Silver lining for Kay as he grabs a Series win

Kay notched his second success of the summer on the Hodnet by-pass in the Nova Raiders 10 – bizarrely by the same 20-second margin as in the Nova Raiders Charity 25.

The North Shropshire Wheeler stopped the watch on 22 minutes 20 seconds.

Kay's fine effort also sealed silver in both the Overall and Veteran's competitions.

Tony Harvey finished second in 22:40, which gave him the Veterans' competition on the day in +4:24.

Off in the scratch position, Harvey had organiser Ed Middleton as his minute man which proved to be a big carrot. He explained: "I was pleased with my time. Ed was in sight which kept me going on the hard sections"

Harvey also had reason to celebrate as his Mid Shropshire Wheelers team sealed a first ever victory in the Top Club Award by a huge 625-point margin from closest rivals Paramount CRT, helping to celebrate the club's 90th anniversary year in style.

But he wasn't the only one with a smile on his face as Wrekinsport's Fraser MacKinnon gained his highest ever placing in the Series thanks to a personal best.

MacKinnon put in a huge effort to clock 23:12, nine seconds ahead of North Shropshire Wheelers' Mark Evans, for third place overall.

With Harvey taking the win in the Veterans ahead of North Shropshire Wheelers' Phil Guy in +3:52, eyes were on the three-way battle between Kay, Nova Raiders' Ian Pollard and Ladies' champion Amanda Whitmore for the available Veterans' medals.

With Kay fourth Veteran on the day in +3:39 sealing silver, it was Pollard's sixth place in +3:09 which gave him the bronze ahead of Whitmore.

Whitmore consoled herself with Ladies victory in a fine effort of 25:18, three seconds ahead of Pauline Hughes, who also took third Veteran in +3:42.

It has been a close battle between the pair in the latter half of the season, with Whitmore starting to suffer. She explained: "I was pleased considering I'm feeling the season in the legs now, and nearly never started due to a bad back."

The most open championship of all was the Juniors, with Sam Morris pulling out all the stops to finish fifth overall on the day in 23:27 to help himself to gold – as well as sealing a bronze medal in the Junior Best All Rounder.

A delighted Morris stated: "I was really pleased with my ride, I wasn't expecting a ride half as good as that! I'm proud to take Junior gold as well as the bronze BAR."

Results (top five): 1 -Richard Kay (North Shropshire Wheelers) 22:20; 2 - Tony Harvey (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 22:40; 3 - Fraser MacKinnon (Wrekinsport CC) 23:12; 4 - Mark Evans (North Shropshire Wheelers) 23:21; 5 - Sam Morris (Wrekinsport CC) 23:27.

Veterans: 1 - Tony Harvey (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) +4:24; 2 - Phil Guy (North Shropshire Wheelers) +3:52; 3 - Pauline Hughes (Paramount CRT)+3:42; 4 - Richard Kay (North Shropshire Wheelers)+3:39; 5 - Amanda Whitmore (Revolutions Racing) +3:21.

Ladies: 1 - Amanda Whitmore (Revolutions Racing) 25:18; 2 - Pauline Hughes (Paramount CRT) 25:21; 3 - Helen Tudor (Oswestry Paragon CC) 26:49; 4 - Jade Chapman(Nova Raiders) 27:44; 5 - Helene Belmans (North Shropshire Wheelers) 28:17.

Junior: 1 - Sam Morris (Wrekinsport CC) 23:27; 2 - Beth Langley (North Shropshire Wheelers) 29:20.

Top Club: 1 - North Shropshire Wheelers 150; 2 - Nova Raiders 110; 3 - Wrekinsport CC 95; 4 - Mid Shropshire Wheelers 55; 5 - Oswestry Paragon CC 15.

Series: 1 - Matt Davies (Paramount CRT) 720; 2 - Richard Kay (North Shropshire Wheelers) 615; 3 - Simon Harrison (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 470; 4 - Richard Nickless (Revolutions Racing) 400; 5 - Tony Harvey (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 365.

Veterans: 1 - Andy Hazell (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 605; 2 - Richard Kay (North Shropshire Wheelers) 560; 3 - Ian Pollard (Nova Raiders) 530; 4 - Amanda Whitmore (Revolutions Racing) 505; 5 - Tony Harvey (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 500.

Ladies: 1 - Amanda Whitmore (Revolutions Racing) 720; 2 - Pauline Hughes (Paramount CRT) 660; 3 - Helen Tudor (Oswestry Paragon CC) 555; 4 - Vicki Bale (Wrekinsport CC) 395; 5 - Hetty Niblett (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 360.

Junior: 1 - Sam Morris (Wrekinsport CC) 405; 2 - Hetty Niblett (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 320; 3 - Devon Round (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 290; 4 - Ewan Grivell-Mellor (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 220; 5 - George Evans (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) 180.

Top Club: 1 - Mid Shropshire Wheelers 2260; 2 - Paramount CRT 1635; 3 - North Shropshire Wheelers 1330; 4 - Nova Raiders 1130; 5 - Wrekinsport CC 1065.