Cycling - Parkinson sets scintillating 100-mile record in Lakes (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cycling - Parkinson sets scintillating 100-mile record in Lakes

1:41pm Thursday 30th June 2011 in Sport

CLEVELEYS cyclist Derek Parkinson splashed his way to the second fastest 100 miles in Britain so far this year when he shattered the North Lancs Time Trials Association record in Cumbria on Saturday.

Riding in continuous rain, Parkinson covered four laps of the Cockermouth to Keswick 25 course in a staggering 3hrs 37mins 17secs (faster than 54-30 for each 25) to win by more than 20 minutes from Preston CC’s Julian Markham, with comeback-man Jon Evans (Barrow Central Wheelers) third in 4-08-15.

Windermere rider Carlo Berton (Border City Wheelers) was a solid fourth in 4-09-38 while Kent Valley Road Club’s Tim Bennett also had an inspired ride in 13th place with 4-20-48. Organiser on the day was Lancaster CC’s Phil Shaw, from Yealand, and he was 17th with 4-24-03.

Kent Valley’s latest midweek 10, on Levens, attracted a host of guests in search of speedy times but yet another breezy evening thwarted all but the best. Windermere’s Kieren Banlin (Biketreks RT) was fastest in 20-31 from Cleveleys’ Mike Smith on 20-49 and Border City’s Howard Cain on 21-18.

The Kent Valley contingent was led by Andrew Barlow with 22-24 ahead of Steve Hodgson 22-50; Glenn Howarth 23-00; Tom Gibson 23-09; Tim Bennett 23-19; Luke Osborne 23-21; Dave Wilkinson 23-30 and Stuart Mounsey 23-37. Fastest woman was Ann Nicholson on 28-11.

Kendal Rotary Club and the Kent Valley are staging their annual Three Counties Challenge sportive rides from Dallam School, Milnthorpe, this coming Sunday. Riders can start between 6.30am and 8.30am and the testing long route covers 109 miles with a shorter route of 60 miles, through scenic Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire. All profits are for charity.