Beacon RCC runs a season-long handicap competition for members
competing in time trials. Handicapping involves giving each
rider in an event a time allowance, which is deducted from
the actual time it takes him or her to complete the course.
The idea of the handicap competition is to give everyone a
chance of winning and to reward the rider who improves the
most. The rules of the competition are set out below. A handsome
trophy is awarded to the winner of the series.
These
rules are currently under review; an updated version will
be available shortly.
1. The competition
is open to all Beacon 1st claim members.
2. There
will be fifteen qualifying events. These will be the Beacon’s
club solo time trials (including the hill climb), the Beacon’s
open time trials (Little Mountain TT and Open 10) and the
non-Beacon open time trials designated as club 25-mile and
50-mile championships. See
the club TT calendar for dates and course details.
3. The
Handicap will reflect the riders PB achieved during the
championship event distance and not relate to the course.
4. Each qualifying
event will be handicapped and points awarded on the basis
of the handicap finishing order. There will be 40 points
awarded to the fastest rider on handicap 39 to the second
and so on down to the fortieth rider, or down to the slowest
rider on handicap if there are fewer than forty.
5. The competition
will be won by the rider with the highest aggregate points
score from his or her ten best-scoring events.
6. It
is not necessary to compete in ten events. However, if
a rider competes in fewer than ten events, his/her points
score in each missed event will be treated as zero.
7. Where
Beacon club and Beacon open events are concerned, each rider’s
handicap will be a time allowance relative to a base time
for the course in question (see the List
B.) The handicap will reflect the rider’s best time
on the course in the current and last three seasons. If
a rider has not ridden a course in the current and last
three seasons, his or her handicap may reflect earlier performances
and/or times on other courses, if the handicapper considers
them relevant.
8. Where
non-Beacon opens (25-mile and 50-mile championships) are
concerned, each rider’s handicap will be a time allowance
relative to a base time for the distance (see List
B). The handicap will reflect the rider’s outright
PB for the distance in the current and last three seasons.
If a rider has not ridden at a distance in the current and
last three seasons, his or her handicap may reflect earlier
performances and/or times at other distances, if the handicapper
considers them relevant.
9. The
handicap given to a rider with no previous experience on
a course or at a distance cannot exceed the maximum stated
in List C.
10. If
a rider has no previous experience on a course or at a distance,
his or her time on handicap, as used to decide his/her finishing
position on handicap, can never be less than the base time
for the course or distance in question. So, for example,
if a male vet with no previous experience records an actual
time of 25.45 on the K33/10S, his handicap time is 20.00
(the course base time), not 19.45 (his actual time minus
the novice’s handicap of 6.00). This rule is designed to
prevent the system being unreasonably generous to a talented
rider with no relevant experience.
11. The
handicap awarded to a rider aged sixty or more will be adjusted
to allow for the difficulty older riders often have in matching
previous performances. The adjustment will take the form
of an additional allowance of 1 per cent of the rider’s
PB for the current and last three seasons.
12. The
handicapper will be the Time Trial Secretary.
13. The
Time Trial Secretary will decide any matters not provided
for in these rules, in consultation with the club committee
where appropriate.
