MATTHEW Bond was quickest overall as Colchester Rovers staged the latest instalment of their club time trial championship.

Bond notched up a very quick 32 minutes 40 seconds to go quickest overall in the 15-mile test, which involved two laps around Layer de la Haye and Birch, with riders crossing the Abberton reservoir a total of four times.

Stuart Weatherly showed his time trial chops with a strong 33m 7s, while Giles Askham won the championship battle.

He clocked 33m 52s for the course, 48 seconds quicker than Mark Lloyd.

First female rider home to take the championship win was Rachel Jarvis with 41m exactly, while Rovers youth rider Dan Hall clocked a good-looking 42m 31s.

Winds had dropped for the evening event while the threatened rain held off until after the last rider had finished.

The contest on the night comprised something of a race within a race.

Only around half the riders who competed pre-entered for the club championship event, with the other half entering on the night and unable to claim championship points, while a slew of non-Rovers riders also took part.

Rovers riders took part in the Maldon and District CC ten-mile TT at Steeple.

There was added interest for the younger riders as this was the regional qualifier for the national GHS competition for youth riders.

They battled breezy conditions and high temperatures, with the thermometer hitting 27 degrees.

Tom Carson, an under-14 Rovers member, qualified for the national final for the second successive year.

He clocked an impressive 28m 14s, a personal best (PB) on this course.

Rovers rider Thomas White, a year older than Carson, did not finish.

Chelmer CC's Aaron Freeman produced the standout ride by a young rider.

The 15-year-old bagged a very strong 22m 28s, which placed him third in the overall standings on the day and again qualification for the GHS final.

Other Rovers riding were Paul Dewbury (24m 47s) and Colin White (37m 39s).

The event was won by Richard Price with 20m 59s.

Tom Carson's father, Amis Velo's Simon Carson, clocked 26m 56s.

A few dedicated riders tackled the Chelmer CC 25 mile TT with Adrian Manley the quickest Rover with one hour 4m 41s.

He finished ahead of Paul Dewbury (1h 17m 19s) and the evergreen Colin White, on the eve of his 79th birthday, who notched up 1h 43m 15s.

Former Rover Richard Price won with a strong 54m 7s.