Colin Ward and Lisa Davis were fastest male and female riders respectively at the Sussex CA 30-Mile Championship near Ashington on Sunday morning.

In-form Ward, 40 and from Basildon, covered the G30/91 course in a new course record time of 1-02-49 to take victory by 1-37 from his nearest rival, South Downs Bikes rider Simon McNamara. The final spot on the podium went to Nik Allen (Worthing Excelsior CC) who was around three and a half minutes further back.

Heathfield-based Davis clocked 1-19-04 to win the women’s prize. The 43-year-old Lewes Wanderers CC rider is no stranger to victory this season, having also won the East Sussex CA 50 and Southborough and District Wheelers 25 back in June, while she has featured on the podium in many other events through 2018.

Ward’s victory is the latest in a string of good results. He won last weekend’s Colchester Rovers CC 38.6-mile event, as well as the Southend Wheelers 50 at the start of the month.

He was also victorious in the Essex Roads CC 10.3 in June, as well as the Eastern Counties CA 10 in May.

The event was the sixth annual 30-mile championship and took place in challenging wet conditions. A field of 45 riders was whittled down to 30 starters, of which 28 finished.

Temperatures of 18 degrees and light rain greeted riders at the start, but the temperature dropped and lashing rain was driven by 20mph winds at the participants.

As well as Ward’s course record, there was a new championship record in the team category from South Downs Bikes. The trio of Simon McNamara, Kevin Plummer and Andy Tedd combined for a time of 3-24-48 to take 2-59 off the old record.

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Results:

1             Colin Ward                          Essex Roads CC                                                       1              02           49

2              Simon McNamara            South Downs Bikes                                                 1              04           26

3              Nik Allen                              Worthing Excelsior CC                                           1              08           03

4              Mark Smith                         Crawley Whs.                                                          1              08           15

5              Kevin Plummer                 South Downs Bikes                                                 1              09           45

6              Dale Lush                             Kingston Phoenix RC                                            1              09           50

7              Gavin Ash                            Worthing Excelsior CC                                          1              10           02

8              Andy Tedd                          South Downs Bikes                                                 1              10           37

9              Brett Davis                          Lewes Wanderers CC                                            1              10           41

10           Tony Reeves                      GS Stella                                                                    1              12           40

1st Team – South Downs Bikes, Simon McNamara, Kevin Plummer, Andy Tedd,     3              24           48

                                Championship record.

1st Woman – Lisa Davis  Lewes Wanderers CC                                                              1              19           04