THE popular Easter Saturday 10 mile time trial on the A6 based course north of Garstang has attracted a quality field which includes reigning World Ladies Pursuit Champion Joanna Rowsell who won that title in Columbia earlier this year.

She was winner of the ladies event at Easter last year for which she was presented with the Christine Goodfellow Memorial Trophy.

The men’s event is headed by Mark Holton of the Drag2Zero squad and Lytham St Annes who has yet to have his name on the Michael Pryce Trophy – awarded to the fastest in the men’s event – but has a very quick 18 minute 10 mile to his name making him favourite on the day.

The event is promoted by the North Lancashire Road Club and event organiser Mark Charnock-Bateman of Huncoat has 85 men followed by seven ladies on the start sheet with the first rider starting at 3.01pm and the rest at minute intervals.

Race headquarters is at Catterall village hall one mile south of Garstang on the B6430 The 20 mile Coniston Grand Prix last Saturday suffered another gusty day making conditions hard on the course in the south Lakes.

The overall winner in 53 minutes 18 seconds was Richard Bickley of the Border City Wheelers.

Burnley’s Peter Greenwood, riding for Team Swift, was right up aged 62 and tied for third in 55mins 54secds.

West Bradford’s Duncan Park of the NLRC was the only other East Lancs rider in the top 10 with his 56mins 35secs seeing him finish in sixth.

Greenwood did even better on the timed ascent of Grizebeck Hill where he was overall second.

Clayton Velo’s Bill Belcher is now leading the Sporting Courses (SPOCO) series but has ridden an additional event compared to Greenwood who is now second.

The series continues on Sunday with the Lancaster Cycling Club 21.6 mile event at 10am from Caton with most of the overall contenders down to ride.