I honestly don’t think there could have been a better start to the new decade than this morning

The sun was shining, the temperature was cold and crisp and the wind factor was almost zero

Just what the hail and hardy 17 riders needed to start their 2010 New Year’s day race, off with a bang

4 Brighton Excel and 6 VC Jubilee riders were out and about

1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 24.44, 2nd Matthew Earnshaw 25.59 3rd Ashley Dennis (VCJ) 28.3

Alan Bowry 29.26, Matt Hill (VCJ) 29.29, Amy Jacobs (VCJ) 30.09, Jack Priddle (VCJ) 30.48, Elaine Scott 31.53, Bob Harber 33.27 and Amy Barnes (VCJ) 34.41.

BEST OF THE REST
Stuart Torry (Team Sanjan Design) 23.00, Tony Reeve (GS Stella) 23.54, Richard Jackson (Colchester Rovers) 28.04, Tony Sinnet (In-Gear) 29.27, Clive Jackson (Central Sussex) 31.14, Andrew Martello (VC Etoile) 31.24, and Simon Yates (Lewes Wanderers) 31.34

THE TEAM
Rick Stringer starter and Keith Balcombe pushing off and signs

Well done everyone

Date for your diary is the Brighton Excelsior, Early Season Elevenses Event on the 24th January in Washington Village Hall. Starts at 11am until 12.30pm

Join us for a cuppa and a bacon butty or a slice of homemade cake, in my view it has all the best bits of a time trail without getting sweaty

It’s a great opportunity to meet up with old mates catch up on your out of season mishaps and plan your 2010 season by picking up your 2010, copy of the CTT London South District Yellow Handbook a bargain at only £2

Why not incorporate this event, into your Sunday club or training run as your 11’s stop, making the most of what we hope will be some glorious winter sunshine.

We all look forward to seeing you there, but if you can’t make it the Brighton Excel season starts with a 5 mile ‘leg loosener’ on 13th April at 6.30pm

Happy New Year to you all from Brighton Excelsior CC and V C Jubilee.

45 riders but sadly with only 9 from BECC & VCJ came out, on what was lovely sunny but deceptively windy evening, with that sneaky little head wind all the way out to the turn, which you can never make up on the way back, no matter how hard you pedal.

I do love it when it’s so busy, it’s great fun to run and organise..

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.41, 2nd Nick Jepson 24.28 & 3rd Chris Hodge 24.44.

Duncan Haste 27.17, Alistair Beckett 27.34, Reuben Beckett 28.05, Ian Essex 28.38, Matt Hill (VCJ) 29.05 & Elaine Scott 30.43.

BEST OF THE REST
Nick Dwyor (Lewes Wanderers) 20.57, Rob Pelham (Lewes Wanderers) 21.06, Peter Morris (Lewes Wanderers) 22.11, Andy Cox (Lewes Wanderers) 22.45, Mark Paton (Sussex Nomads) 23.05, Michael Taylor (Sussex Nomads) 23.15, Triston Court (B’ton Mitre) 23.20, Mark Storie (G. S. Stella) 23.33.

My thanks this week go to Rick for starting and Keith for signs and pushing off.

Next week it’s our 16.5 circuit, starting and finishing at Hamm Farm with a 6.45pm start.

With 19 hardy souls (6 from VCJ & BECC) braving the weather and pot holes to come out to play.

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith 40.03, 2nd Nick Jepson 41.40, 3rd Duncan Haste 45.40

Alistair Beckett 45.50, Reuben Beckett 48.14 and Elaine Scott 52.26

BEST OF THE REST
Gary Pearce (Team Rep) 37.29, Gary Brind (SAC/Southdown Bikes) 39.32, Triston Court (B’ton Mitre) 39.56 and Michael Thyer (Sussex Nomads) 39.59

Thanks tonight to Keith for signs and pushing off

I managed to lose the key to the cash tin somewhere tonight, so had to have it broken into at work by my handyman, who is hoping he can get me another cylinder by next week.

Roy is unwell again this week, so we wish him a speedy recovery

The good news however was that the rain stayed away until after the race and I didn’t have to wear my new hat

With only 17 on the road it was a very quiet and quick but memorable evening all round.

The really BIG news of the night was that we now have a new course record on the G10/97 with Felix English (Team Pearson Cycles) doing an incredible 20.20 beating the record which has stood since 1994 of 20.45 set by Nick Pickford (B’ton Excel)

The even BIGGER news is that after changing the lock on the cash tin last week, I found in the car park the original key and yesterday at home, I found the original spare key, so now I have locks and keys coming out of my ears:-)

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.15, 2nd James Stone (2nd claim) 24.11, 3rd Chris Hodge 24.28.

Nick Jepson 24.31, Alistair Beckett 26.54, Reuben Beckett 27.19 and Duncan Haste 27.26.

BEST OF THE REST
Felix English (Team Pearson Cycles) 20.20, Garry Pearce (team Raw Energy) 21.23, Mark Paton (Sussex Nomads) 23.04, Sholto Haggart (B’ton Mitre) 23.12.

Thanks to Rick for starting and Keith for signs and pushing off.

Please could Simon Yates (Lewes Wanderers) 27.47, return number 1 which seems to have gone home with him, I hope that he treated her with all the respect due to a first date, and she comes back with her head held high!

Well done again Felix.

See you next week.

Again everyone seems in a really good mood, must be something in the air in Steyning that brings out the best in people.

Another good field with 34 riders with unfortunately with only 7 BECC & VCJ riders, with another cracking ride from Felix English (Team Pearson Cycles) of 20.31

Everyone was talking about him smashing the course record the week before and looking to see what he was going to do this week.

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.08, 2nd James Stone (2nd Claim) 23.52, Nick Jepson 23.53

Chris Hodge 24.51, Rob Merrington 25.59, Duncan Haste 27.01, Alan Bowry 27.20 & Elaine Scott 29.49

BEST OF THE REST
Felix English (Team Pearson Cycles) 20.31, Mike Coyle (B’ton Mitre) 22.41, Mark Paton (Sussex Nomads) 23.04, Gary Brind (SAC/Southdown Bike) 23.14, Nigel Herron (B’ton Phoenix AC & Tri) 23.19

Well done on his first time trial, Michael Mergler with a very respectable 24.16.

The A Team this week were Rick starting and Keith on signs and pushing off

Although I could not get myself in the zone at all, this for me was unusual.

A good turn out again for our 2 up, with eight 2 up teams & two 3up teams plus 11 solos making up the field.

MAIN EVENT
2 up
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) & Ben Miller 22.38, 2nd Alistair & Reuben Beckett 26.49.

3 up
James Stone (2nd claim), Chris Hodge & Roy Page 23.11
Amy Barnes (VCJ), Amy Smith (VCJ) & Ian Essex 29.49.

Mixed Club Teams 2 up
Jack Oliver-Blaney (Team Terminator) & Amy Jacobs (VCJ) 25.09.

SOLO
Ron Merrington 25.37, Alan Bowry 26.48, Elaine Scott 29.26 and Ben Gerrey (VCJ) 30.17

BEST OF THE REST
Jay Chisnall & Triston Court (B’ton Mitre) 22.43, Dave Higgins (David Lloyd Brighton) & Markus Steirhause (TV 1860 Immenstadt) 24.13, Tony Wright & Clive Spicier (Esporta Brighton) 24.15, Richard Lewes & Jem Kelly (B’ton Mitre) 25.22 & Caroline Fife (National Clarionll) & Lisa Sampson (Steyning AC) 30.11

On Tandem
John Limpus & Dave Rymer (G. S. Stella) 23.34

SOLO
Mark Paton (Sussex Nomads) 23.09, Michael Mergler (private) 24.32, , Steve Clough-Young (Steyning AC) 25.04, Dan Fagg (?:) 25.49, Tony Sinnett (In Gear Quickvit) 27.28, Simon Yates (Lewes Wanderers) 27.55. and Bob Thomas (Tuff-Fitty Tri) 29.40.

My thanks to both Rick and Keith for pushing off, John Roberts for starting and Keith for the signs, and Val for talking to the owner of Hamm Farm about her issues with us, and hopefully pouring some oil on troubled waters.

See you next week

10 Mile TT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.57, 2nd Matthew Earnshaw (PB) 23.40, 3rd Chris Hodge 23.58
Roy Page 24.09, Rob Merrington 25.18, Duncan Haste (PB) 26.59, Alan Bowry 27.10 & Elaine Scott 29.36

BEST OF THE REST
Jim Cheek (In-Gear) 22.06, Sholto Haggart (B’ton Mitre) 22.22, Mark Paton (Sussex Nomads) 22.43, Nigel Herron (B’ton Phoenix Ac & Tri) 23.06, Chris Twine (Worthing Excel) 23.11, Clive Spicer (Esporta Brighton) (PB) 23.39.

My thanks this week go to Rick for starting, Keith & Andy for pushing off, Reuben and Alistair Beckett for marshalling at Shoreham RAB & Keith for the signs.

Don’t forget my ‘washing up liquid bottle challenge’ - 50 empty bottles by 22nd June.

Finally, congratulations to Nick Smith who recently took part in the RTTC National 10m and 25m Time Trial Junior championships. On 23rd May the 10m TT in Warwickshire on a tough course (dual carriageway u-turn and a right turn!) and very hot day, Nick raced into joint 17th with 21.47 in the National Junior event. On 5th June 25m TT in Yorkshire on another hot day and on a "sporting" course, scraped through with a respectable 1.00.19 to claim 18th Junior, having had to stop twice with a mechanical on his handlebars. Great strength of character and ability to continue after this diasappointment, and to put a time down at all. Well done Nick! Another reason why he was on his road bike this week and using the Junior restricted gears 52:14 that he'll have to use at the Junior Track National Pursuit Championships in August, posting a good time tonight too. Anyone got some nice spare bars he could use?

Having said that; at 22.03 which was the fastest he has gone on the G10/97 Nick Smith (VCJ) made light work of it all and Duncan Haste even managed a new Personal Best.

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.03, 2nd Nick Jepson 23.56, 3rd Chris Hodge 24.30

Roy Page 24.35, Rob Merrington 25.51, Duncan Haste (PB) 26.45, Alan Bowry 27.21, Elaine Scott 30.17 and Tom Paine (VCJ) 30.51

BEST OF THE REST
Lawrence Wintergold (Hounslow & Dist) 23.17, Clive Spicer (Esporta Brighton) 23.47, Michael Thyer (Sussex Nomads) 24.02 & Ade Fadero (Sussex Nomads) 24.35

My thanks this week go to Keith for starting and the signs and Mike Paine for pushing off

Get well Rick; we hope to see you back with a watch in your hand very soon.

Don’t forget that next week is the first of our Inter-Club events, it’s against Brighton Mitre, and so far we have not managed to get the better of them.

It’s a team event and there will be prizes; so oil you chains, buff up you saddles and let’s try and put the disappointment of the last 3 years behind us and show them that we are not to be messed with!

We start is at 7.30pm on the G10/97, and it would be great to have a good turn out from BECC & VCJ for this one. :-)

Also don’t forget I could really do with any old washing up liquid bottles that you have so rummage through the recycling and bring them along.

Thanks

Unfortunately an RTA near finish line before event started, caused cancellation of tonights event, hoping to rearrange - now 3rd August

It was the first of our 3 races being done on the Washington course G10/98, so we moved base camp to the small car park at the end of the Washington playing fields.

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) (PB) 21.28, 2nd Nick Jepson (PB) 22.45, 3rd Roy Page 23.43.

Chris Hodge 23.48, Rob Merrington 25.13, Alan Bowry 25.59, Alistair Beckett 26.17, Duncan Haste 26.26, Ruben Beckett 27.05 and the 2up with Amy Barnes (VCJ) and Ian Essex 29.03.

BEST OF THE REST
Roger Smith (Southdown Cycles) 21.23, Clive Spicer (Esporta) (PB) 22.51, Sam Maloney (Worthing Excel) 23.16 and Ade Fadero (Sussex Nomads) 23.57

My thanks this week go to the ‘A Team’ Rick for starting and Keith for pushing off and the signs

Next week’s it’s our annual Inter Club event against G. S. Stella it’s a team event and there will be PRIZES so if you can come and either race or support we would love to see you there

We have re-scheduled the Inter Club event against B’ton Mitre which had to be cancelled last week due to a car crash on the finish line.

It will now be held on the 3rd August, so put that into your diary as one not to miss, and as it’s also our last event of the season I feel a visit to the pub afterwards could also be on the agenda.

Well another beautiful evening with a little breeze greeted us on our 3rd annual Inter-Club event with G. S. Stella

Although I had to wear my jacket as I’d managed to spill my sandwich down my new blouse!

We had 29 riders, 4 from G. S. Stella and 10 from BECC & VCJ, and with 4 PB and 1 course PB it was a good night all around

The winners of the 2010 event were G. S. Stella - Mark Storie, Tony Reeve and Dave Shepherd with a joint time of 1.06.08 congratulations to them and we look forward to next year when we will try and get our revenge.

MAIN EVENT
Joint 1st Mark Storie and Dave Shepherd (both G. S. Stella) and both 21.55, 3rd Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.13.

Tony Reeves (G. S. Stella) 22.18, James Stone (2nd claim) 24.45, Rob Luff (course PB) 22.44, Michael Dixon (VCJ) (PB) 24.45, Chris Hodge 24.26, Alan Bowry 26.20, Alistair Beckett 26.50, Duncan Haste 26.50, Matt Hill (VCJ) 27.07, Reuben Beckett 27.09, Amy Barnes (VCJ) (PB) 28.28, Tom Paine (VCJ) 29.20, 2up Amy Smith (VCJ) & Ian Essex 29.42, Oliver Priddle (VCJ) & Sally Page 30.15.

BEST OF THE REST
Chris Twine (Worthing Excel) 23.00, Dominic Lowden (Lewes Wanderers) 23.22, Clive Spicer (Esporta) (PB) 23.25.

My thanks this week goes to Rick for starting and Keith for pushing off and the signs

Next week we are back n the Washington course with a 7.30pm start

Take care

Welcome back to racing to Stan Cox, who on the 3rd January fell off his bike in the snow and ice and broke his hip and for the last 7 months has slowly and painfully been recovering, although he has been back on his bike for some weeks, it’s good to see him back to racing, although he says not back to racing form!

Welcome to The Lewes Wanderers who joined us tonight, it was good to see you all.

MAIN EVENT
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 22.02, 2nd Nick Jepson 22.51 & 3rd Roy Page 23.25
Duncan Haste (PB) 25.19, Reuben Beckett (PB) 26.09, Alistair Beckett 26.17, Alan Bowry 26.31, Stan Cox 27.22, Elaine Scott 28.35 and Amy Barnes (VCJ) 29.35.

BEST OF THE REST
Tom Glandfield (Lewes Wanderers) 20.48, Simon McNamara (Southdown Bikes) 20.42, Andy Cox (Lewes Wanderers) 22.00, George Higgs (Crawley Wheelers) 22.51 & Dominic Lowden (Lewes Wanderers) 22.59

My thanks to Rick for starting and Keith for pushing off and the signs

Sorry I was a few minutes late getting to the start I just got chatting.

Next week is our Grand Prix de Gentleman, we originally started running this event to give our junior riders another chance to race on the highways, with an accompanying adult rider, making the whole experience a lot safer for them

However it has now become an annual event and is a firm favourite with riders of all ages, so we look forward to seeing as many of you who wish to join us on the 20th.

Some thought the wind was getting up, some thought it was the same as during the day, everyone thought it looked a good night and by the amount of PB’s we had again this week everyone was rightJ

We had 8 pairs and 16 solos and 6 known new PB’s which by my reckoning was fantastic.

MAINT EVENT Grand prix de Gent
1st Jack Priddle (VCJ) (PB) and Duncan Haste 26.48, 2nd Sarah Cooper (VCJ) (PB) and Alan Cooper 28.13, 3rd Amy Smith (VCJ)(PB) and Ian Essex 28.17, 4th Oliver Priddle (VC) (PB) and Sally Page 29.47, 5th Amy Barnes (VCJ) and Ben Miller 30.07

SOLO
1st Nick Smith (VC) 21.58, 2nd Matthew Earnshaw (PB) 22.32, 3rd Chris Lord 23.05,

Nick Jepson 23.16, Roy Page 23.30, Chris Hodge 23.59, Reuben Beckett (PB) 26.01, Alan Bowry 26.20, Alistair Beckett 26.24, Stan Cox 27.50

BEST OF THE REST Grand Prix de Gent
Jon Brook and Adrian Brown (Steyning AC) 24.50, Elaine Scott (BECC) and George Vargha (Steyning AC) 28.37, Lisa Sampson (Steyning AC) and Caroline Fife (National Clarion) 30.18.

SOLO
Mark Paton (Sx Nomads) 22.03, (Sx Nomads) Mark Storie (G.S.Stella) 22.25, Simon Letts (WECC) 23.40 and Ade Fadero 24.30.

Thanks this week go to John for starting, Rick and Keith for pushing off and Keith for the signs

If you haven’t put in your entry for our Open Event on Sunday 1st August you only have until Friday to get your form to Keith, so don’t delay any further.

Next week we are back at Washington with a 7.15 start time.

Don’t forget that our last evening event of the year (I can’t believe it’s gone so quickly) on the 3rd August is the re-arranged Inter Club with Brighton Mitre, so we need a good turnout for that one, as it’s a team event and there will be PRIZES

Never the less the 13 of us that did make it had a good(ish) time

Main Event
1st Nick Smith (VCJ) 21.35, 2nd Chris Lord 22.52, 3rd James Stone (2nd claim) 23.17.

Nick Jepson (on his new bike for the first time) 23.20, Roy Page 23.21 and Elaine Scott 28.51

BEST (ALL) OF THE REST
Martin Booty ( ?) 24.54, Ashley Baker (Brighton Mitre) 24.35, Paul Winter Brighton Esportu) 25.18, Jez Falon (Eastbourne Rovers) 25.24, Paul Henratty (Lewes Wanderers) 25.30, Marc Dinitto (Aztec) 28.48, George Vargha (Steyning AC) 32.13,

Thank to Rick for pushing off.

Next week will be the re-arranged Inter Club against Brighton Mitre and our last evening 10 of the season so it would be great to see a good turnout, and there will be PRIZES :-)

And we are going to the pub afterwards - so that is even more incentive (if any is needed) to turn out.