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Trinity Park CX - Ipswich
Trinity Park is an Eastern League stalwart and this year benefitted from having a round of the National Trophy held there the week before. The course featured two scaffold bridges, one with a steep ride up and down, the other with steps up and ride down. The steps were huge and an awkward size which required a sort of half step to get up quickly. We were advised by the winner of the Vet 40s from the Trophy race to channel our inner rodent, and attack them like a stabbed rat, as this had proved decisive in his victory.
I gratefully accepted a lift from Dan, which meant I was running on 'Dan time', i.e. get there just in time. We got there as the Vet 50s were debriefing, with just enough time for a couple of sighting laps, instead of my usual half dozen. The course was brilliant, probably the best they've ever had there. Plenty of challenging corners and banks with a tricky section through the woods, two sets of steps, a set of hurdles and a hoppable log.
Iain was back from injury so all four Vet 40s were on the line within a couple of rows on the grid. The start was a long tarmac straight and I got a good start and found myself just behind Iain and ahead of Ben and Dan. Ben stayed on my heels for a couple of laps and unusually for cyclocross we were able to work a bit as a team to rein in some riders ahead. Not Iain though, he was well gone. The steps on the bridge were working to my advantage and I could hear the exasperated sighs of some riders as I ran past them, after they'd worked hard to pass me on the course. Ben and I continued to swap places for a while before he got and stayed ahead. I kept him in my sights using him as a target to try and stay ahead of the Colchester rider that was pressing me. I managed to do that and was very happy with a 16th place finish, with Ben one ahead in 15th. Dan was having his own battle just behind. I think he may have conceded the DJH trophy and is now looking to best his league table nemesis, beating him by 5 or 6 places to almost catch him in the table. All 4 of us finishing in the top 20 for the first time.
We stayed just long enough to give Travis, back from uni, a cheer at the start of the senior race.
Results
Vet 50s
Pete D 24th
Mark W 25th
Stuart F 40th
Richard L 53rd
Women
Jackie F 10th (1st Vet 50)
Stevie W 17th (3rd vet 50)
Emma P 19th
Anna F 20th
Vet 40s
Iain F 13th
Ben R 15th
David H 16th
Dan H 19th
Senior
Travis P DNF
I gratefully accepted a lift from Dan, which meant I was running on 'Dan time', i.e. get there just in time. We got there as the Vet 50s were debriefing, with just enough time for a couple of sighting laps, instead of my usual half dozen. The course was brilliant, probably the best they've ever had there. Plenty of challenging corners and banks with a tricky section through the woods, two sets of steps, a set of hurdles and a hoppable log.
Iain was back from injury so all four Vet 40s were on the line within a couple of rows on the grid. The start was a long tarmac straight and I got a good start and found myself just behind Iain and ahead of Ben and Dan. Ben stayed on my heels for a couple of laps and unusually for cyclocross we were able to work a bit as a team to rein in some riders ahead. Not Iain though, he was well gone. The steps on the bridge were working to my advantage and I could hear the exasperated sighs of some riders as I ran past them, after they'd worked hard to pass me on the course. Ben and I continued to swap places for a while before he got and stayed ahead. I kept him in my sights using him as a target to try and stay ahead of the Colchester rider that was pressing me. I managed to do that and was very happy with a 16th place finish, with Ben one ahead in 15th. Dan was having his own battle just behind. I think he may have conceded the DJH trophy and is now looking to best his league table nemesis, beating him by 5 or 6 places to almost catch him in the table. All 4 of us finishing in the top 20 for the first time.
We stayed just long enough to give Travis, back from uni, a cheer at the start of the senior race.
Results
Vet 50s
Pete D 24th
Mark W 25th
Stuart F 40th
Richard L 53rd
Women
Jackie F 10th (1st Vet 50)
Stevie W 17th (3rd vet 50)
Emma P 19th
Anna F 20th
Vet 40s
Iain F 13th
Ben R 15th
David H 16th
Dan H 19th
Senior
Travis P DNF
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