What a week-end it was for the BCC. A raft of stunning achievements. Some expected and some just to make you feel proud that everyone was really going for it. It would be all to easy to focus on the fantastic achievements of the children in almost sweeping the board in every event, but that would be missing the contribution that many other members of the club made to this championships. We had it all. Late replacements, serious accidents, stunning success, plucky achievers and hangers on at the back of the bunch. I will now try not to miss anyone out in summarizing our performances.
Saw the sprint and the juvenile events. I did not see these. The sprint was won be the one and only Ozzie. In his usual dominating style I imagine. Budgie performed well in the juvenile events with 2 fourth places and was as usual giving his all.
It was a grim morning. I just managed to get there on time. The start sheet said 10 prompt and I was there for 10. I missed the warm-up, but then my events were not for several hours. Got signed on and set up the bike. Then the hanging around began. The day was the rest of the senior events, the women's events and the vets events. It was a bit damp, but actually raining. We had the individual pursuit qualifying. As expected Petshop tore the field apart, nearly catching his man twice for a 5.17. As we had all hoped Nicole was second best but well back from Bradley. Pikachu defied the conditions to go faster than last year and record a 5.42. He reversed his position from last year and was ahead of Tom Kirk this year and eventually was 5th.
Nick Selibas, Dave Smith, Paul Kilburne and Nick Hands all put in good efforts in the 500m TT for vets. No prizes this time, but Nick Selibas was our best performer in what was now very wet conditions. The rain caused a long delay and the vets sprint events were put off. The schedule was re-jigged and the Kilo was the next event.
This was my first event and one I was very nervous about. Off third I was eager to start. So eager that I got to the start without my helmet and had to run back to get it. Good psychology, completely forget about the event because you are too worried about the fact that you have just made a complete fool of yourself. Still as it turned out it did not go too badly. Did a 1.23 which now I know what the event is like I know I could take seconds off with a couple of practice runs. That actually stood as the best time for the first 10 riders or so. Something I was not expecting at all. Then the big hitters came later on and it was quickly forgotten. Rich Deeley did 1.22 as did Tom Kirk. Psycho did 1.21 I think. There were a lot of riders around the 1.20-1.22 mark. James Leeder-hollander or whatever his name is then put up a 1.16 and that wiped everything else away along with Chris Pyatt's 1.15. Suddenly it looked like we may struggle in the this event. then Ozzie, last off on the start sheet, put in the usual stunning ride to go faster than last year on a wet track to put up a 1.14.2 Fantastic ride! Another win for the BCC.
Briefly now because it is a bit hazy on the results now. In the final of the pursuit Nicole decided to save himself for the Team pursuit and was caught by Petshop in 3k. The team pursuit qualifying was the main even of the day. Wolverhampton Wheelers pulled out as they did not have enough riders. The lads rode on their own and easily posted the fastest time. Myself and PK, the Greek and Linda made up the second team who rode against the boys of Royal Sutton. We lost Nick at half way and Linda pulled us round for the last three laps on his own. We finished 6 seconds down on the Sutton but not bad. Then the 3rd team rode against the Beacon in the last heat. The Beacon only started with 3 but we had a hastily rejigged team. China had to leave and Baywatch was pressed into service on borrowed bike, kit and shoes. Unfortunately Budgie did a stoppie 2k in when his front hub seized. Nick Hands sat up and that left only 2 riders in it. Not enough to finish although Mark did try and hold off the Beacon on his own.
The second team had done enough for third we were all very pleased about at the time. Not so happy now as 2 of us have been propelled into 3rd CAT status because of it. In the final the boys caught the Sutton easily for yet another gold medal.
Final race for the seniors was the scratch, Pikachu punctured on the first lap and Nicole punctured with 5 to go and was out of the race. I pulled up 2/3rds of the way through as I could not stay the pace. Psycho was in the winning break. Petshop went for it with 3 laps to go. He then pulled his foot out. He pulled the same move one lap later and this time made it stick to win convincingly.
Ozzie won the Omnium, after protest having won the Sprint and Kilo and performed well enough in the other REQUIRED events to win.
Apologies for not putting in all junior and vets results, but my memory is not that good and we have not been sent an official results sheet so I could place everyone.