2020 Wednesday Evening TT Season Winners - Final Winners Announced

Nunnster

Thanks to Stuart and All the helpers for running yesterday evening’s event.

I note the results, but need to run the rule over what they mean to the Season-long(!) competitions before announcing the winners. I’m back home this weekend, so look out for an update to this post sometime over the weekend.

Nunnster

HI Folks,

OK, I've made the calculations and - with baited breath - I'm delighted to announce the results as follows.

In our shortened season, qualification for the "Fastest" competitions required a minimum of one ride in each of our two courses: the footdown F14/10; and the new Wrestlingworth-Wimpole return course. The best average time won. The results are as follows:

Fastest Lady: Jackie F. 23.34

Fastest Gentleman:

1. Chris P. 22.01
2. Matt Y. 22.08

With the poor weather we've been having in the last few weeks, unfortunately neither Chris nor Matt were able to significantly improve on their times from previous weeks in the last evening's race.

Fastest Junior Boy: Sam D. 24.09

Fastest Junior Girl: Ellie M. 29.16

Fastest Vet off Standard: Jackie F. +5.58

Which leaves us with the Handicap. We've had some close finishes to this competition in recent years and we've had an unbelievably close race this year over a shortened 4 race season. With a drum roll, here is the final top three:

1. Martin L. 45
2. Stephen O. 44
3. Ellie M. 42

We heartily congratulate Martin for his late run to the prize, competing in only three of the four races but scoring heavily and consistently in each; and comisserate with Stephen for being pipped at the post. I know just how this feels! The margins involved in a short season competition are wafer thin and unfortunately there was no room for an off-night.

The numbers above hide an extraordinary "what if" scenario. There were calculated handicap PBs on the final race night from Ellie M and Matt S, who took the top handicap points of 21 and 16 respectively for the last race. Martin and Chris P. tied with a one second PB and so each scored 13 points for joint third place. If Chris P. had been one second faster or Martin one second slower, Martin would not have won the Handicap comp! Phew!

The Handicap is aimed at rewarding riders for consistent improvement, whatever their age. If anyone has been following Martin's activities this year, like me you will have marvelled at his "Other Planet" improvement through lockdown. It's such a pity that he's been unable to apply his fitness to road racing, as I for one would have been fascinated to see how he went.

We can see how the Handicap can encourage the stars of our future too, with Sam D. performing strongly in the competition and particularly Ellie who made a late run to come in third in the Handicap competition overall.

Bravo and well done to All. Martin, you know how big this cup is, so you may need a bigger mantelpiece! :-)

Martin L

Wow. I wasn't expecting that. A big cheer for Stephen: he should have won it and it's a shame he had an off-day in the final race.

I have already begun the house extension for getting this trophy inside the house:



And a big well done and thank you to all the other TT season winners and riders. I am particularly inspired by seeing young Ellie and Ella racing. I hope we can build on this side of the sport appealing to a broader and more diverse audience.

I know we've all enjoyed the new course. Thanks to Andy and Stuart and everyone else standing alone on rural road junctions who made the racing happen.

I'm off now to eat bat soup in the hope of starting COVID-20 so I can continue to replace my old commuting time with form-boosting riding time in 2021.