Decathlon Evening 10 Series by Wrekinsport - Round 5 2020
A truncated Decathlon Evening 10 Series by Wrekinsport came to a conclusion with Chris Halford sealing the Series with a perfect score - the maximum 30 points available across the five rounds; with a dead heat for the overall event win for the second week running. Revolutions Racing 16 year-old Henri Bedford and CC Bridgnorth rider Josh Whitehead both stopped the watch on 21 minutes 7 seconds on The Tiddly triangle circuit with powerful lunges for the finish line ahead of a 35-strong field, with another CC Bridgnorth rider Jonathan Mills-Keeling snaffling third place in an excellent 21:44.
But all eyes were on the battle for Gold as Halford put the finishing touches to that perfect score with a strong ride of 22 minutes exactly. Silver medallist Tomos Hales was out to spoil that finishing flourish having got closer to Halford’s times as the season has progressed, and nearly caused an upset with his closest finish to Halford all season – 22:05.
But these weren’t the only medals up for grabs as Phil Roberts made a last gasp lunge for the Bronze, with his 23:07 effort giving him four points and overhauling Rob Jackson by a solitary point to win that medal, which he stated at the finish line he had his heart set on, but couldn’t be sure if he’d done enough.
It was a last gasp win in the Road Bike Series too as club Junior Jack Inglis took the maximum six points on offer with a fine ride of 26:31 to push Derek Fleming down into the Silver medal slot right at the death, and with Darrell Biddulph just five seconds off Inglis’ pace he hauled himself into the Bronze position. The Road Bike category has been a real feature of the season, with 11 competitors riding with non-aero equipment, with an overall win from Hope Factory Racing’s Max Greensill in a very impressive 22:52.
But the close of the Series saw more medals being settled, with Halford taking a second Gold thanks to his Round 4 effort of 21:09, with Hales again the Silver medallist thanks to that final ride and Adam Mumford taking Bronze in 23:04 set in the same event as Halford’s Gold-medal ride. In the Women’s Bethan Till has hugely improved as the season has progressed and she took Gold as fastest female with a PB 25:51 recorded on the evening, with Liz White gaining Silver in her first appearance in a 10 this year in 28:49. Another feature of the season has been the sheer number of first-time time triallists, and Angela Boycott ended that maiden season with Bronze in 31:19 recorded in Round 4. Meanwhile it was a head-to-head between the club’s two Juniors with Jack Inglis taking Gold in the final event on what was a very fast evening, with Henry Fleming winning Silver.
The Juniors helped themselves to more medals in the Handicap competition which rewards improvement, with Inglis making it a hat-trick of Gold medals whilst Fleming made it a brace of Silver. But if one rider has improved most over the short season it’s Clare O’Donnell, who not only took Women’s Handicap Gold but the Overall Handicap Gold too. There were familiar names in the other medal positions with Derek Fleming taking Overall Handicap Silver and Phil Roberts the Bronze equivalent. Meanwhile Angela Boycott also took home a second medal in a satisfying first season, capturing Women’s Handicap Silver, with Bethan Till taking the Bronze.
