18th May 1976

I got home from school with by brother. I can’t remember what we had for tea but by 6pm we were off riding through Mitcham following the A217 all the way to Woodhatch just south of Reigate. Turing left at the lights we rode the short distance to Earlsfield Lakes; the HQ of the evening 10 course G615. This was my first ever time trial after only having been in the club for eight weeks and I was still twelve days short of my 14th birthday.

As I sat on the line waiting to be pushed off I remembered my brother’s advice of going no lower than the 17 sprocket. I was on my first ever bike, the CPAPT WOCCE, a Russian bike that Tony Mills had got from somewhere. It cost £45 and had virtually all steel components including the 51/47 chainset and the 13,15,17,19,21 block. The course ran from Salfords on the A23 to Chequers RAB where it joined the B2036 to the turn. Then back the same way before forking off up Schoolhouse Hill to finish by the lake.

I set off and just rode as hard as I could: no science involved at all. Colin Glanville caught me just before the turn at Burstow Corner, gave some encouragement, and rode away from me. no one else caught me and as I struggled up Schoolhouse Hill I was almost spent and was glad that the last mile or so was downhill/ flat. I recorded 27:42.
The full result was: Dave Morris 23:54; My Brother Olly 25:11; Colin Glanville 25:16; Tony Rumbell 26:09; Me 27:42; Simon Daughters 27:37; Paul Waters 32:35.

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