held at Andover and with a 6 am start local riders had to be up very early. There was little or no breeze and it seemed to be hard going in the oppressive conditions.
Brooks won easily in 52.12, over four minutes clear of a Basildon rider in second spot. Chard Wheeler Dave Moran recorded 1.03 .20, Yeovils Dave Notley 1.05.17 and Gavin Moore (Chard) 1.08.18.
Yeovil clubs Nick Armstrong was the only local rider in the Westerly Road Club 100 mile time trial at Didcot and was aiming for a sub 23mph ride, but he too succumbed to the heat. Clocking 4.29.29 he
missed the target (4.20.00) but was pleased to record a near 10 minute personal best.
Another casualty of the heat was Somerton’s Douglas Northcott in Saturdays VC Taunton two stage race on the Merryfield Circuit. In the first stage, a five kilo time trial, he was fifth out of the 90 man field, clocking 6.40, just a few seconds off the lead. The 100 km road race should have suited him but hay fever symptoms forced him to pull out.
VC Camelot’s Graeme Lackford has moved out of the lower echelons of road racing after gaining four points in the 56 mile Brent Tor Road Race in Devon, finishing in seventh place. He now moves up
up third category from fourth.

14th August 1997

Five in a row for Camelot’s Brooks

VC CAMELOT’S Clive Brooks won the North Hants Road Club 25 mile time trial for the fifth year in succession last Saturday afternoon in a course and event record time of 51.57. At the halfway mark on the Farnham-Alton course there was little between Brooks and Cambridge University’s Mike Hutchinson but that was the spur he needed and he drew away to win by 17 seconds.
Closer to home the Weston Wheelers 10 was staged on the Glastonbury-Wells course on Saturday evening. Camelot’s Adrian Mead was the best of the local riders recording 23.24 followed by Yeovil’s Douglas Northcott (23.43). Camelot veterans Danny Ellery and John Saunders clocked 23.58 and 24.18 respectively. ,
Brooks scored another win on Monday morning in the Bournemouth and District Womens CA 10 on the Avon Valley course near Ringwood.
Heavy rain made the roads very slippery and riders were down to Walking pace on some corners and roundabouts. Times were consequently slow with Brooks clocking 21.59 to beat Tony Green (New Forest CC) by 22 seconds.
Next Sunday Wellington Wheelers are using the Yeovil Clubs 25 course for their event with the first rider off at 7am from the Podimore start. Riders then go to Carttgate, in to the airlield roundabout and back to the A303, left to Petherton roundabout and retrace to Podimore. Brooks is the top seed

28th August 1997

Record breaking weekend for Brooks

CLIVE Brooks good form was apparent last weekend in two emphatic victories.
On Sunday morning, in the Wellington Wheelers 25 on the local A303 based course he recorded 51.07 to beat his own course record by one minute 11 seconds. This was in conditions
that were far from ideal with the heavy rain making the turns very tricky. The margin of Clive’s win was remarkable as he beat Eamonn Deane, the silver medalist in the recent National 12 hour championship, by over four minutes.
Deane (Bournemouth Jubilee) clocked 55.25 just edging James Clarke (Salisbury RC) by one second.
Andy Millward (59.01) and Adrian Meade (1.02.21) were the other counters in Brooks Camelot trio which took the team award.
Other local times were Dave Walters (Yeovil CC) 1.04.00, John Saunders (VC Camelot) 1.04.58, David Notley (Yeovil CC) 1.5.56 and Olive Tabor (Yeovil CC) 1.16.58

Warmed up
Brooks had warmed up the previous afternoon by winning the Western Time Trial Association 10 at Devizes, clocking 20.41 to win by over a minute. His travelling companion, Ansford veteran Jim Bartlett, riding only his second event of the year, clocked 28.22.
The last of this seasons Yeovil club evening time trials on Thursday turned out to be the hardest of the year with very strong winds. Dave Russell (Mendip CC) won in 23.17, followed by Exeters Tom Collier (23.58) and Yeovil veteran Nick Armstrong (25.50).
VC Camelots mountain biker Jane Willmott, already confirmed as the winner of the Sport Class in the National Points Series, won the class in the latest Sedgmoor Challenge event at Dunster on Sunday.
Montacute’s Rob Kilvington was third in 3 the expert mens race.

4th September 1997

Prebble shows him form as Brooks punctures

CLIVE Brooks’ quest for a double at the Andover Wheelers Weyhill Weekend came unstuck last Saturday when he came up against a superbly fit Richard Prebble
The popular time trial event has 10 mile races on Saturday afternoon and 25’ on Sunday morning. There are three separate races on each day for tandems, veterans and seniors, juniors and women.
Prebble (Wembley RC), who has been national champion at 10, 25 and 50 miles, clocked 20.03 in the 10 to beat Brooks by 18 seconds on a very windy afternoon
Sunday was not very windy but very cold at the early morning start, Prebble was in a class of his own recording 52.29 while Brooks unsettled by having to change both tyres before the start, when they punctured during his warm-up, could only clock 54.01.
VC Camelot’s other rider Andy Millward clocked 59.23 and Yeovil clubs Dave Walters 1.04.40. Yeovil’s David Notley, riding the veterans events, clocked 24.33 in the 10 and 1.03.43 in the 25, which was his best in recent years.
Yeovils veteran roadman Nck Armstrong found it tough going in a 40 mile Veterans League event at Stourport-on-Severn when his over 50s class was combined with the 40 year olds. He was well up in ninth place overall and second in his class
Closer to home, Chris Absolom punctured and finished ninth in a poorly supported senior race at Bovington Camp.

18th September 1997

Business as usual for Camelot’s Brooks

As the season draws to a close and there are fewer races to choose from, cyclists are looking to other events to maintain their level of fitness.
The Dorset Dirt, a 60 kilo off road ride last Sunday, was a good example and Yeovil CC and VC Camelot riders were among the 80 entrants who enjoyed a hard test from Dorchester up the Piddle Valley to Buckland Newton and over Batcombe Down and back.
The clubs Sunday runs are also a useful base to build on for next season. Last week Yeovil’s run tried out the South Somerset Cycle Way.
It was business as usual for Camelots Clive Brooks who travelled to Chudleigh in Devon to win the Mid Devon Road Clubs 25 mile time trial on the A38. Recording 52.50 he beat
Plymouth Corinthian Andy Lyons by two minutes’.
Yeovil s Nick Armstrong went to South Wales for the Merthyr CC 25 and returned a time of 1.01.32 to improve on his best of the season.
Sparkford’s Olive Tabor clocked just over 29 minutes in her first National Championship on Saturday the schools 10 mile event for the George Herbert Stancer Trophy. Frome & District Wheelers staged the event which attracted 70 finalists' from regional heats. Fastest girl was N Cooke from South Wales (25.58) and top boy S Cummings from the Wirral.

11th September 1997

Personal bests for 27 riders

THE warm, calm weather last weekend was ideal for time trialing and local enthusiasts made the best of it.
In Yeovil Cycling Clubs open 10 mile event on Saturday no fewer than 27 of the 64 starters recorded personal best times.
The promoting clubs Olive Tabor sliced two minutes 16 seconds off her previous best when she clocked 26.42 to take the best improvement award.
Wellington Wheeler Andy Winterbottom was fastest on the day recording 20.37. Gerry Bowditch (Global Racing) was second with 20.55, and Gary Fouracre (Mendip) 21.08 third.
Janet Wilson from the Bath club clocked 25.47 to take the prizes for both fastest lady and best veteran on age standard with a plus of 7.33.
Bristol South CC took the team award.
VC Camelots Clive Brooks finished his season on a high note in the Polytechnic CC 25 near Oxford. He recorded a personal best 49.35, a 22 second improvement and his third 30mph ride at the distance.
Brooks had to settle for third place as ex-Tour de France rider Sean Yates (Team Clean) clocked 46.57, the second fastest 25 ever, bettered only by Chris Boardman’s 45.57 British record.
With 32 victories this year, four more than last, and his 40th birthday this week, Clive is looking forward to next season in the veteran ranks.

2nd October 1997

Brooks was back to winning ways

CLIVE Brooks was back to his winning ways last Sunday with a victory in the Poole Wheelers 25 on the A31 Avon Forest- Roundhouse course.
Recording 53.01 he beat second placed Tony Green (New Forest C.C.) by 1.37.
VC Camelot teammate John Saunders clocked 1.1.41.
Yeovil’s Chris Absolom rode two very different events. On Saturday afternoon he partnered his wife in the Bournemouth & District Women’s CA team time trial near Ringwood. Thirty couples competed in the 10 mile race over narrow country lanes and the Absolom’s were just outside 20 mph clocking 30.27.
On Sunday in the 60 mile circuit at Charfield, north of Bristol Chris finished in 13th place after a seven man break containing all four of the Elite category riders and three First categories went clear early in the race.
Impression
Absolom eventually got into an eight man chase group but they made no impression on the leaders as Matt Beckett (Giant RT.) won for the second year in succesion.
VC Camelot’s Graeme Lackford, a third category, rode well to finish 21st in a field of that class. .
Nick Armstrong rode in his usual attacking style in Saturdays Vetrace 90 at Alford in Surrey going clear the first time up the hill in a four lap 40 mile race. The attack with two Twickenham riders did not last long but he was in several more during the race.
In the last two miles as the bunch of 25 riders still in contention began to watch each other Armstrong tried one last effort. It is a tactic which can work but this time he was closed down and he had little left for the uphill finish were he was 12th across the line and sixth in his age group
The Yeovil club promotes its last open event of the season next Saturday afternoon. The 10 mile time trial has attracted 74 riders ranging from 14 year old Oliver Tabor to 75 year old Terry Swift
(Middlesex RC) Scratch man is Somer Valleys Nigel Winter. First rider starts at 2.30 from Podimore

25th September 199790

Season is ending on high note

MORE Yeovil area cyclists ended their seasons on high notes, with the roadmen on the Continent mixing it with the top pro teams and the mountain bikers taking medals and new contacts.
Chris Absolom and Nick Armstrong travelled to France to ride the classic Duo Normand team time trial, competing against 300 teams from all over Europe on the 54km course south of Cherbourg. They came fourth in the veteran section in 1.25.29 although Absolom punctured. They did not lose too much time as all teams have a following car carrying spares.
The fastest team overall were Chris Broadman’s Gan teammates Henk Vogles and Cyril Bos, who recorded an amazing 1.06.29 which works out at over 30mph.
Mountain biker Rob Kilvington from Montacute was in great form at the Cheddar Challenge' meeting last weekend. Riding in the unofficial National Single Speed Championship he stormed around the tough four-lap 18 miles in 1.26. 14 to finish ten minutes clear of top expert rider Dave Madden (Muddoc) to take the medal.
Rob elected to ride with a 32 tooth chain wheel and a 16 tooth sprocket on his titanium framed machine fitted with suspension forks. The gearing worked out well on the climb but he opened the gap on the descent and led from the end of the first lap, gradually pulling away from the 40-man field.
The win will please his sponsors as they will be losing their star in three weeks when Rob leaves for New Zealand to pursue his teaching career.
Jane Willmott was in action at the same meeting taking third place in the women’s Sport Class over three laps. Her performance at this event and others recently has lifted her to the expert rating and attracted the attention of the Corratec team who have signed her for the coming winter season. The deal includes one of the their top bikes, distinctive in their rainbow colours, and all her race clothing.
Yeovil’s last competitive event of the year will be the club Hill Climb at High Ham on Sunday (10am) when Absolom and Kilvington will battle it out.

9th October 1997

Absolom is champ again

CHRIS Absolom fought off the challenge of in-form mountain biker Rob Kilvington on Sunday to win his third Yeovil CC Hill Climb championship.
Chris chose a fixed wheel track bike for the half-mile climb of High Ham and recorded a new record 2 minutes 46 seconds.
In contrast Rob opted for a very light road machine and was also inside the old record by eight seconds, clocking 2.51. Neil Boxall, champion in 92, was third with 3.35.
David Notley is 40 and his son Simon only 13, but there was no difference in their times. They clocked 4.14 for equal fourth.
VC Camelot’s Graeme Lackford finished his season with a good performance in the Barnstaple Town Centre event. Graeme, a third category rider, took fourth place after beating several second cats the in the hectic bunch sprint.

16th October 1997

Jane takes a tough option

SOUTH Petherton’s mountain biker Jane Willmott (Corratec RT) had a walkover in the third round of the Year 2000 Winter series at Hopton
Woods in Shropshire on Sunday, but it was far from easy.
Faced with three laps of the muddy and very hilly free mile circuit in the expert race, all the women entrants chose the easy option of the two lap
sports class event.
Willmott, however, is made of sterner stuff and started with the mens race and rode the full distance finishing only five minutes down to score
maximum points for the womens experts class. She now leads the seven race series.

27th November 1997

Jane’s good start

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs mountain biker Jane Willmott got off to a good start with her new Corratec team on Sunday, taking third place in round two of the Year 2000 Winter Series at Ashton Court in Bristol.
The conditions were dry and fast on the technical course which included stiff climbs and desscents with rocks and tree roots to trap the unwary. Jane covered the three five-mile laps of the Elite-Expert class race in one hour 23 minutes, just over three minutes behind the winner Belinda Flattery, the International Masters star.

6th November 1997

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs main winners who collected their awards at the presentation evening from life member Mrs Ivy Walker. Back row from left - Olive Tabor; Douglas Northcott, Nick Armstrong and Darren Edmonds. Front - Chris Absolom and David Notley. .

18th December 1997