I just noticed Tom Nason In the GHS Final in N London on Sunday, when I raced as a schoolboy, we rode as a team in the GHS final in 1976, we used to compete for our schools in those days and myself, brother Phil and Steve Gowar (in my year at Dunraven in South London) Together we had won the team in the English Schools Cycling Association National Championship 2 months earlier with a National Record so we had high hopes to repete this in the GHS
I was 'allowed' to use a 93" top gear for this event, I was only 14 and 6 months old compared to Steve just comming up to his 15 year and Phil nearly 16 (believe me it made alot of difference in those days). The course was the 010/2 on the A1 near Chesterfield was possibly the fastest course in the country at that time, this is what it said in my racing diary about the event
The wind was going the wrong way for superfast times, started very slow and dident get going till about 3 miles. Realy tried hard and fought the headwind. Coming back was a real flyer and I had to keep twiddling to the finish. Was fairly pleased with my effort though we lost all hope of the team when Steve puntured. Though we would not have won it from the Hendon
Local boy Ian Gilbert won the event with 22.28
Self 25.37 (my PB was 25.24 done on a 81" fixed in the ESCA final)
Phil 23.39
Steve DNF
We had beaten the Hendon in the ESCA event but they had some good riders Steve Bent I remember but they were all Phil's age, Steve and I would not get another chance to compete for the GHS although we did defend our ESCA team title in Liverpool the next year with a very young brother Alan.
Good luck to Tom (No72) on Sunday
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