A good turnout for the annual HTRC Freewheel Competition produced a close result.

Two groups left Skidby Mill car park last Saturday morning, Mark Walker’s training gang and a steady bunch all heading to the meeting place at the top of Millington Dale near Huggate. The ‘training gang’ were taking a longer route rather than the more direct of the ‘steady bunch’.

The recent wet weather had made the roads filthy.  With three punctures between the groups we all assembled a little later than anticipated at the start point. Mandy Dean was happy to go ahead and meet us in Millington café while we all cable tied our cranks to our chainstays. One by one riders were launched down the hill into the light head wind to see how far they could travel without pedalling.

Will Thomas thought he had won when he passed Neil Dean to take the lead with an impressive bike wobbling technique! But normal service was resumed when 2011 champion Mike Pickering rolled into a wheel’s width victory. As the riders who had run out of steam further up the valley joined the lead group cable ties were snipped and off to the café for the prize presentation!

Other riders were Paul Kilvington, Andy Carroll, Les Barrett, Richard Guymer, Harry Twitchett, Mike McCallister, Dan Posnett, Mat Johnson and me (distraught at not being able to retain the title though my wife was over the moon).

Thanks to everyone who turned out.

Dave Millson
Club Secretary

Photos of the Freewheel Competition 2013 (opens in a new window)