The consensus was that it was a tougher ride this year than last; the weather man provided a reason: a breeze that began moderately fresh from ESE, relaxed a little as it moved dead Easterly and freshened. But the temperature remained OK. About 25% of riders returned with PBs this year (46% last year). Denny Teede and Deb Visentin travelled up together from Bunbury and returned, each with a PB; more or less the same size. They've each been collecting quite a few PBs over Summer through the SWCC evening TT series. Maybe it's habit-forming although this time Deb also had a Gold medal to her credit for the best time based on Standards. Only a handful of seconds behind Deb on Standard was coach Lorraine and making up a women's 'triumvirate' in the Masters division was Jenny Sammons. We understand now why Robin Warrington was so concerned when he got his race entry in only just before registrations closed last week, thinking he might have left it too late: he had a mission, a nine minute mission, it turned out; finishing well clear at the head of the PBs table.

Trent Derecourt had Matt Illingworth in his sights at the start but almost certainly not by the end of the first lap. Nevertheless the knowledge of having the man up front and possibly, conversely, the young bloke behind may well have contributed to a couple of course records. Similarly Nigel knew he had a job ahead of him today with the competition from Michael Taylor from Victoria. But well before the end of the first lap he had put any lingering fears to rest by catching all the other Hand-cyclists and was left with nothing else but to fly through the second lap to a PB and course record. It is probably a tad unfair to constantly presume that Emma is going to take the honours in our events. But she doesn't disappoint us and does great service to those World Champion stripes when she gets the opportunity to show them off. It's amazing to see her ride and demonstrate the talent that earned her those colours. Good luck for the season ahead Emma! Of course she is also well-aware of the local talent and young Jess Allen has plenty of that as we know with medals to show for it; as does the third placed rider amongst the girls today, Claire McLean. Both Logan Calder and Matt Dec have earned their medals with some serious dedication to the season's TTs and it's not over yet…

Hal Burdon is stilll on track to be the first man to ride in a Championship event in his 90th year despite being forced to abandon today's ride by the puncture gremlins. He finished the four laps today even though the last stretch was on foot. Two more years to achieve his aim but, I suspect he won't be hanging up his wheels then. He has a growing contingent of riders seventy-plus-years snapping at his pedals.

All this achievement today was made possible by an amazing team of helpers, starting before dawn in Wandi for Susie and Lorraine who then each managed to get in a ride before returning to duties such as 'commissairing', looking to the welfare of the workers out on the course and a dozen other jobs. Looking after life around 'the desk' were Karen Pimm, Katie Lewis and Annie Geneve; The start was again in the hands of Pimmie assisted this time by Neilly and James Wallace; out on the course were the blokes from WARP on the difficult turn in to Rowley Rd; the roundabout at the other end of the Rowley sprint was manned by Paul Lavery while Phil Gyford managed the turn from Lyon into DeHaer; keeping things clear around the driveway into the Community Centre was John Ferguson. Joel McKenzie and his team from WheelChair Sports sorted out the Hand-cyclists.
Individually and collectively it was a superb bunch of people.