David Halliday (Team Bottrill) and Jan Harvey (Southend Wheelers) were fastest male and female riders respectively at the Southend Wheelers 50-mile time trial on a new course in Essex.

38-year-old Halliday covered the distance in 1-51-26 to lay down a new course record and take the win on the day by almost four minutes from the promoting club’s Henry Okill in 1-55-18, while third spot went to Essex Roads CC rider Graeme Garner in 1-58-20 – although that included a late start penalty of 1-10.

Harvey’s time was 2-15-31, the 53-year-old taking the women’s prize by almost 20 minutes from Crest CC veteran Sue Rogers.

The E9/50 near Chelmsford covers two laps of the E9/25 course but also features different start and finish points. It is hoped that this course will be used for next season’s National Championship.

Conditions for this event were good with very little wind and sunshine, although it felt a little chilly early on. The course is lumpier than it may first appear, and with winds rising as the event went on the second half of the event proved tough.

This was Halliday’s first open time trial victory of the season so far, although he placed second in the West Suffolk Wheelers and Tri Club 21-mile event back in March and took third in both the Easterley RC 15 in April and the VC Baracchi 10 in May.

He is next due to be in action at the East Anglia VTTA midweek 10 on Wednesday, while he has also entered the Essex Roads CC 25 and Shaftesbury CC 50 over the next couple of weekends.

Jan Harvey’s victory in the women’s category was her first win so far this season, having placed second in the Maldon & District CC 50 last month and third in the Maldon and District CC 10 and 25-mile events in June and May respectively.

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

Results:

Men:

1. David Halliday (Team Bottrill)      1:51.26 (course record)

2. Henry Okill (Southend Wheelers)  1:55.18

3. Graeme Garner (Essex Roads CC) 1:58.20

4. Thomas Willan (East London Velo)           2:00.35

5. Adrian Tovey (Maldon & Dist CC)           2:05.15

6. Paul Turton (Team Vision Racing-Silverhook)      2:09.29

Women:

1. Jan Harvey (Southend Wheelers)    2:15.31

2. Sue Rogers (Crest CC)       2:35.12