BEACON RACE……..MUST MEAN ANOTHER TAYLOR TRIUMPH!
Without the pouring rain and freezing wind of the previous edition [at least until after the prizegiving], this year’s race again saw a Taylor carrying off a brilliantly achieved award. This time it was Tim who, unlike Eliot, does not have an overall victory to his credit but has, I believe, featured in a winning Couriers’ team. Tim has been making a gradual comeback after a serious Ironman-induced injury and on the slopes of the Beacon demonstrated the class he has always possessed, coming home 13th out of a field of 235 and comfortably taking the V50 prize in 50.12. After a summer devoted to tri work in which he has excelled, son and heir, Eliot was not able to repeat last year’s triumph but nevertheless finished 5th in 48.48 [less than 3 minutes clear of Dad, which is a further measure of the quality of Tim’s run.] He was behind Jon Pullen who had a fine run for 2nd, close on the winner’s heels. In fact, the winner, McKeane of Highgate, registered a
time [46.46] a fair bit slower than Eliot recorded in beating him last year in far worse conditions.
In the old boys’ stakes, Herington [38th 55.42] reversed last year’s positions with Littlewood [60th 58.35] to take the V60 honours and as the two walked back from Race HQ to the car, arm in arm under an undersize umbrella, the latter, like Eliot, was bemoaning the fact that the downpour had come too late to speed him on his way. As everyone knows, he likes it rough. Talking of whom, Kev had an encouraging outing, finishing 98th in 1.03.18, a performance which, pound for pound, was probably superior to that of the lightweight Couriers ahead of him.