Sunday 09 October 2016
It’s October already and it is time for the VTTA 15 the last open time trial in Kent for 2016 – where did that season go? It seems no time at all that we were up at Lenham where Val Peachey was promoting the opening 10 of the season.
Once again I have been very lucky in keeping a very reliable team around me who have supported this event for the last four years that I have been event secretary. Chris Burrows again did the timekeeping for me and was joined this year by Val & Tony Peachey, all three seem to have done more than their fair share of events this year.
As an event secretary the event has been going on for weeks with police notices, entries arriving and start sheets etc. Arranging marshals became a problem for us as the course change to the Q15/1 meant we needed four extra marshals, thankfully both the Ashford Wheelers and Rye & District Wheelers helped us out. The Ashford Wheelers duo of Alec Mayes (pushing off) and Andy Branson (first junction) took care of the start area. At Bridgefield Roundabout were my own Spin Wheels Team Club stalwarts Taj & Sue Matharoo, neither of whom time trial but gave up their morning ride to help out. They coped extremely well and prevented several riders from continuing to Cloverleaf where most events turn using the A2070. The Rye Wheelers trio of Mark Amon, Andy Croft and Dave Greenwood also delayed their Sunday ride to help out.
Things really got underway on the day before the event collecting the hire car (which Aly Nye has to drive because I am too old) and going out to check the course. Luckily this year there were no problems. Saturday evening load the signs and race numbers and all other requirements into the car.
Sunday morning, the alarm goes off at 4 a.m., a coffee and then it’s off for a final course check and put out the signs. Not a bad morning but a bit on the cold side. Aly drops me at HQ and goes to put out the final two signs. I unlock the hall and immediately the burglar alarm goes off – nobody told us this would happen and it is not until Ann Burden gets hold of Tom Morton we manage to silence it. Meanwhile I get a phone call from my time keepers Val & Tony that they are stuck in traffic on the M20. It was decided to delay the start by 15 minutes. This compared to the 2015 event was quite uneventful!
Waiting in the Hall for the first times to come in – outside it starts to pour down, what bad luck for the riders caught up in it. Christine phones in the first batch of times and Vicky types them into the result screen, it seems that the times are slightly faster than on the Q15/20. Ask riders to check the distance on their Garmin’s – spot on what else would you get from Tony. All results in and Chris Fennell (Thanet RC) has set the standard for the course with an outstanding time of 30.24 while Eva Nyirenda (…a3crg) sets the Lady’s standard with a 39.45.
Great news from Course Marshal Gary Booth (Spin Wheels Team) – all riders have finished safely. For the Spin Wheels Team there is more good news when the evergreen Brenda Davies sets a club standard for 15 miles with a very creditable 52.42 having elected to ride her road bike on this occasion.
Probably thanks to Ann Burden and Karen & Vicky Marshall’s Tea Bar there was a great atmosphere in the hall at the end of the event which finished up with Aly Nye on hoovering duties, and us collecting the signs on the way home and double checking the times – how do the time keepers do it so quickly at the event?
Nothing left but to go out for a pub lunch!!!!!!!!!