Hoping to enter this event (if they allow retired Employees from Police )
Sam representing the Fire bell Club he's a good un
how about Ding for the ladies ..

billsy wrote:It's not Staffs Dave, It's The National Fire/Police Champs!!

Hell Sam , Y mean that I got a National medal in the last one I rode - Winner

Entry in the post ..

Fire Service
1 Ian Sim – Strathclyde
2 Paul Trueman (V) – Merseyside
3 Phil Blacker (V) – Hereford & Worcester
4 Chris RainFord (V) – GMC
5 Mike Piper – Kent
6 Andy Bennett (V) – Merseyside
7 Stuart Percival – GMC
8 Anthony McGouran (V) – Cleveland
9 Simon Bills (V) – Staffs
10 Neil Mercer (V) – GMC
11 Gianfranco Bianchini – Strathclyde
12 Duff Fawcett (V) – Merseyside
13 Andy Perry – Avon
14 Andy Smith (V) – Wilts
15 Richard Burnicle(V) – Cleveland

Police Service
16 Barrie McGregor (V) – South Wales
17 Justin Lott – South Wales
18 Matthew Downs – West Mids
19 Lee Plant – West Mids
20 Richard Matthews – Met
21 Glenn Carr (V) – Met
22 Daniel Smith (V) – Met
23 Vince Page (V) – West Mids
24 James Conway (V) – Met
25 Ian Treadwell (V) – West Mids
26 Chris Davis (V) – Avon and Somerset
27 Roger Jackman (V) – Met
28 Alan Davies (V) – Staffs
29 Carl Robinson (V) – Staffs
30 Mick Lenehan (V) – West Mids
31 Chris Booker – West Yorks
32 Paul Stockwell (V) – West Yorks
33 Stuart Bannister – West Yorks
34 David Farmer (V) – Staffs
35 Christopher Cummings South Wales
36 David Baker (V) – Met
37 Michael Horsman (V) – Glos
38 Steve Hutley (V) – Essex
39 Roy Jones (V) – Glos
40 Neil Richards (V) – South Wales
41 Nicholas Mawson – Wilts
42 Claire Smith (W) – Wilts
43 Kirsty Bishop (W) – Thames Valley
Prison Service
44 Danny Clark (V) – Kent
Ambulance Service
45 Chris Roxburgh – Great Western Ambulance Service

Race Report
Sam's the Man after nearly comming a cropper in a pile up but managed to get back on a fast moving group,recover, and later bridge a small break who eventually got bought back and still found enough in the tank to get away in a small break to finish 7th overall and 2nd Vet in his catagory

Sam was more nervous than me prior to the start I guess by checking the rankings of some of the riders who were 1st 2nd cats, however this was soon forgotten as the race sped away without a neauteriised zone. A lone rider from the GB FIRE SERVICE Squad failed after 5 miles into the race with bike problems but he quickley got back in the bunch but he never really got another chance to get a lone break.

The course didn't really have a major climb and the only climb it had wasn't one to catch a none climber out but gradual wearing down process was taking it's toll of a 6.5 lap circuit and guys having punctures..
It was on Lap 4 that a pile up saw 5 riders come down and both me and Sam managed to stay
upright although I wasn't to know if Sam had come down until later and saw him and another guy chasing the bunch and re-joining the peloton..

Lap 5 and things wern't looking good for me when I was well blocked in and a few gys
made a break for it , Sam saw the danger and went over to them , a gap appeared and by the time I sorted a gap out it was too far for me to bridge. It didn't look to be my day
when a further 12 + riders went away and I found myself not having the legs on a draggy
section of the course , I waited to recover and attacked to try to get over to this group chased for 2 miles and couldn't get on. I was later joined by a West Mids Police
rider who worked well with me got within reach and we both blew a gasket and sat up waiting for the rest of the stragglers to join us ..

LAST lAP - 9 OF US 4 miles to go on the only climb saw 2 riders getting dropped and with 7 left and 3 working came within sight of the finish where you had a side headwind
which suited me I fancied my chances in the sprint knowing at least 5 inc a Girl from
the West Mids Police team (who had recently returned from an Iron Man Event held in Australia -and finished - were ALL pretty well knackered ..

The sprint was contested between three of us and a Tractor/Trailer who overtook us at 30mph , I looked to my right to see a guy drafting behind the trailer and another closing up aswell so, I decided to join in only to see a gy taking a flyer overtaking the Tractor and I drifted out and chased him down not knowing a gy was on my back wheel another = finally I Caught and passed the lad in front but got pipped for 2nd on the line...

Not knowing how I finished up in the race it was only at the presentation that I
came 1st in my age Cat overall finish knot known..

Apols sam if the report isn't as it happened in yr race maybe you can add your
comments if y want

Whooooop

Well i hope the org get's you sorted out with a prize Sam - i have put my pressy in my gel box and cereal bar bag

Have a good one on Thursdays Fire Service MTB RACE

nice one boys well done