50km 4-up TTT 2/4/2000

The first BCC event of the new millennium started in cold wet conditions. By the time the second half of the start list went off the rain had stopped and later teams benefited from the virtually windless conditions. In fact the last 5 teams off all broke the existing event record set last year. Birmingham CC teams had seen last minute reshuffles due to losing a team member in the A squad. There were several upsets. The D team beat the C, and the B team beat the A team. The A team did suffer from a late start and a loss of direction.

Starting at 4, the team I was in had heavy rain until the end of the first lap. This cleared to make conditions easier for the second lap, unfortunately we had already lost one rider by that time and so could not capitalize. When we got back and started to warm up the results started to come through. The first of the major times were done by Stourbridge "B" and Beacon "B". Off 7th and 8th they posted times that had them both in the final top ten. Then mid way through we had Worcester set a new event record and the feeling that maybe it was a fast day. The last 5 teams results came through together, and they had all beaten the previous event record. A stunning 1.02.12 from On the Edge RT taking the title, and the record by three minutes. Birmingham CC "B" finished just outside the prizes in 7th.

The event had 2 slight disappointments. One the no show of Sabre "A" which deprived us of a full field and the attitude of Stourbridge CC who complained that the prize money was not enough. I am not going to go on, but we do not make a profit from our events. Any money left over goes back into the events so that we can do things like this year, where there was prize money down to 6th place. The top 3 teams all got medals as well as money, we had a catering company in providing the food for after the event. All I can say is, get a grip. We do this for the love of the sport, not to make money. If the money mattered none of us would be doing this.