TA EAST NEWS 27TH APRIL 2006

To TA East Members & Friends

The IXWORTH TRIKE CRITERIUM IS ON MAYDAY BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY!

Please join us! Beautiful village – interesting Pykerel Inn – good teas in Event HQ (with tables & chairs).

If you are a racing person the fastest, bumpiest downhill corner on the TA criterium circuit – a proper hill (up) – A real test. Last year the reigning champion’s spokes started to unscrew from the nipples and the guru of Wise Men of the East found his tub rolling off (cement handy this year Mick?) Entry on the line is available

Event Sec Adi Grimwood 01284 706825.

So- hope to see you on Mon 1st May. 1st race 12.15; TRIKES 1.40PM; last race 3pm.

Earlier in the bank holiday weekend many of us will be in LINCOLNSHIRE for the pace judging, eating and time-trialling put on by Pete & Gwyneth Holland around Metheringham and Sleaford. Barry Charlton & Dave Keene are on tandem trike in both the ten and twenty-five. Will the transmission cope with their combined power?

Will they gel…..? Have they got a plan B if they can’t get round Aswarby…? As Mr Asquith said, we shall have to wait and see.

So, what have we been up to this winter ?

Five came to the Essex meet at BURES –as already reported in the Gazette

Terry Anderson stormed to a scratch and handicap win in the 8 entry Spring 25 at BRESSINGHAM. He finished in 1-15.57, ahead of Peter Hopkins 1-17:09 and Cliff Tremaine 1-21:18. Mother’s Day lunches squeezed us out of Redgrave Cross Keys, but four dined at Wortham Tea Rooms , I believe.

East member Sid Charlton triumphed at the LEAMINGTON CRITERIUM.

National Captain Greta stirred up 15 entries for this – and entertained many of us at her home at Marlcliff the night before – what a view from the attic window on a sunny morning!.

The Victoria Park circuit proved to be roughly “D” shaped with only one pronounced corner, about 150 yards before the finish line.

I believe a lead group of Sid Charlton, Dave Keene, Steve Avery and Geoff Booker formed, with Steve and Geoff presently dropping off. Sid tested Dave with a few laps to go, and decided it would be rash to try a long one but he did open a gap on the last lap. Corrections to this version welcome – I was wasn’t able to watch –as I was on the other side of the circuit doing a 2-up with Wayne Baker. We actually caught and dropped Geoff Booker. Wayne was stronger and doing a bigger share of the work but I was in front on the last lap. I went hammer and tongs through the last corner, but was really expecting him to power past – but he didn’t – having, as I learnt afterwards, lifted his drive wheel and gone very wide – I noticed earlier Wayne was staying in the saddle on that corner.

So the leading finishers were 1 Charlton, 2 Keene, 3 Avery, 4 Muir, 5 Baker. Look on the www.rogerc72.sg-host.com for more – and pictures.

Since then we have had a sunny meet at DEBENHAM, but I need to dig out camping gear for tomorrow’s dawn departure for Lincolnshire, so I had better leave this now.

If you would like to read a good account of a ride to watch Paris-Rouxbaix I recommend

http://home.graffiti.net/gturnerarts:graffiti.net/proubaix06.html

for a piece by VC Norwich member George Turner. He had one wheel too few – but in the right spirit.

HOPE TO SEE MANY OF YOU AT IXWORTH EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON

Now, where is that sleeping bag……

Ferg Muir