Double delight for Ilkley's Hallworth (From Ilkley Gazette)

Hallworth's double triumph crowns bumper weekend for Ilkley

8:35am Thursday 21st March 2013 in Sport

Ben Hallworth produced two fantastic winning rides as Ilkley Cycling Club enjoyed a host of successes.

With Katherine Church taking first lady in a Yorkshire event and the club members taking top ten places and winning team awards, it proved to be one of the best weekend’s in the club’s short history. On Saturday Hallworth competed in the Highfield Kitchens Spring Shield Circuit Race at Hetton-le-hole.

On a damp and cold morning the riders competed in an 18-lap race of the closed circuit course near Sunderland.

After only three laps Hallworth made his move and quickly gained a decent gap on the chasing bunch.

This was a brave move so early in the race. Many attempts were made by riders in the chasing bunch to bridge the gap to the leader but none could match the speed of Hallworth once he had settled down into his solo effort.

Over the next 14 laps he steadily increased his lead on the bunch. Into the final lap and Hallworth’s lead was up to just over two minutes meaning he had enough time to savour his first win of the 2013 season. Hallworth competed in the Yorkshire Road Club hilly time trial at Addingham on Sunday.

A good number of Ilkley riders took part. Hallworth produced another storming winning ride covering the hilly ten miles in 26mins 24secs.

His efforts were supported by Ewan Farrow taking third place in 26:31 and Ged Millward who was fifth in 26:51.These three rides gave In the Ladies race Church headed the leaderboard with her first solo win of the 2013 season in a time of 30:02.

She was closely supported by Leanne Farrow in 31:44 (2nd Lady), Emily Hallworth in 33:38 (3rd Lady) and Charlotte Cox in 41:04 (6th Lady), as Ilkley took another team prize.

Ilkley results: 1 Ben Hallworth 26:24, 3 Ewan Farrow 26:31, 5 Ged Millward 26:51, 20= Katherine Church 30:02, 23 Paul Di Mambro 30:17, 26 Leanne Farrow 31:44, 29 Jonathan Breen 33:17, 31 Emily Hallworth 33:38, 36 Charlotte Cox 41:04.

On Saturday the Pendle Forest CC prompted their annual classic hilly time trial, the Circuit of Ingleborough.

This classic covers a single loop from Ingleton, Clapham, Bucker Brow, Settle, Ribblehead and back towards Ingleton to finish near the White Scar Caves giving a gruelling 29 mile race.

The wet and cold conditions did not deter Ewan Farrow who covered the course in 1:07:59, for fourth overall.

With excellent support from Dave Kinloch (1:10:49) and Matt Cox (1:19:22) Ilkley again took the team honours. Ilkley results: 4 Ewan Farrow 01:07:59, 10 Dave Kinloch 01:10:49, 34 Matt Cox 01:19:22 , 43 Stuart Hey 01:22:23, 47 Leanne Farrow 01:23:44.

Ged Millward and Dave Leckenby raced in the Hull Thursday 24mile 2-up time trial on Sunday. They worked well together covering the course in 53mins 10 seconds for the fifth best team on the day. The winning time was set by former GB rider John Tanner and Nigel Haig (Strategic Lions) in 50:15.

Meanwhile over in Lancashire, Ilkley had riders in two events.

Rob Ormrod took second place in the Clitheroe TLI RR (Event 3) on Sunday. A break of four went on the first of eight laps and worked well to stayed away all race. One of the riders attacked with a lap to go leaving Ormrod to take the sprint for second place in his first outing of 2013. Neil Rollins completed in the Salt Ayre Circuit race on Saturday over in Lancaster, this 40 minute plus a lap race was run off at a fast frantic speed. Rollins waited until the latter part of the race to make his move.

He gained a gap but the chasing riders, realising the danger, closed the gap resulting in a mass sprint at the end which Rollins took fourth place. Tom Andrews took the oppor- tunity while in Hampshire to complete in the Omega Portsmouth Circuit race on Saturday. This 30 minute plus three-lap race mainly stayed together, several small splits occurred but due to the exposed course the wind made it very difficult for the smaller groups to stay away from the bunch. On the last lap Andrews attacked and three other riders joined him.

All four worked well together as they quickly realised the chasing bunch was trying to coordinated their efforts to bring them back.

In a sprint for the win Andrews was edged out to fourth place.