Scottish National 50 mile TT Championships: Top Step This Time!

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Those of you who have been following Scottish middle distance time trialing in the last few weeks will have seen that Team JMC’s Jon Entwistle has just been getting faster and faster, and breaking course records into the bargain.

But for those of you who haven't, the results of the Scottish National 50 mile TT Championships in Fordoun this weekend (Sunday 10th July) would have been rather impressive!

On the podium at earlier Scottish National events, Entwistle played his cards to perfection and took first place with a stunning time of 1:44:45 in anything but tranquil conditions…and with a ‘mechanical’ to contend with as well.

There was some talk of a possible course record for this brutal course based on Fordoun/Stonehaven/Strathcathro but the font of knowledge that is Jock Shaw reckoned Entwistle would have needed to find a minute to bag that prize.

In the Women’s race, defending champion Catriona Gunn, sporting the new spangly colours of Sandy Wallace Cycles, showed her mastery of this course once again to hand out a near 4-minute beating of the second placed rider Toni McIntosh (Ayr Roads CC).

Travelling up from Glasgow in the early hours, it was a pleasure to see the rain begin to disappear as we rounded Dundee and by the time we’d arrived at Race HQ it was looking quite decent, if quite windy…and it was the wind (as almost always on this course) that was to play a large part in how the race played out. The rain stayed away almost all day only catching the last finishers but by then they were firing home with a tailwind and beyond caring.

First away from the starter was Edinburgh RC’s Jane Emslie and the women were taking a more cautious line around the turn on to the Fettercairn Road. With the wind blowing towards the north the riders had a bit of a battle out towards the dead turn although the rolling nature of this road usually makes things a little easier.

Back onto the dual carriageway and heading for Stonehaven the riders had a strong tailwind but of course this meant that they all knew they would have a long hard slog back down towards Strathcathro and for some, this was their undoing.

Aileen Clyde (Fullarton Wheelers) put in the first quick time with a 2:21:56. Next to go was Edinburgh RC’s Emma Borthwick and although her time of 2:36:54 was some way behind it was good enough to see her pick up two medals…firstly as one half of the Women’s winning team with Jane Emslie and secondly as Junior Champion.

The times were just getting quicker and quicker and Amanda Tweedie (Velocity 44 Stirling) was riding her first 50, having been set a challenge by her coach (a certain Jon Entwistle), and she returned a time of 2:10:40 to see her take the bronze medal.

Remembering last year Toni McIntosh had made sure that she didn’t have to go to work after the race and could forget about last year’s breaking of her collar bone the next morning; so she set about chasing the title and her time of 2:08:03 was looking good…until Catriona Gunn caught her for two minutes and then set about extending that advantage. It was a great ride by McIntosh but there was no containing Gunn today and she was flying, making the Strathcathro turn in 1:39:53 to the Ayr Road rider’s 1:43:33. Coming home in a superb 2:04:15 the title was her’s for a second year.

Starting early, the first significant time, and the first sub 2-hour ride, The Nab’s Peter Anderson posted 1:51:46 and this would keep him in the top spot for 30 minutes until Velocity 44’s Ewan Taylor reduced the target to 1:51:13. In the meantime that stalwart of Scottish Time Trialing David Millar (Scottish Veterans TTA) would post the fastest vet time on standard of 2:00:35.

Taylor would only look after the hot seat for a couple of minutes before Carrick CC’s Kenny Armstrong would take the time below 1:50 with an excellent 1:48:22. He would hang onto the best time for another ten minutes until multi-Scottish champion Chris Smart (GTR), starting relatively early in the field, would post a 1:46:34.

We spoke to Chris after the event and he said the headwind going south was quite odd.

”Coming away from Stonehaven it felt like standing still but then there would be moments when the speed picked up only to drop back again. Once round the final turn at Strathcathro it was just full speed to the finish.”

More riders came close with both Wilson Renwick (Parentini Test Team) and Stephen Williamson (a3crg) getting below 1:50 but it was Jon Entwistle who destroyed the field in a time of 1:44:45.

“Jim Cusick said to me before the start that I wouldn’t catch him until Strathcathro…I managed it before that point only to have my chain drop and, with the elliptical rings, it was impossible to flip it back on. I had to stop and sort it, Jim passed me and then I caught him again so I ended up catching him twice. I’m sure he’ll forgive me. I changed my position recently, putting the saddle back a bit and although this should have meant less power, I actually managed to turn the gear more easily and everything just went quicker.”

It was a superb time and one that defending champion Alan Thomson (Sandy Wallace Cycles) just couldn’t do anything about. His mark of 1:48:07 was have been a winner on many a day but today he was up against two riders in fantastic form. It didn’t stop him picking up two medals though as he took bronze overall and with Kyle Gordon and Stephen Davidson he had a trip back to the podium to collect the Men’s Team prize.

All in all, it was another superb event put on by Mike Spalding of Granite City RT (with the guiding hand of Isobel Smith) and Bob McFarlane of Scottish Cycling paid a moving tribute to our friend and colleague, the late Peter Clark.

A number of today’s riders are now planning their assault on the 100-TT in four week’s time so we’ll see you there. It’s going to be a cracker!

Results:

PRIZES	Rider No	Name	Club	Time
1st O'all	91	Jon Entwistle	Team JMC	01:44:45	SC Champion
2nd O'all	65	Chris Smart	GTR	01:46:34	Silver
3rd O'all	95	Alan Thomson	Sandy Wallace Cycles	01:48:07	Bronze
4th O'all	55	Kenneth Armstrong	Carrick Cycle Club	01:48:22
5th O'all	81	Stephen Williamson	a3crg	01:49:05
6th O'all	71	Wilson Renwick	Parentini Test Team	01:49:08

1st Lady	15	Catriona Gunn	Sandy Wallace Cycles	02:04:15	SC Champion
2nd Lady	13	Toni McIntosh	Ayr Roads Cycling Club	02:08:03	Silver
3rd Lady	11	Amanda Tweedie	Velocity 44 Stirling	02:10:40	Bronze
4th Lady	9	Sonya Drummond	Dundee Thistle RC	02:19:20
5th Lady	3	Aileen Clyde	Fullarton Wheelers	02:21:56
6th Lady	2	Carol Middleton	Ythan CC	02:30:11

Fastest Men's Team (3 of)
	95	Alan Thomson	Sandy Wallace Cycles	01:48:07	SC Champion Team
	75	Kyle Gordon	Sandy Wallace Cycles	01:51:22
	35	Stephen Davidson	Sandy Wallace Cycles	01:57:05
				05:36:34

Fastest Ladies Team (2 of)
	1	Jane Emslie	Edinburgh RC	02:31:23	SC Champion Team
	5	Emma Borthwick	Edinburgh RC	02:36:54
				05:08:17

Fitnut Cup (Fastest Regional Rider)
	85	Philip Kelman	Deeside Thistle CC	01:50:03

Fastest Vet on Standard
	30	David Millar	Scottish Veterans T.T.A.	02:00:35
				+ 00:32:47

Nearest 2hr
	57	Jordan Stronach	Spokes Racing Team	02:00:15

Pos

No.

Name

Club

Cat

Time

Jon Entwistle

Team JMC