VTTA National 100 champs crowned

REPORT: VTTA National 100 Mile Championship

Melton Olympic’s Mick Stevens and Naomi de Pennington (Drag2Zero) were crowned the champions at the VTTA National 100-Mile Championship, which was run off alongside the Anfield BC event on Bank Holiday Monday.
With the VTTA awards being calculated on age-adjusted times (AAT), 48-year-old De Pennington produced an impressive 3-28-51 while 75-year-old Stevens was also outstanding with an AAT of 3-30-58 to ease to victory in the latest VTTA title race.
The Anfield 100 is one of the most historic and prestigious events in UK time trialling. The event was first held incredibly in 1889 (and won in 7:11:00) and apart from breaks due to World Wars continued to 2019.
The club has struggled to run the event in recent years but it started again in 2022 and the VTTA has been pleased to support it as our National Championship this year. VTTA members provided half of the entry of 101 solo riders with eleven Groups represented.
Past winners of the event are a record of time trialling greats – Frank Southall, Bob Maitland, Ray Booty, Roger Iddles, Andy Wilkinson, and Gethin Butler amongst others. The Anfield winner this year was Alexander Royle of Manchester Bicycle Club in 3:43:06, who amazingly had ridden the Hounslow and District Wheelers 100 the day before in a very similar time.  
The first female on actual times was Naomi de Pennington (Drag2Zero) in 3:58:58, the first woman ever to break four hours in the Anfield 100 and an outstanding ride on the day. Naomi rejoined the VTTA last year and clearly will be a force to be reckoned with in our future championships. She also took the opportunity at the event to ask the Chairman to explain to her how she can win standards awards!
Naomi won the VTTA female championship, the gold medal and champion’s jersey, with an age adjusted time (AAT) of 3:28:51. The silver medal went to Christina Murray (Army Cycling) with an AAT of 3:47:06 (actual 4:17:03) and the bronze to the evergreen Kath Smith (Sleaford Wheelers CC and aged 71) whose actual time of 5:14:59 gave her an AAT of 3:52:25.
In the VTTA Open classification another 70+ rider took the gold medal and champion’s jersey, Mick Stevens (Melton Olympic) whose time of 4:32:00 gave him an AAT of 3:30:58 – a clear indication of what a strong ride he did on the day and a follow up to his win in the 30 mile championship last year.
The silver medal was taken by Matthew Uttley (Team Bottrill) with an AAT of 3:36:52 and an actual 3:44:28 which was also the third fastest on the day. The bronze medal went to Peter Younghusband of VTTA Wessex, the 2023 100 mile champion, with an AAT of 3:38:55 (actual 4:01:04).
East Midlands Group continued their run of strong championship performances by taking the Group team award with the three solo medallists of Mick Stevens, Matthew Uttley and Kath Smith. The Club team award went to the local team of Graham Weigh Racing – Deeside Olympic, and its Merseyside Group members of Alan Broadbent, Barry Murphy and Doug Pickering.
Our grateful thanks to Peter Catherall, the event organiser, and his team of helpers and marshals and also to the West Cheshire TTA for their support of the event. Particular thanks also to Phil Guy, Merseyside Group, who did a very long shift at the HQ including working with the Chairman on the results, and to Mandy Squire who also deserved a medal for the quality and quantity of refreshments provided on the day.

Results on Age-Adjusted Times:
Open:
1. Mick Stevens (Melton Olympic CC)    3-30-58
2. Matthew Uttley (Team Bottrill)    3-36-52
3. Peter Younghusband (VTTA Wessex)    3-38-55

Women:
1. Naomi De Pennington (Drag2zero)    3-28-51
2. Chris Murray (Army Cycling)    3-47-06
3. Kathryn Smith (Sleaford Wheelers)    3-52-25
 

Report: Andrew Simpkins

Photos: Kimroy