NEW Forest Cycling Club has strength in depth. That is the message coming through loud and clear after one of the most successful weeks in recent years.

New Forest members again trounced Crabwood CC in the annual inter-club competition taking the first five places in the first leg, a 10-mile time trial on the Lyndhurst - Ipley - Ferny Crofts loop.

On Thursday, in the Crabwood-promoted leg, a 15-miler taking in Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu and finishing just south of Boltons Bench, took places one, two, four, six, eight and nine.

That gave New Forest CC a winning 64 points against Crabwood's 120.

Then, at the weekend, club champion Martin Beale bettered his previous personal best for 10 miles by 25 seconds in fast conditions in the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers' promotion at Thruxton, recording a rapid 21-54.

Relative newcomer Aaron Carter slashed 1min 59secs from his previous best reducing it to a quick 22-59, while veteran Terry Jefferies recorded his best 10 for two years, returning a time of 22-57.

Overall winner of the combined categories was Rob Pears of Bath CC with a 30mph-plus ride of 19-30. He beat veteran Ray Hughes (Clarence Whs), guest speaker at the last New Forest CC dinner, by 24 seconds.

The following morning in a Poole Whs 25 at Upton, Beale clocked 59-24 and Jefferies 1-0-24 to round off a good weekend.

Riders had to be turned away from the New Forest inter-club 10, which attracted a full field of 50 for an evening event.

Craig Humphries finally did what he has been threatening to do for several weeks now: beat Beale in a time trial.

The Australian, who is returning home later this year, clocked 23-54, beating the champion by six seconds.

Nick Williams was third with 24-38, Gary Plumb fourth with 25-13 and Carter fifth with 25-20. The other two members of the winning NFCC team were Nick Tattersall (ninth with 26-53) and Kirk Wilson (10th, 27-04).

Crabwood's best was Simon Wheeler with 25-24 for sixth place. Other CCC team members were Andy Bigwood (25-37), Dave England (26-20), John Sanchez-Bisson (27-32) Andy Stevens (27-34) Claire Newman (28-39) and Anne Wallace (35-27).

In the Crabwood 15, Williams was first with 37-21, followed by team-mate Carter with 38-26. Other NFCC counters were Richard Mason 39-26, Gary Plumb (39-29), Nick Tattersall 40-25 and Danny Cottingham 41-19.

Crabwood's six were: Pat Lafford, third with 38-38, Wheeler 38-54, England 39-31, Stevens 42-40, Sanchez-Bisson 42-52 and Mick Matthew 43-42.

Other NFCC times, club 10: John Nye (second claim) 25-04, Chris Mills 27-13, Henry Blackbourn 27-14, Phil Wilson 27-31, Peter Weaver 27-41, Danny Cottingham 27-49, Pete Walsh 28-11, Jim Pascoe 29-09, Sam Cottingham 30-11. There were 26 private trials by visiting riders. Fastest overall was Tim Wallis of Arctic Shorter RT with 22-26.

CCC 15: Blackbourn 41-42, Weaver 41-49, Walsh 42-22, Mills 45-24, Kirk Wilson 48-20.