RTTC 2016 CHAMPIONSHIPS KICK OFF

Into what we hope is the start of the Summer months this weekend sees the first of the 2016 RTTC National Championships, the Team Time Trial. A good entry sees 47 teams taking part in the Championship promoted by the Mid Devon CC at Hatherleigh in Devon.

SSLL GO FOR TITLE

Last year it was Team Swift's Alastair Wareham, Andy Jackson and Simon Beldon who took the championship ahead of Fibrax-Wrexham RC's David Crawley, Chris Edmondson and David Williams and Banks-Catford CC Equipe's Lawrence Carpenter, Henry Latimer and Chistopher Fennell. Jackson and Wareham return this time to defend their title with Jonathan Wears in the new colours of SSLL Racing Team and are last away of the teams.

GULLEN LEADS CHALLENGE

Main challengers should be experienced roadmen of Pedal Heaven, led by James Gullen, recent winner of a stage of the An Post Ras, the two Team Bottrill squads, one of John Dewey, Jonathan Parker and Matthew Smith the other with George Evans, James Perkins and Sean Vincent and the on-form trio from the Fareham Wheelers, Gary Chambers, James Copeland and Paul Ashley.

MILITARY BATTLE

There is a strong military presence this year with the Royal Navy & Royal Marines CA fielding eight teams, one of them women, while the Royal Air Force have three squads in the line and the Army CU one. Five women's teams are listed with TORQ Performance's Janet Birkmyre, multi-Masters World Track Champion, Madeline Moore and Melanie Sneddon and Chester RC's Jill Wilkinson, Rebecca Holland and Gina Riley looking for medals. 

SOUTH WEST WELL REPRESENTED

With the event taking place in Devon there is a strong West Country entry, including the Mid Devon CC, St Austell Wheelers and the Exeter Wheelers.All this takes place on Sunday, the first team off at 10.02am the last, SSLL RT, at 12.21pm. The course is two laps of a Hatherleigh-Beara Cross-Dunsland Cross-Halwill Junction circuit for a grand total of 32.6 miles. Headquarters are at Hatherleigh Community Centre, Bowling Green Lane, EX20 3HB.