Final race of the Lewes Wanderers season played out at Chailey
The Lewes Wanderers brought their season to a close on Sunday with the Circuit of Chailey, a testing 17.58-mile time-trial that produced close finishes and solid debuts for the local club.
"Sunday 27th September saw the final race of Lewes Wanderers’ season with the Circuit of Chailey."
Eight riders started shortly after 9am in what the club described as mild, dry and relatively still conditions. The course’s combination of length and undulating terrain put a premium on pacing and wind management, and organisers paid particular attention to the start order to encourage competitive riding.
Starting seventh, but already ahead of the pack, Calum Elms produced the day’s quickest time, covering the course in 40 minutes 32 seconds. The ride placed him within half a minute of the 13-year-old course record, a notable achievement on his outing.
On his event debut, Simon Baker was second fastest with a time of 48:26. The club’s race organiser, Neil Edwards, who also rode, took third place in a time described as 7 seconds inside 50 minutes — effectively a 49:53 ride — after arranging a start order intended to create chase opportunities and keep the race lively.
The top eight on the day were completed by riders who produced a mix of competitive efforts and encouraging performances. Clint Allen was the only competitor to tackle the hilly course on a time-trial bike with a disc wheel and finished fifth in 53:30. Steve Barry narrowly missed a personal best by three seconds, taking sixth place in 56:34. Alice Gilmore made a solid first attempt at the Chailey course, placing seventh with a time of 58:17, while David Wilkins completed the field in eighth, clocking 1:00:22 — 22 seconds outside the hour.
Club culture and wider racing notes
Race organiser Edwards' thoughtful start order paid dividends by keeping groups in sight of one another and creating regular opportunities for riders to hunt down rivals on the approach to the hairpin by The Rainbow Inn at Cooksbridge. The route, on the A272, also required riders and organisers to adapt to other road users, including passing traffic and a horse rider reported on the course.
Elsewhere on the same weekend, Lewes riders were represented in the London & South East Cyclo-Cross League’s third round at Crystal Palace Park. Club members Dan Street and Nick Miles travelled north to compete; Street, racing in the men’s over-50s category, rode consistently to move from ninth after the opening lap to finish eighth after five laps.
- Event: Circuit of Chailey time-trial (17.58 miles)
- Date: Sunday 27 September
- Top finishers: Calum Elms (40:32), Simon Baker (48:26), Neil Edwards (~49:53)
The weekend’s results underline the depth of local club cycling around Lewes: a mixture of young riders challenging course records, experienced organisers taking to the start line and club members switching disciplines to keep racing through the autumn. For a community club, those combinations of performance and participation across events are as important as podiums.
With the season concluded at Chailey, Lewes Wanderers will now turn their attention to winter cyclo-cross and indoor training, while keeping an eye on events around the London & South East calendar where club riders continue to compete.
| Position | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calum Elms | 40:32 |
| 2 | Simon Baker | 48:26 |
| 3 | Neil Edwards | 49:53 (7 seconds inside 50 minutes) |
| 5 | Clint Allen | 53:30 |
| 6 | Steve Barry | 56:34 |
| 7 | Alice Gilmore | 58:17 |
| 8 | David Wilkins | 1:00:22 |
Local readers with an interest in joining the club or supporting upcoming events should look out for Lewes Wanderers’ announcements as the cyclo-cross season approaches.
