IT would appear that last winter's hard training miles are now paying dividends for many of the Retford Wheelers racing section with personal and seasonal best times being recorded in several disciplines of the sport.
On the track, Graeme Waters competed in the Masters Sprint Meeting at the Lyme Valley Stadium where he was riding against past and present European Champions.
In the 200-metre time trial he recorded a lifetime best of 12.72 seconds, in the match s
print he achieved two thirds, one second and a first place and in the '2up sprint' he finished first twice.
At the midweek Forest Town Track League, Schools' Champion Matthew Waters took first place in the four-lap scratch, and the one-lap time trial and second in the team pursuit.
In the TLI road race series, on a course based on Torworth, Blyth and Barnby Moor, the club had the distinction of three riders placed in the top 10 finishers, with Dave Houlton in fourth place, Alan Hazard seventh and Sam Kirby 10th.
On Wednesday evening the annual inter-club 10-mile time trial between Lincoln Wheelers, Gainsborough Aiger and Retford Wheelers was held on a course between Marton and Torksey.
Alan Hazard finished in overall second place with 23:04, supported by Paul Austin in 24:22, Matthew Wyld 25:17, Dave Houlton 25:33, Graeme Waters 25:58, Glen Allison 26:54, Oliver Lord 27:00, Paul Gill 27:16 and Charles Brown 33:01.
The winner was D. Beedham, of the Lincoln Wheelers with 22:21.
Paul Austin was in action again at the weekend competing in the Team Swift 10-mile time trial at South Cave, recording a personal best time of 21 minutes 55 seconds bringing a closure to what must be one of the best weeks racing results for the club in many a year.
Endurance riders Seamus Askin and Martin Jones are riding from John 'O Groats to Lands End for 'When You Wish Upon a Star', a charity for terminally ill children.
By Sunday, they had reached the borders town of Moffatt, some 350 miles in just four days of riding.
The brave pair now only another 1,000 miles to go.
Next Sunday's club run is to Kirton Lindsey.
Meet are to meet in the market square at 9am. New riders are welcome.
The full article contains 395 words and appears in Retford Trader & Guardian newspaper.
