It's all over

Well the season has finally come to an end for me. All I have left is a few club rides and swim sessions before departing over the pond for the winter training. It has been an enjoyable time for me this last year and since the blog a memorable one.

My first big lead was as eventful as any other race I've refereed. Cyclists being knocked down, missing people and Mark Livesey having a tantrum because he didn't have it all his own way. Since the BTF sent me that E-mail in March I have been dreading every minute. For the past 4 weeks I have been writing the brief and rehearsing it over and over. For those who have done the sprint in the past year will know I am a nervous speaker and flap a little. Well come the moment I couldn't remember a word and thought what the hell I'm one of them lets take a lead from the great master...relax and let it all flow. I am proud to say that lots of people congratulated me afterwards for a great performance and one that was not imposing or demanding on them. Thank you for going easy on me.

Now my Bug Bears 1, Zips on Tri Suits and 2, Mark Livesy. If ever the two should cross. Now as the Vit is also the Inter services I was more proud to be in charge. Now my associated referees were Dave Rigby, Doug Eke and the great Ed Soar. We all have our pet hates and today we hit them all hard. During the run out we were telling people to zip up and at the turn around point as well. Now the only thing we were concerned about was nipple height anything below had to go up and that was it no other penalties. Add this to Mr "I think I'm better than everyone else and will wear my sponsors kit with the zip just above my crotch" and you have a possible flash point. Hey presto!!! His attitude stank and I would love to grab him by his work shy head and smash it against his carbon bike until he got the message..... Sorry pent up anger from the Standards when he had a go then but that is another story for when I'm going to wrap his carbon rims around his neck and choke him.

Now no one else had a problem and the spectators who asked and some of the competitors agreed that the sport is looking untidy and unprofessional with these "look at me I'm sweating like a pig in a butchers" and their dress standards. Sorry for the rant but I have to say it "Mark Zip up and Shut Up".....and by the way he wasn't the only sponsored athlete there Mark Goodridge and Roy Brunning both of Tri UK have enough pride to wear their Service Kits as do everyone else racing yesterday and all season.