AYR Roads/Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club staged their Turnberry Circuit time trial on Thursday night.

Along with the Carwinshoch hill climb it is the oldest event in Ayrshire and takes in the coastal route from Doonfoot via Pennyglen and Maidens to Turnberry. The return is by Kirkoswald, Pennyglen and the Covenanter's road to Alloway. At just over 28 miles, the event is also run on a handicapped basis that allows riders of varying abilities to compete against the club's fastest riders.

Fourteen club members took part on an evening where they faced a strong south westerly wind to the turn, with the exposed sections from the Dunure Mill to the Electric Brae and the Turnberry straight. The Ballyhilly climb out of Turnberry and the Covenanter's road were by far the fastest sections of the course.

The fastest time of the evening was recorded by last year's winner, Ed Clifton in a time of 1 hour 15 minutes 7 seconds. Ed was over four minutes slower than last year, showing how hard the conditions were. In a close second was Calum MacDonald in a time of 1:15:51.

New club member Kenny Scott took the handicap award of the coveted Turnberry Cup, in a handicapped time of 1:01:04.

Kenny had never ridden a time trial before and until joining the club had been cycling on his own. Now a regular on the club runs, he has joined a growing band of new recruits, who are mixing their leisure cycling with the occasional time trial or cyclo sportive event.

Other Times were: Mark Warters 1:17:30; Alex McAllister 1:17:48; Rory Webster 1:18:54; Tom Gooding-Hill 1:19:29 (pb for the course); Harry Brawley 1:19:57 pb; Scott Knox 1:20:42; Kenny Scott 1:23:41; Bobby McGhee 1:27:35 pb; John Gemmell 1:28:29; Ross Mulvennan 1:30:04; Aileen Fisher 1:35:00

The Turnberry Circuit is a popular annual competition favoured by club members. At the finish there were a few slavering mouths, not attributed to the physical efforts of the race, but in awaiting Aileen's chocolate brownies and home made tablet that went down a treat!

The circuit also counts for the club's league championship, which again this year looks as though it will go to the wire. Now, with six events completed, three remain, with six points separating four riders. It may well be the club's hill climb will determine the winner of the league championship.

Cyclo Sportives have become very popular events, with many taking place throughout the UK and Europe. This year, Ayr Roads members have competed in no less than ten, including two in France and one in Northern Ireland.

Andy Conway of the Roads club has competed in four events on his own and two weeks ago represented the club in the famous Ride London, where he completed the 100 mile course with thousands of other participants.

Nearer to home, the Ayrshire Alps sportive will take place in a few weeks, when no doubt there will be a contingent from the Roads club in the event.

Club members were out in force during the week on the mid week and Sunday club runs. The midweek group clocked up seventy good miles on East Ayrshire by-ways, before taking a delightful little known road from Catrine over to Galston and Stewarton. Sunday's club run took in the Turnberry hills, clocking up a modest 40 miles.

This Sunday will see elite time triallists from throughout Scotland head to Forfar to compete in the Scottish National Team Time Trial championships. Teams of four will take on the 39-mile course. The Roads club has performed well in this event over the past few years, with their ladies team taking the Gold medal in 2014. The club will field two teams in the event, some of whom are complete novices to Team Time Trialling.