Published: 12 June 2005
News from Reading Velodrome from John Dennis
It was a cold windblown afternoon on Sunday at Reading Velodrome which would have sent most aspiring record breakers back home, but David Abrutat, tough Yorkshireman that he is, nevertheless elected to attack the Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) World One Hour Hand Powered Record of 20.7 miles. The weather conditions ruled out any possibility of a new record for David never once levelled with his record schedule and ran out his 60 minute battle having covered 18 ½ miles.
Paralysed from his chest downwards David was aboard a 36 geared tricycle, although he used only 4 ratios as he constantly changed up and down to cope with the strong blustery wind blowing on the back straight of the track.
At the end of the attempt David, satisfied with his effort, confessed that it had placed him on a learning curve, ?I?ll be back? he warned to make another attack on a calm evening at the end of August or early September. ?I?m convinced that I have it in me to claim the record which was established on the indoor Velodrome at Manchester in 1995 by Kevin Dovan on a two wheeled machine. The steep bankings of the Manchester track would make it difficult for me on a three wheeler and the surface of Reading Velodrome is smooth and fast enough to give me a chance? he claimed.
Officials of the Track League who witnessed the attempt were impressed by the performance and suggested that an evening attack might be fitted in as the closing event of the season on Monday September 12th, weather permitting.