PTW

Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze - Race Time Temp 21°C

Step away from the paddling pool and put away your ice-pack gillets because global warming is now officially over and Trump was right all along. In terms of temperature and windspeed it's a very reasonable forecast although I accept that many, including me, are feeling a bit wiped out after the heat and sleepness nights.

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).

G'day!

There were some good rides last night with a few SB's and at least one PB and we rolled back the years to welcome Phil 'Boomerang' Jones from Oz (he keeps coming back).

A slightly reluctant John Deeley got us underway riding his Swiss Army Knife of a commuter bike and returned a respectable ride after a long day at work and a long ride home. As always, Gavin was on his road bike and got pretty close to his SB as did Stephen Morgan. Emma Davies and Diane Wilson-Evans have been close on SB this year and that close margin remained intact with the 'Pocket Rocket' from Gowerton just edging it over the 'Porthcawl Powerhouse' (nurse, my medicene please). I think I got Phil Jones' position on the starting order just about right and he was quite happy with his return to the R10/22 which might well have had a different start and finish in the mid-noughties when he last rode it. Only one rider passed Phil and that was Clinton Evans who was desperately unlucky to only equal his SB with a 21:55 to finish 3rd. Well done Clinton and enjoy your hols!

Rob Lucas rode well to get within 7 seconds of his SB but John Shehan got a couple of seconds closer still to his SB and took the septuagenarian win! In between them was Matt Jones who had the triple handicap of riding a new TT bike with a bad back and recovering from the dreaded lurgy - crikey Matt, it's a wonder you got around! Curtis Stacey chipped a useful 13 seconds off his SB and nabbed another three points in the road bike competition but the road bike win on the night was taken by Graham Rogerson with a 23:34. With his two previous rides being on the '13' and last week on a road bike, Steve Holloway recorded a proper benchmark ride on the dual with an excellent 22:21 to finish 5th which lifts him out of midfield and also gives him a later start time in future weeks! Mike Broadbent is steadily getting closer to where he was earlier this season and his 24:13 was almost a minute quicker than last week. Well done Mike.

Mark Stacey's return to racing continues with a 35 second beating of his SB and his 23:18 was good enough for 6th and also gives Mark the midfield win. It also makes a '22' for Mark a very real prospect on that float night that I keep promising you all. Stephan Wilcox trimmed 4 seconds off his SB to record a new PB of 23:40 - you've come a long way Steph! David Wilson-Evans was 7th on the night and was just 2 seconds away from a new SB. A steadily improving Neil Gregory took 14 seconds off his SB (on a night went most went backwards) and his 22:03 was good enough for 4th place. With Clinton having already taken 3rd place then our top two positions had a familiar look with Mike Hall taking 2nd with a 21:44 (35 seconds down on SB) and Neil Seaward taking the win with a 21:32 (28 seconds down on SB). Well done Neil.

Alfie's MOTM is a tricky one with great rides by Mark Stacey and Stephan Wilcox firmly in the mix alongside Clinton's metronomic consistency and the sight of seeing Phil Jones with a race number on! But, after deep thought and a chocolate hob-nob, I'm awarding it to Neil Gregory for taking 14 seconds off his SB whilst others around him on the start line went backwards. Well done Neil - a '21' is there for the taking mate!

Thanks to Dai for time-keeping, Will for the whistles and to JD and Joan for covering the turn (aka date night).