10's Reports for July and August 2006

Not quite a floater but if we were using the full ten course there would have been some fast times. The slight south westerly was not bothering the riders on the shorter 6.7 mile course. We also had sunshine and a pleasant temperature.
I think everybody gave it all they had this evening knowing that it was just a short blast.
the finishing times showed a good average speed for all the Phoenix riders with Dave Massen on the top of the list with a time of 15:07 average 26.58mph.(Sudafed for all next week, Is that a banned substance?)
John Leach was a very close shave second with 15:09, an average speed of 26.53. In fact, if he had polished his disc wheel he may have gained the extra 3 seconds he needed to win!!!
3rd Arthur, 15:26 ave. 26.05 mph
4th Terry, 15:47 ave. 25.47mph
5th Kieran, 15:49 ave. 25.41 mph
6th Keith, 16:17 ave. 24.69 mph
7th Sam, 17:00 ave. 23.65 mph
Click here for results table
click here for photo album.
Thanks to Keith Linge for the photographs
Please close album window to return here

J.Hampson

D.Massen

J.Leach

Some say it was windy but it wasn't exactly blowing a gale. From the south east, it made the stretch from Rainford back to the lane a bit less of a grovel and a faster finish:
It was blowing in favour of Arthur tonight, he stamped his name on the Bobby Lloyd cup and left everybody else in his wake with his time of 23:04.
It was a very warm evening following an extremely hot (31C) day. The heat took it's toll on some of the riders, myself included, but we recovered quickly after a much needed cold drink. The Phoenix team did very well filling 8 of the first 11 positions from 22 starters.
Terry is getting faster, I think tonight another PB with 24:18, well done Terry.
Please see the results page for the....results.... click here
Thanks to Keith LInge for taking tonight's' photos and especially for snapping me on the one occasion I sat up to relieve a stitch.
Sorry, you can't see them yet, had to dash home and missed the transfer of memory card from Keith's camera to Keith's bag.
For now, instead of bikes we are featuring a photo of the sky. Take a look at the larger image of this astonishing sunset taken last week, never seen anything like it before and it disappeared very soon after taking the shot
Please click on image for a larger view
New album, CLICK HERE close album window to return here

On what was probably the calmest Tuesday night this year, 7 regular Phoenix riders didn't need much warming up due to a temperature of about 28C. The lack of wind did not make for a fast night with some riders going back a bit on last week's time whilst Kieran,Steve ,Terry and Keith made slight gains.
Mr. Consistent was again in the mid 23's winning on the night with 23:33, a good 22 seconds clear of the next placed phoenix rider, Mother Hen. Following Mother was baby Hen with 24:04. After that came Barry White with a time of 24:16 and then Computer Kid with 24:50. 'Pick up tha musket' Sam was also suffering from the heat and finished with 25:44 and 'Docker' bowled us over with his grin and did a 26:26. So there you have it, another Tuesday ten been and gone. Just three more tens to complete the series and not a clear winner in sight of the finishing line. This is going to be a photo finish, very likely to be taken by Keith Linge, to whom we owe thanks for tonight's photos.. Maybe if you CLICK HERE you will be taken away to a photo album of the event. Please close album window to return here.
If you click here you will discover the Tens Results Sheet.

Dave Massen	John Leach	Kieran Leach

Remember July? quite warm, 30C+, not a lorra wind and a few rays of sunshine on a number of days--- about 30. Guess what? it's not July anymore and this evening we had a light wind (touch of sarcasm here) blowing from the North West at about 30 mph. Any heat in the air was soon whisked away down the bypass, along with the prospect of any fast times. To say it was a grovel back from the Rainford Island would be an understatement, In fact, one spectator thought we all had given up . We hadn't of course, it just looked that way because of the painfully slow progress against the head wind. He would have been more impressed If he had been watching on the other side of the bypass when were scorching along at 35mph+.
Better get back to the nitty gritty of the series.. He's back, rested and in winning form: Arthur blew (pun intended) away the competition finishing with 24:01,a remarkable time on a horrendous night. Who was second??? It was the push chair puller, he was a puller and not a pusher because it's impossible to push a push chair containing a 2 stone child through the soft sand of a Welsh beach.
Dave thought it would be good training to pull the push chair through the sand.
He didn't quite get the result he was expecting(24:24): with only two ten's remaining he's trailing Arthur by 1 point. John Leach , perhaps still experiencing the effects from a fast 100 mile Time Trial on Sunday, finished a good third with 24:41. Paul,(25:14) also back and feeling fitter after spending some time in France racing up mountains trying to emulate the riders in the Tour de France.
Keith, 26:30 and Steve following strongly and not losing much time from last week with 26:51.
If you CLICK HERE you will be gale forced to the results page
Photos here taken by Keith LInge, the guy with a brand new bus pass.
Happy Birthday Keith!!!
CLICK here for the Photo Album please close album window to return here

Bo Dangle	Pushy-Pully	Hen

The competition for the ten's series prizes is sizzling, not like the continuing miserable August weather. Arthur and Dave are equal on points and with one more ten to go just a single point is needed by either to claim the title. Third place is also hotly contested between the Leach dynasty, but while John's away, little John (Kieran) stole the points, bringing them equal going into the final race next week.
A fast night, although it was very wet for the the last 10 riders the wind had dropped a little allowing the tail enders to take advantage of the changing conditions. Talking about tail enders... Mr Massen managed to tag on as last man off after he punctured shortly before his allotted slot.
A very quick change and another quick buff of his helmet, he was away, scorching to victory with 23:10. Arthur, also giving it everything but at the finish was seconds behind with 23:19 and his slender one point lead in the series had now gone..
Considering the wet conditions and the extra care needed in negotiating the Islands and bends the 8 Phoenix riders riders put in some excellent times.
Thanks to the marshals, braving the rain to warn, guide and encourage us around the course. Thanks to Keith for the underwater shots...A few are below.
Check the results page for the results...
Check the photo album for photos... Close album window to return here

Dave	Arthur	Kieran

The final ten of the series was a bit of a damp squid. It was billed as the clash of the year but it turned out to be the flop of the year. Let down by miserable weather, the safer option not to ride was taken by our two top gladiators, Dave Massen and Arthur WInstanley. Both riders would have given 110% this evening to gain perhaps only one second but with the wet and slippery road surfaces it was just too risky so they both agreed to call it a day.
Having done all the work throughout the season and still on level points it was appropriate for the tens victory to be shared. Well done to both Dave and Arthur.
Only four riders on what turned out to be bit of a floater : no wind and the road starting to dry. There was plenty of clear fresh air to gasp. Gasp we all did when we saw Terry's time of
23 54, what a ride, easily a PB by a mile. Maybe if was the new super slim tyres that helped, or it could have been a boost from a BOOST drink., (contents to be analysed by the French anti-doping squad and no doubt they will find every illegal substance know to man, but in reality it was only fizzy drink).
Well done Terry.
Other three riders, Kieran 24:41, Keith 25:03 and Steve 26:18.
The final (unofficial) result of the tens series:-
Dave Massen, Arthur Winstanley Joint 1st with 158 points
Kieran Leach 3rd with 149 points
John Leach 4th with 147 points
Terry Phillips 5th with 138 points
Keith Williams 6th with 127 points
Paul Appleyard 7th with 120 points
Steve Doherty 8th with 117 points
John Hampson 9th with 100 points
click here for the results table
click here for the photo album. Close album window to return here
Terry deserves to be in yellow for his storming performance,
click on photo below for larger view.

Terry in yellow

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