Wick Wheelers are points winners in interclub challenge
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The annual interclub event between the county’s two cycling clubs, Wick Wheelers and Caithness Cycling Club, was this year from Thurso to Wick – with a 20 to 30 mph north-west tailwind – and was hosted by the Wheelers.
This is primarily a get-together of the clubs but there is a team award, based not on the usual first three riders but on the first eight riders to be more inclusive. This year Wick were again on fine form and although the fastest time was by CCC’s Andrew MacLeod – at an average speed of 32.3 mph – the Wheelers took the next five places, led by Stuart Anderson and Iain Nicholson, and had an aggregate time of 5 hr 25 min to win by 8 min 20 sec.
There were excellent performances from the ladies, with CCC’s Rhoda Kennedy and Debbie Larnach both in the first 10, and Chelsea Durrand, Fiona Gove, Louise Sinclair and Peta Donachie riding well for the Wheelers and helping them to also win the points competition, based upon each rider’s placing.
Afterwards the socialising at Wick Youth Club was enriched by the excellent spread provided by the Wick ladies.
Results: 1 Andrew MacLeod (CCC), 35 min 28 sec; 2 Stuart Anderson (WW), 38.21; 3 Iain Nicholson (WW), 38.32; 4 Alun Arnold (WW), 38.58; 5 Graeme Clyne (WW), 39.08; 6 Angus Henry (WW), 40.07; 7 Rhoda Kennedy (CCC), 40.37; 8 Danny Miller (WW), 41.36; 9 Aiden Love (CCC), 41.57; 10 Debbie Larnach (CCC), 42.20; 11 Sandy Christie (CCC), 42.52; 12 Alistair Miller (CCC), 42.55; 13 Gordon Robertson (WW), 43.16; 14 John Falconer (CCC), 43.44; 15 Adam Smith (CCC), 43.37; 16 Phil Cartwright (CCC), 43.55; 17 George Ewing (WW), 45.02; 18 Roger Broughton (CCC), 45.05; 19 Brian Grant (WW), 45.15; 20 Alasdair Washington (CCC), 45.32; 21 Chelsea Durrand (WW), 46.03; 22 David Sutherland (WW), 46.48; 23 Fiona Gove (WW), 49.26; 24 Chris Oakley (WW), 49.59; 25 Louise Sinclair (WW), 52.31; 26eq Peta Donachie (WW) and Les MacKay (CCC), 53.45.
Earlier in the week the CCC 10-mile time trial was held in north-west winds of 18 to 30 mph and a temperature of only 11C. But it produced no fewer than 4 PBs from CCC members, led by Alistair Miller with a massive 55-second reduction and followed by Aiden Love (25 sec) and Debbie Larnach and Colin Earnshaw (both 17 sec).
Fastest was Andrew MacLeod in 21 min 39 sec, while second-placed Stuart Anderson (Wick) clocked a fine 22min 45 sec for another PB.
Results: 1 Andrew MacLeod, 21 min 39 sec; 2 Stuart Anderson, 22.45; 3 Aiden Love, 24.48; 4 Colin Earnshaw, 25.06; 5 Alistair Miller, 25.20; 6 Debbie Larnach, 25.23; 7 Adam Smith, 26.01; 8 Sandy Christie, 26.52; 9 Gary Angus, 27.36; 10 Roger Broughton, 27.59; 11 Alasdair Washington, 28.06; 12 Graeme Morgan, 28.08; 13 Robert MacGregor, 29.33; 14 Amy Sutherland, 33.24.
