Brentford's Brompton riders take palace by storm
600 riders participate in Brompton World Championship
The 5th Brompton World Championship was held on Sunday 3rd October 2010; for the third year in succession, it
was held in the UK, as part of the Breast Cancer Care Bike Blenheim Palace event.
The field was expanded this year to an impressive 750 riders; even with the unappealing weather there was a
remarkable turn out, and some 600 riders took to the track in the testing conditions. Competitors were spurred on
by a damp but jubilant crowd.
Katharine Horsman, the event organiser, commented:‘It was great day out, even with the inhospitable weather. Of those registered, 80% took part in the event; it just goes to show how passionate Brompton owners are about their Bromptons. There was a lot of mud but the Brompton spirit shone through.”
The 2010 event was the most international Brompton World Championship so far, with 34 nationalities represented.
All six of the first place winners from the three Brompton National Championships, held in Spain, the USA and Japan
earlier this year, participated in the event in the hope of upgrading their national titles to that of World Champion; of
the National Champions, Spain’s Marti Milla Canals came closest, finishing fourth overall; Japan’s Men’s Champion,
Yasushi Minzuno, and the US’s Women’s Champion, Beth Green, both finished in the top 100. Unfortunately, Aaron
Ritz the US Men’s Champion sustained a puncture during the race, seriously undermining his ability to the make the
podium.
The Spanish contingent took over the podium; they secured the 2nd and 3rd fastest male positions, the 2nd fastest female position and came first in the team event with a combined time of 1 hour 1 minute and 41 seconds. However, first place for the fastest male category was taken by Liam Curran of Northern Ireland in 22 minutes 52 seconds; Rachael Elliott, last year’s 2nd fastest female, took 1st place this year with a time of 25 minutes 27 seconds; both Brompton World Champions won S6L-Xs, in Sage Green and Claret respectively. These colours are new for 2011 and will not be available until January 1st.
Emerson Roberts, Brompton’s Sales and Marketing Director, commented:“It was an exciting race with a lot of energy and not a little gamesmanship in testing conditions. Once again, the BWC has shown to everyone that we make a great bike that really performs. But it also engages with a broad range of people , from the élite to casual riders, all dressed up and having fun on the same ride.
“The Best Dressed category was sponsored this year, by Elvis & Kresse, who have worked with us to create a flap for the S Bag made out of reclaimed fire hoses. Mary Till won the Women’s title, impressing with some delightfully detailed embroidery, including a diamanté Brompton logo on her skirt, while Ian Harvey’s take on the Joker from Batman was a more obvious, but equally-deserving, winner in the Men’s category,”
Post-race, the competitors and supporters decamped to the Brompton Sturmey Archer marquee to claim their reward for completing the course: afternoon tea with the Brompton team and Andrew Ritchie, famed inventor of the Brompton folding bike. The atmosphere was convivial, if not downright rowdy, with dozens of Bromptoneers embracing the Brompton folding bike challenge whilst Old Speckled Hen, one of the event’s sponsors, ensured the crowd did not go thirsty. A number of the contenders achieved sub-10 second times, the fastest recorded being 9.2 seconds.
October 15, 2010