Bowditch leaves records trailing in her wake

ANN BOWDITCH broke two records in three days over the weekend. She followed up her 1min. 54sec. climb of the Pleinmont hill by blitzing her previous standard in the Guernsey Velo Club's 50-mile time trial held over the Cobo course.

Last year she set a record of 2hr 9min. 4sec., but this time around conditions were far from perfect with a strengthening south-westerly wind, although the roads were dry and warm.

But given her recent form, hopes were high that Bowditch could produce a better time.

Pacing is crucial in such a long event and with the Sarnian keen to hold a little in the tank for the second half, she was pleasantly surprised to pass the 23.5-mile mark in only 59min. 25sec.

Although the wind continued to strengthen, Bowditch did not slow and went through 39.5 miles in 1-39-16.

The final leg up to Pleinmont was the toughest with a force 4-5 head wind, but she remained strong and finished with an outstanding new record of 2-05-45, knocking more than three minutes off her previous mark.

In the same event, Aaron Bailey stormed to success in an impressive personal best time of 1-57-40 and said he could have gone more quickly.

'From the start, my heart-rate monitor packed up. I had no heart readings or speed information so I had to ride the entire race on feel,' he said. 'I totally blew in the last five miles.'

Graham Le Maitre was the only other rider to break two hours as he claimed second ahead of Mike Dean.

Stuart Le Tissier and Dave Gallienne sandwiched fifth-placed Bowditch with Tim Holmes seventh followed by superveteran Allan Renyard.

Caroline Wickham and Dave Lancaster completed the top 10.