PTW

Sunny intervals and a light winds - Race Time Temp 19°C

It's the last of our quartet of July 10's on the dual and whilst the forecast temperature looks a bit cool the forecast wind speed looks quite encouraging at just 6mph. But there still 36 hours to go so fingers are crossed for a good times on the night. An early reminder that next week is our final '13' of the season and gives you a chance to set a new PB on that course.

Anyway, here are the essentials;

1. We meet up at the Neath Canal Car Park in Resolven for signing on from about 18.00hrs and closing at 18.45hrs for a prompt 19.00hrs race start.

2. You have to be a member of the PTW or a second-claim member of the PTW. There is no 'single race' fee - you have to join the club as a first-claim or second-claim member.

Course Description

START on the Vale of Neath Supplier Estate service road opposite Lamp Post No. 18. Proceed eastwards along the service road to the Resolven Roundabout (0.458 miles). (Safety Notice:- Do not cross the centre line of the road on the right hand bend). Take the 1st exit left along A465 dual carriageway westbound to the 1st exit left (4.862 miles). Continue up the loop to the small Tonna Roundabout where take the 1st exit to the large Aberdulais Interchange. Take the 4th exit (5.505 miles) to proceed down the slip road to re-join A465 dual carriageway. Proceed eastbound to the Resolven Roundabout where take 1st exit left to FINISH at the access road to the Canal Car Park on the cross-valley link road (10.006 miles).

[/url[url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/189121067@N05/]

Well, I think I've finally delivered the perfect night for racing that I'm contractually obliged to supply to you at least once a year. But with a completely flat wind that wouldn't even ruffle Will's hair then perhaps it wasn't the perfect perfect night but it was good enough for smiles (almost) all around!

We haven't seen much of Ethan Morgan this summer but he was first rider off and also the first rider back with a 2;20 beasting of his previous SB. Boom! What a start to the evening! We then had Emma Davies powering home with a new PB taking a full 26 seconds off her previous mark. Emma was in the sights of a fast-finishing Romain Sacre who was making his PTW debut on a road bike and setting a good benchmark ride for himself of 24:50. Chapeau Romain! It's not often that you can take 51 seconds off your SB and still be disappointed but that sums up Stephen Morgan's ride but his 26 dead is still a 13 second improvement over last season.

Our 'Saga Set' (John Shehan and Rob Lucas) are having a good old scrap in recent weeks and 'young' Rob Lucas just shaded it this week by taking 39 seconds off his SB whilst John took 11 seconds off - both turning back time by beating their 2021 SB's as well. John Deeley slashed 47 seconds off his SB and his 24:01 put him into the top half of the results board with 7th place. Mike Broadbent is still trying to recapture his early season form and his 24:27 was a bit slower than last week but certainly wasn't helped after a hard day at work. Matt Jones is still on the way back from illness and his early season '23' seems a long way away but he'll get back there I'm sure.

Darrel Williams made his season debut and seemed content with a 22:22 which was good enough for 3rd place and sets a marker for future weeks. Stephan Wilcox has had good momentum in recent weeks after a bit of a mid-season flat spot and his new PB of 23:22 was good enough for 5th place and the midfield win. Well done Steph! Graham Rogerson was, once again, on his road bike and was a bit faster this week to confirm the good conditions. With the road bike points competition looking reasonably secure then perhaps Graham can dust off his TT bike and nab another '21' like last season.

Our fast three had mixed fortunes with Mike Hall having an absolute mare after getting snarled up in the M4 blockage, arriving after sign-on, having clearance issues on his front wheel and all this whilst carrying the scars from his tumble in the Welsh Champs 30 last week. Least said soonest mended. Neil Gregory clipped 17 seconds off his SB to break through the '21' barrier and his 21:46 might well be a PB but certainly gave him 2nd place on the night. Neil Seaward couldn't quite better his early season short '21' but took the win with a 21:15. Well done Neil!

There are so many candidates for Alfie's MOTM that my head is spinning so I'm going to focus on the PB's and for the biggest improvement on PB it goes to Emma 'Aero' Davies aka 'The Porthcawl Powerhouse'. Well done Emma!

Thanks to Dai for time-keeping, Will for the whistles and to Hollie 'Supergirl' Labunsky for marshalling at the turn.