Jason wins time trial league

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Jason Burns, from Rossburn Manor in Kells, rounded off an excellent third season with Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – by retaining the club’s time trial handicap league competition in the season long Northstone sponsored club race series.

Jason will receive the 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. 

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.


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. 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. Jason again scored 4 points to retain his overall lead in the league.

Round six was the Gardiner cup 10 miles time trial on 22nd July. Jason Burns was 3 seconds slower in second place but it was Jon Hilditch who showed the greatest improvement to win the Gardiner cup.

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. Gary McCappin who improved the most and he won the Combat Cancer cup for fastest result on handicap.
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. Jason’s nearest rival Daryl Sempey didn’t score either so it was "as you were” in the league.

The final positions in the series are;
(1) Jason Burns 30 points (2) Daryl Sempey 27 (3) Eileen Burns 24 (4) Jon Hilditch 16 (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.

Overall Jason improved all his best times dramatically during the season with his 10 going from 21 minutes 51 seconds in 2014 to 21.21 in 2015. 
His 25 improved from 58 minutes 11 seconds to 53.30 while his 50 miles time improved from 1 hour 57 minutes 59 seconds in 2014 to 1.51.14 in 2015.

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