Hull Thursday Road Club’s Mark Mckeown firmly planted the HTRC flag atop the Cliff Pratt TT league with a convincing win at the first league event of 2022 on the fast Prologue course.  Chris Hoggard (Cliff Pratt), and Steve Guymer (Squadra) who was competing on a road bike, filled the other top spots.

 

HTRC 6 mile Prologue TT 21-04-22

1	M Mckeown	HTRC	12:35
2	C Hoggard	Cliff Pratt	13:10
3	S Guymer	Squadra	13:25
4	J Trevor	Jem Hadar Racing	13:32
5	P Fielding-Smith	Wilsons Wheels	13:52
6	R Dean	HTRC	13:58
7	A Dalby	HTRC	14:07
8	R Brown	Wilsons Wheels	14:10
9	M Tyas	HTRC	14:25
10	W Trevor	Jem Hadar Racing	15:56
11	J Galbraith	HTRC	16:35
12	D Tyas	HTRC	17:09

 

The event was shortened to 6 miles due to roadworks losing the short climb up to Skidby Mill at the finish. Twelve riders covered the ground in a fresh north easterly which is probably the least helpful wind direction for this course, though at least it gave all a helpful nudge along the starting mile which took the riders up to Weedly Mast where the earliest incarnations of the prologue event started.

The prologue event has always seen high average speeds due to an overall drop of 100 m over the course, though having been extended in recent years to include a few meters gain over an extra mile at the beginning and on the rise to the Mill at the finish, speeds have never quite matched those early run events.

 

Richard Dean knows the way.                                                   Photo courtesy of Ian Pythian

 

A successful night was had by all on such a bright spring evening and I’m sure all are looking forward to stretching those legs on the rest of the series outings.

Next up on the 28^th April is Little Weighton’s 12 miler. Start time 18:45,  be early!

 

12-04-22 City Road Club 8.5 mile Skidby short course TT

Mark Mckeown also put a good turn in at City Road Club’s 8.5 mile Skidby short course TT the week earlier. Covering the course in 19.36 he narrowly beat equal 4^th placed David and Harry Nolan onto the podium,  both of whom came in just 2 seconds slower.

 

 

Mark powers his way up to the Skidby finish at the CRC event. Photo courtesy of www.ianchapmanphotography.com

 

Thanks to all the organisers and helpers for making these events happen.