BUXTON CYCLING CLUB - LEN EYRE TROPHY CALCULATIONS
The course and dates for the prestigious Len Eyre Trophy are decided at the Club’s date fixing meeting each year. The Len Eyre Trophy has been run with only three exceptions since 1957.
Competitors are allowed to take part in all qualifying rides of the series with their best six points performances counting towards the final result.
Points are awarded at each round based on each rider’s handicap time with 10 points for first place down to 1 point for tenth place in descending order. Every competitor’s first ride is off scratch to establish a benchmark handicap, and no points are awarded.
The individual handicaps are worked out from the following standard times:-
The movement of course from Fairfield Common to the Upper Course due to road conditions will not deny any rider from generating handicap points scores.
For example on the Fairfield Common course a rider initially recording an actual time of 24.25 would result in a handicap of plus 35 seconds ( 25.00 - 24.25). If their following week’s time was 24.10 their Len Eyre handicap time would be 24.45 (24.10 + 0.35) and following week’s handicap would move to plus 50 seconds (25.00 - 24.10)
A time of 25.15 would produce a handicap of minus 15 seconds (25.00 - 25.15). If their following week’s time was 24:50 the Len Eyre handicap time would be 24.35 (24:50 - 0.15) and their following week’s handicap would move to plus 10 seconds (25.00 - 24.50).
The same theory is applied to the four variations on the Higher Course.
Each rider’s handicap only changes when they improve on their previous actual best time through the course of the series.
The rider with the highest number of points (best six counting handicap time positions) at the end of the series will be the overall Trophy winner. It is rarely the fastest rider who wins the Len Eyre Trophy, the attraction being that it gives everyone an opportunity to be in contention for the ‘Most Improved Rider of the Year’, although most of the Club’s top riders do have their names engraved on the Trophy.
The fastest riders battle for the Scratch award, again with riders scoring points in descending order, 10 being awarded to the fastest rider down to 1 point for the tenth quickest on the night. Again a rider’s best six counting points scores count towards the final analysis.
The Club’s veterans have their own competition within the main competition too, and are even capable scooping all three awards over the series.
Points and trophies are awarded to Buxton Cycling Club first claim members
Sandy Strachan
May 2007