CYCLING: Double delight for Tilly
Tilly Gurney brought home two silver medals from the National Grass Track Championships.
The first race was a heat in the 800 metres in which only the winner went straight into the final at Biggleswade Cricket Club.
Gurney duly avoided having to ride in the repechage which gives the losing riders from all the heats another chance by smoothly moving to the front with about 100 metres to take the win.
The final was set up to be a battle with Jo Smith who had easily won her heat and been the national champion for the last three years.
Smith was just too powerful in the last few metres but it was the closest that Gurney had got to matching her out of the number occasions they have competed.
Gurney also finished second to Smith on the last lap of the ladies’ inaugural 5km National Championship race.
Meanwhile, Neil Palmer represented Spalding in the East District Cycling Association 100-mile time trial.
His time of 3:47:39 beat the club record, set by Matt Stephenson in 1997, by six minutes 16 seconds.
Matt Ellis rode the Junior National Road Race Championships at Witham-on-the-Hill near Bourne on Sunday.
He averaged 26.9mph over six laps of an 11-mile circuit - finishing 23rd.
The midweek riders took a 50-mile trip to Corby Glen and back then a 65-mile round trip via Sudbrook Golf Club north of Belton.
The Saturday club ride featured 15 riders from the age of 10 up to 79 on a 44-mile loop out to the OK Diner near Great Casterton on the A1 and back.