Kate Allan (Drag2Zero) and George Fox (Team Bottrill-HSS Hire) were fastest woman and man respectively in the Frank and Joy Sheppard Memorial 10, staged in Northamptonshire by the Kettering CC.

Allan, the 32-year-old from Maidenhead, clocked 23-14 to win by more than two and a half minutes, while Fox was just seven seconds ahead of runner-up and team-mate Brett Harwood, the pair clocking 20-39 and 20-46 respectively.

The event was the 22nd annual memorial event to Joy and Frank Sheppard, who were both prolific and talented riders in the area. Members of many local clubs over time, they both rode to a high standard before and after the Second World War and were often seen marshalling at events across the country.

Allan’s victory was just the latest of a string of top performances in 2017. She won this year’s National 50-mile Championship, was second in the National 100, third in the National 10 and fourth in the National 25!

Her time of 23-14 left the others battling for second, and that went to 54-year-old Wendy Gooding (Team Bottrill) with 25-46, while third was Cath Weiss (Baines Racing Silverstone Cycles) who was another 1-04 behind.

Fox led a one-two for Team Bottrill with a time of 20-39, the 24-year-old from Wellingborough beating team-mate Harwood, 41 and from Peterborough, by seven seconds while third spot went to another veteran Colin Sturgess (Metaltek-Kuota), 35 seconds further back.

Harwood was best veteran on standard with a plus of 5-18, just three seconds better than Sturgess, while Mark Jones (Drag2Zero) was third in that category, five minutes up on his age standard and fourth overall with 21-23.

Kettering CC dominated the tandem category, with Adrian Gorham and Sue Rust winning with 25-11, eight seconds quicker than team-mates Marcus Bush and Sian Edwards.

Other events saw event organiser Gavin Hinxman win the trike event in 23-49, while the road bike category was won by Colin Sturgess who rode for a second time just one hour after finishing third in the TT bike category.

He clocked 23-08 to win that category, while Tom Medley (Welland Valley CC) was second with 24-23. Fastest female on a road bike was Wellingborough Cycles’ Caroline Hewitt in 28-29.

And the two-up event was won by Mick Hodson and Paul French of the Bedfordshire Road RT), their time of 22-45 being 14 seconds quicker than runners-up Geoff Reynolds and John Lacey of Hemel Hempstead CC).

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

1. George Fox (Team Bottrill-HSS Hire)        20.39

2. Brett Harwood (Team Bottrill)       20.46

3. Colin Sturgess (Metaltek-Kuota)    21.21

4. Mark Jones (Drag2Zero)     21.23

5. Stuart Travis (Team Bottrill)           21.33

Women:

1. Kate Allan (Drag2Zero)      23.14

2. Wendy Gooding (Team Bottrill)    25.46

3. Cath Weiss (Baines Racing Silverstone Cycles)     26.50

Veterans on std:

1. Brett Harwood (Team Bottrill)       +5.18

2. Colin Sturgess (Metaltek-Kuota)    +5.15

3. Mark Jones (Drag2Zero)     +5.00

Tandems: Adrian Gorham & Sue Rust (Kettering CC) 25.11

Road bikes:

1. Colin Sturgess (Metaltek Kuota) 23.08

2. Tom Medley (Welland Valley CC) 24.23

3. Nathan Joyce (Rockingham Forest Whlrs) 24.39

4. Dan Marron (Shutt velo) 24.52

5. Mark Hancock (Rockingham Forst Whlrs) 25.17

Women (Road bikes):

1. Caroline Hewitt (Wellingborough Cycles) 28.29

2. Steph Russell (Wellingborough Cycles) 31.44

3. Jacqui Ward (Kettering CC) 40.03

Road Vet on standard: Colin Sturgess +3.28

Road bike (novice): Jez Morris (Kettering CC) 27.10

Two-up:

1. Mick Hodson & Paul French (Bedfordshire Road RT) 22.45

2. Geoff Reynolds & John Lacey (Hemel Hempstead) 22.59

3. Paul Hardy & Paul Southern (Wellingborough Cycles) 23.25

Two-up (mixed): Stu Wright (Carnac-Planet X) & Cath Weiss (Baines RT) 25.05

Fastest Team of 7 (any solo events): Hinxman, Jon Simpkins, Paul Welsby, Richard Harrison, Henry Sleight, Kate Allen, Mark Jones 2-41-39.