Gemma Frost and Tom Hutchinson were in great form winning the South Shields Velo 50 which incorporated the Northumberland & Durham Cycling Association’s 50-mile Championship on Sunday morning.

Tom Hutchinson (Team Kirkley Cycles) continued his impressive form to take yet another victory this season, and in dominant fashion. He halted the timekeepers’ watches on 1-49-27 to take the event win by nearly two minutes.

“Before the race, I really wasn’t sure which way it would go. I haven’t been able to get any longer rides in recently due to injury, but I think I paced the first lap well and was able to step it up a little for the second lap,” said Hutchinson.

“It would have been interesting to see where Lewis Timmins finished today, if it hadn’t had been for his puncture.”

Graham Crammond (Team Swift) couldn’t make it consecutive event wins and had to settle for second in 1-51-21.

David Nearney gave host club South Shields Velo CC their highest placing of the day after finishing third. The soon to be 28-year-old finished in 1-54-06.

Gemma Frost (Team Swift) was in sensational form and broke her own course record along the way to winning the 50-mile event.

Frost has won here in the two previous seasons, and she set a new course record time of 2-05-12 in her title defence last year. This time around, she proceeded to smash the time by a further one minute and forty seconds, setting a new benchmark to 2-03-32.

“I really wanted this win today, not only because I have won it the previous two years, but I wanted to ensure maximum points for our Regional BAR.  I really went for it and was happy to beat the previous course record which I’d set.” said Frost.

Venda Louise Pollock (Blaydon CC) finished behind Frost in second with a time of 2-08-08 while Joanne Rea completed the major placings with her time of 2-11-03 good enough for third.

In other categories, Philip Kennell (GS Metro) was top veteran on standard finishing +23-21 with 1-56-55 while Jon Bayley (Reifen Racing) and Tracey Sample (Breeze Bikes RT) were fastest riders on road bikes.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Jack Cudworth.

Results:

1. Tom Hutchinson (Team Kirkley Cycles)   1:49.27

2. Graham Crammond (Team Swift) 1:51.21

3. David Nearney (South Shields Velo CC)   1:54.06

4. Jay Pitt (Derwentside CC)  1:55.44

5. Nicholas Stevenson (Wearside Triathlon)  1:56.21

6. Philip Kennell (GS Metro) 1:56.55

7. Ben Lane (GS Metro)         1:57.12

8. Phil Hall (Breeze Bikes RT)           1:58.04

9. Shaun Brannan (Muckle CC)         1:58.08

10. Greg Charlton (Muckle CC)         1:59.31

Women:

1. Gemma Frost (Team Swift)           2:03.32

2. Venda Louise Pollock (Blaydon CC)         2:08.08

3. Joanne Rea (Blaydon CC)  2:11.03