One hour of racing was more than enough for the 39 competitors who contested the Wessex Cyclo-cross League's race of the day - all who survived finished in various states of exhaustion.

By the finish the course in the grounds of Tatchbury Mount Hospital at Calmore, never noted for its speed potential, had become a mud bath, with parts completely submerged by flood water and only a small section of tarmacadam giving some respite from what developed into a cross-country run.

"Perfect for cyclo-cross" would have been the way Geoff Greenfield might have described it, and riders stood in silence for a minute in respect of the Crabwood C.C. official who died two weeks ago.

The race ended with Tim Dunford (G.A. Cycles) and present league champion Stuart Bowers (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) contesting the sprint finish on foot, with Dunford finding it quicker to push his cycle to victory.

Sotonia C.C.'s second reliability ride of the winter saw only five of the dozen starters complete the 75-mile route in 4 hours, 18 minutes.

Hedge End's Malcolm Cox was a notable absentee; as winner of two Sussex C.A. time trials during the summer, he was principal guest of that county's cycling association prize presentation lunch near Brighton.

Results: Wessex Cyclo-cross league, Calmore - 1 T Dunford (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) 8 laps in 59m 11s, 2 S Bowers (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) @ 6s, 3 A Green (G.A. Cycles) @ 3m.5s, 4 A MacDonald (G.A. Cycles) @ 3m.26s, 5 B Saunders (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) @ 4m. 19s, 6 A Gough (Portswood Cycles) @ 5m. 43s, 7 M Cross (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) @ 6m. 43s, 8 T Hillier (G.A. Cycles) @ 7m. 11s, 9 I MacDonald (Hargroves Cycles R.T.) @ 1 lap, 10 T Budd (G.A. Cycles), 13 L Gould (Hargroves Cycles), 15 A Diamond (Hargroves Cycles), 17 C Mills (New Forest C.C.).

Youths - 1 P Gough (Portswood Cycles) 3 laps in 31m. 43s, 2 S O'Neil (unattached) @ 34s, 3 T Butt (Chapel Tri-Stars) @ 1 lap.

Under 12s. - 1 A Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles R.T.), 2 L