New Forest 32, Gilfillan Top of the Tree!

James Gilfillan (velorefined-Aerosmith) made it two out of two, winning the New Forest CC 32 mile Circuit of the Forest, a week after victory in the Sotonia 25. Gilfillan, was training hard in the National Park the previous day but still had the legs to clock 1:14:12, over two minutes clear of Gary Dighton (Poole Wh). Dighton had 1:47 in hand on third placed Gregg Parker (CC Weymouth), although Parker was not the only one to get held up by the free- wandering New Forest ponies. Scratch man Stephen Whitewick (Velo refined-Aerosmith)did not trouble the timekeepers; Whitewick had punctured in the National 10 on Saturday and with low morale, had opted to stay at home. Michael Hutchinson (In-Gear Quickfit) won the championship with 19:20 with Matt Bottril (www.drag2zero.com) at 7 secs, in a race that had 37 non- starters. On a near windless morning Gilfillan, off number 25, quickly started to catch his minute men.

The course takes the riders across open heathland after negotiating Lymington High Street, the Hampshire sailing town peaceful at 07:15 am. A fast stretch on the A35 after Lyndhurst before a left hander returns to New Milton and the chequered board. Spare a thought for Andy Bryson, a puncture cost him a possible podium place and by the time he made it back to the HQ most were already home.
1, JAMES GILFILLAN (VELO REFINED-AEROSMITHS) 1.14.12

2, GARY DIGHTON (POOLE WHEELERS) 1.16.15

3, GREGG PARKER (CC WEYMOUTH) 1.18.02

4, RAY CLARIDGE (GA CYCLES) 1.19.37

5, TERRY ICKE (POOLE WHEELERS) 1.20.30
6, OLLIE EMMANS (ANTELOPE RT) 1.21.11
7, GARY ALLEN (G A CYCLES) 1.22.07
8, SIMON BARNES (G A CYCLES) 1.22.11
9, DARREN LEWIS (POOLE WH) 1.22.58
10, JASON FELTUS (COALVILLE WH) 1.23.36
11, CLIFF ROWE (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE WH) 1.23.46
12, OLLIE HITCHENS (PETER HANSFORD RACING) 1.24.56
13, STUART PECKHAM (NEW FOREST CC) 1.25.36
14, JERRY BROMYARD (RN&RM CA) 1.25.52
15, GEOFF PERRY (TEAM MILTON KEYNES) 1.26.18
16, PHILLIP CONNELL (SOTONIA CC) 1.27.50
17, DANIEL EDWARDS (SOTONIA CC) 1.28.46

18, KEVIN RIDGE (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE WH) 1.29.32
19, GRAHAM LENTON (NEW FOREST CC) 1.30.33
20, COLIN WHITE (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE WH) 1.30.50
21, DEREK DOWDEN (CHARLOTTEVILLE CC ) 1.33.21
22, NEIL STEVENSON (NEW FOREST CC) 1.33.44
23, TERRY BELBIN (POOLE WH) 1.34.06
24, BILL SIMMONS (BOURNEMOUTH JUBILEE WH) 1.34.49
25, MATTHEW GOLDEN (A3CRG) 1.35.17
26, LARRAINE WHITE (L) (BOURNEMOUTH JUB) 1.39.00
27,PAUL SHIELDS (NEW FOREST CC) 1.44.34
28, PETE COTTY (POOLE WH) 1.50.48
29, SIMON DOBBY (NEW FOREST CC) 1.51.47
30, MARTIN BALK (NEW FOREST CC) 1.53.02
First run as a 64 mile event, numbers have steadily dropped over the years and the future of the Circuit of the New Forest is in doubt.