Great Yarmouth riders rewrite the record books at Breckland 50 event
Great Yarmouth CC rider Julian Claxton had a personal best despite a fall at the CC Breckland 50 Picture: Fergus Muir - Credit: Archant
Great Yarmouth teams had a grand day at the CC Breckland 50, with members of the town cycling club revising long-standing records while the locally-based DAP CC took high placings and the event team prize.
A drink at the turn for Lowestoft rider Paul Dennington Picture: Fergus Muir - Credit: Archant
Great Yarmouth CC’s Mark Thompson broke the 29-year-old club record with 1:52:20, Jonathan Lincoln backed up with 1:55:08 while Julian Claxton recorded 1:57:06 – all three achieved personal bests. Claxton’s time includes that lost when he fell at a roundabout – he was one of 15 or so caught out by unexpectedly heavy showers.
Race favourite Dan Bigham was caught out by technology – pulling his wheel over twice and retiring.
Fastest to the first Browick turn (15 miles) was Yarmouth rider Harley Matthews, 31 seconds ahead of eventual winner Mark Smith (Crawley Whs), with Matthews’ DAP CC club-mate Mark Richards just three seconds slower than Crawley.
However, Matthews lost his rhythm as the storm hit and the win finally went to Smith in a course record 1:38:51. Richards was close on 1:38:53 and Matthews third in 1:40:00 dead – exactly 30mph. DAP CC took the team prize with veteran Nick Esser (1:53:25) the third counter.
Women's winner –- Hertfordshire veteran Jackie Field at the CC Breckland 50 Picture: STUART FIELD - Credit: Archant
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New national age records were set by East Anglian Vets chairman Andrew Grant (1:45:57 at the age of 67) and by Hertfordshire rider Jackie Field, who was also fastest woman in 1:51:27.
There were too many fast times to list. Lowestoft rider Paul Hayward improved his already highly respectable “50” time by six minutes – and still finished outside the fastest 30.
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Both men’s and women’s course records were broken in the Diss & District 25 on the rural Bressingham to Thetford and backs course. Beccles rider Zac Herrod took well over a minute off Ben Stancombe’s 2019 record to set the new mark at 51:12 while Becky Ridge (TPH) knocked 40 seconds off Denise Hurren’s time to move the women’s record to 1:01:11.
Conditions were not especially favourable – overcast with a moderate crosswind. Tricyclist Mark Vowells dominated the Veterans on Age Standard result, with VC Baracchi’s Nick Partridge next best , finishing in 54:31, good enough for sixth overall to boot.
Third counter in the DAP CC team – Nick Esser at BrowickPicture: Fergus Muir - Credit: Archant
Chairman of the East Anglian Vets Andrew Grant – a national record for age 67 at the CC Breckland 50 Picture: Fergus Muir - Credit: Archant
Early leader Harley Matthews (DAP CC), from Great Yarmouth, at the CC Breckland 50 Picture: Fergus Muir - Credit: Archant
