Jason retains Road Club’s time trial handicap championship

Jason, from Kells, will receive the Northstone-sponsored silverware when the club’s prize presentation dinner and dance takes place at Eaton Park on 27th November.

Jason opened his defence of the league when he recorded a personal best 21 minutes 43 seconds in the Stan Finlay memorial 10 miles time trial on 15th April. Steven Workman was fastest on the night, while Eileen Burns won the handicap section and Jason scored 4 points for third place.

Another personal best followed on 6th May when a time of 10 minutes 15 seconds gave him first place on fastest time and a fourth place on handicap in the 5 miles time trial at Woodgreen.

Steven Workman was again successful on 10th June – this time in the GP of the glens time trial for the Tommy Talbot cup. Jason won the handicap section that night to move to the top of the league table.

Round four was the Ernie Mark cup 25 miles time trial, on 1st July, which was switched to the Slaght Caddy circuit, because of A26 roadworks. Again Steven Workman finished fastest, while Eileen Burns won the handicap section to go into equal first place in the league with her husband Jason, who had taken fourth place on handicap that night.

Next up was the McQuigg cup 50 miles time trial at Woodgreen on 15th July. Daryl Sempey won the handicap section and the trophy, with Steven Workman fastest, of a very poor club entry of only five riders, with 1 hour 49 minutes 18 seconds. Jason again scored 4 points to retain his overall lead.

Round six was the Gardiner cup 10 miles time trial on 22nd July. Steven Workman was fastest in 21 minutes 18 seconds, Jason Burns was 3 seconds slower in second place.

Daryl Sempey was second on handicap that night and he moved to just one point behind Jason Burns going into the 5 miles TT on 4th August at Woodgreen. Jason was fastest in that “5” and opened up his league lead again by scoring 4 points on handicap. Breandan McCavana won the handicap in the 5 miles event.

The previously postponed Combat Cancer cup 25 miles time trial took place at Woodgreen on 12th August. Steven Workman was fastest with 52.37, while Jason scored another 3 points to bring his total to 30 points.

The final round was a 10 miles time trial at Woodgreen on 19th August. Jason Burns was fastest with 21 minutes 26 seconds but he didn’t score in the handicap section and Philip Morrison improved by over three minutes to top that result. The final positions in the series are; (1) Jason Burns 30 points (2) Daryl Sempey 27 (3) Eileen Burns 24 (4) Jon Hilditch 16 (5) Steven Workman 14 (6) Laura Blair 11.5 (7) and (8) Philip Morrison and Breandan McCavana 10 points each. (9) and (10) John Maxwell and Beresford Millar 7 points each.

Incidentally by winning the time trial handicap league Jason kept the trophy in the Burns house for a third successive season as his wife Eileen won in in 2013.