2025 Wessex Recorder's Report

WESSEX GROUP RECORDER REPORT 2025

Wessex have had a very successful 2025, it is good to see some new names on some of our trophies. 

Star of the year has to be Sarah Matthews, who won the VTTA National 3-distance competition, as well as gaining National Age records at 25 and 50 miles (amongst many other achievements).

Also Lee Williams (FTP Race Team) our VTTA National 24hr champion, Sid Hygate who became the oldest person ever to ride a 24hr event (and became a TV Star along the way!) 

And our perennial stars Mary Corbett and Norman Harvey, National 12hr tandem champions and continuing to break age records and age barriers (to the extent that A.A.T’s are not available for more than 100 miles for their combined age of 160 years!) 

National season-long competitions

National BAR - four qualifiers, Peter Tomlin 6th, Lee Williams 7th. Christina Murray (2nd woman) & Christian Geldard.  Wessex were 3rd group. 

Sarah Matthews won the  3-distance competition,   Wessex were 2nd group. 

In the Short-distance we had 15 Wessex qualifiers, led by Sarah in 8th position (3rd woman). 

VTTA National championships

Lee Williams (FTP Race Team) VTTA National 24hr champion - 536.37 miles (536.37)

Wessex are team champions - Lee Williams, Sid Hygate, Chris Hopkinson.  (1518.60 miles A.A.T.) 

Mary Corbett and Norman Harvey National 12hr tandem champions - 174.66 miles actual.

In the VTTA Closed Circuit Age Group Championship (South), Wessex group (and..a3crg!) made a clean sweep of the podium in the Female Time Trial Bike event with Sarah Matthews, Gemma Dobson and Lucy Mitchell, with Kym Harvey fourth. 

Andy Langdown (..a3crg) was second in the Open Time Trial bike Category

Wessex competitions

The Wessex BAR is Peter Tomlin, average speed 23.83 mph(28.098 Age Adjusted Speed) 

2nd Lee Williams, Being a mere youngster of 40, he gets no age allowance so his age adjusted speed is the same as his actual average speed - 27.865 mph. 

3rd is Christina Murray (24.3 mph) (27.533 Age Adjusted speed) 

Our Women’s BAR over 10, 25 and 50 mph is Sarah Matthews - 2:37:11

2nd Claire Emons - 2:48:44

3rd Christina Murray - 2:51:41

4th Michelle Lindley - 3:02:50

All four of these made the top 10 of the CTT National BAR. 

Wessex Short Distance Competition - over 2X10, 2X25, 1X50 

1st Sarah Matthews - Aggregate A.A.T 3:41:29

2nd Peter Tomlin - 3:54:00

3rd Peter Younghusband 4:00:27

VTTA National records

Brian Hygate (87) 24hr -258.61 miles. 12hr 169.33 miles. 

Sarah Matthews (65) 50-mile - 2:01:19, 25-mile 55:29.

Mary Corbett and Norman Harvey set new Tandem trike records at 7 distances including 12hrs. 

Group records (8 women, 10 men, 7 mixed tandems)

Mary Corbett and Norman Harvey 7

Sarah Matthews 6

Brian ‘Sid’ Hygate 3

Claire Emons 2

Howard Bayley 2

Group Championships

25 Mile - Poole Wheelers (P413/25) - 11th May 2025

Group Champion - Howard Bayley  |  ...a3crg  51:00  (49:26)

2nd Paul Jones  |  Primera-Teamjobs  52:42 (50:08)

3rd Peter Tomlin  |  North Hampshire RC 58:55  (51:00)

Tandem Champions - Mary Corbett & Norman Harvey 1:15:57 (48:58)

50 Mile - Wessex Road Club (P417) - 1st June 2025

Group Champion   Malcolm Cox  Velo Club St Raphael  01:54:33 (1:46:24)

2nd  Paul Jones   Primera-Teamjobs 01:52:48 (1:47:19)

3rd   Eamonn Deane  Bournemouth Jubilee Whs 02:03:37 (1:48:39)

15 Mile - Newbury Velo (H15/3)- 24th August 2025

Group Champion Sarah Matthews ..a3crg, 34.52 (27.39)  

2nd Paul Jones 30.48 (29.18), 

3rd  Daniel Legg 31:54 (AAT 30.14).  

Team North Hampshire Road Club -Daniel Legg, Peter Tomlin, Stu Carver,

Tandem champions: Mary Corbett and Norman Harvey 44:20 (28:21)

10 Mile - Sotonia CC (P612) - 21st September 2025

Group Champion  Paul Jones (Primera-TeamJobs) 19:53(18:54). 

2nd Chris Murray, 21:56 (19:11)

3rd Claire Emons. 23:04 (19:46)

Team ..a3crg Claire Emons, Simon Craig-Mcfeely, Mike Boyce.

Standards

18 members achieved 40 standard awards between them. 

Lee Williams achieved an excellent full set of eight standard awards. Peter Tomlin achieved 4, with Lucy Mitchell and Stu Carver achieving 3 each.

Congratulations to all our award-winners. 

Claire Newman

Wessex VTTA Group Recorder