Perhaps one of the club’s most open events of the year, Wednesday night’s TT this week was for the Manners Cup. First presented in 1926, this is the club’s only handicap event, always held over a distance of 25 miles. Held on the K4/25W course, riders were greeted with a warm sunny evening, ideal for time trialling and a TT secretary anxious to see if his handicapping would produce some close, if not interesting results.
Setting a sub one hour time on this course is a great effort and fastest rider on the night Simon Smith comfortably achieved this with a time of 0.58.17, reducing his personal best by over half a minute. Second fastest time was new member and now a regular TT competitor Ryan Allen on 1.00.05, while recent Friswell Cup winner Peyer Drnosvek was third on 1.01.11.
However, when all the handicaps were applied it was the women who came out on top, taking the top three positions. Winner of the Manners Cup on a corrected time of 0.52.07 was Ila Pearson. Just 4 seconds in arrears was junior Poppy Kisley, with Hayley Holland third on 0.54.53.
2023 Manners Cup winner Ila Pearson (photo Paul Dean)
A good night for the women was rounded off by Lydia Watts (Hutchinson-Brother UK) setting a new non-BSCC Ladies record of 1.01.45, beating the old record by a minute and a half.
The previous week’s TT though was not held in such fine weather, for although dry, a cold windy evening greeted the 13 riders who ventured out. The course this time, was the club’s second visit this season to the Tysoe 10.
It’s always good to see new visitors joining our Wednesday TT’s and this time we welcomed Stelios Maragkos from nearby Royal Leamington Spa CC. He’s clearly no stranger to TTs and was fastest on the night with a time of 0:23:33. Second was Ryan Allen, only 14 seconds behind on 0.23.47, with Ben Heaney (Team Cherwell) third on 0.24.09.
First woman home and in sixth place was 18-year-old Peggy Simpkins on 0.25.27, who when Naomi de Pennington is not riding is starting to take over her mantle.
Thanks again for all marshals for helping out on the nights and in particular TT secretary Rhys Martin for setting and working out all the handicaps.