Since early March the Royal Navy Cycling Team have been racing week in, week out against their civilian counterparts in road races and open time trials – with some notable success.

This included the Royal Navy Road Race Championships, which were held at Merryfield Aerodrome, Somerset, at the beginning of June.

The riders not only had to contend with their cycling rivals on a ten-lap three-mile course, but also against a strong wind, which was always going to sort out the men from the boys.

By the end of lap two, three riders had broken away from the main chasing pack, including Cdr Adrian Green (Fleet HQ Ports), POPT Childs (HMS Raleigh) and guest rider Jason Flooks (Team Certini).

These three worked together to open a gap on the second pack, and by halfway Flooks suffered, dropped back and finally went out with a puncture.

As they neared the 30-mile finish line, Green outsprinted Childs to take the Open Title.

Nearly six minutes back was the Guest category winner, Wng Cdr MacInnes (Worthy Down), who led the chasing peleton home. LMA Jason Wallace-Sims (HMS Raleigh) won the RN Novice category.

The National 50 Mile TT Championships was held over a rolling course near Barnstaple in mid-June, which saw Childs finish a creditable 20th in 1hr 55 min 17 sec.

A week later it was on to the Inter-Services 10 and 25 Mile TT Championships, which took place near Liss in Hampshire.

This event also included the Navy championships, which started with the 10 Mile on Saturday evening.

Current Inter-Services champion Childs posted 20 min 42 sec, which only put him into 4th, but he had the consolation of taking the Royal Navy title.

Second man home for the Navy was CPO Aran Stanton (HMS Illustrious), who was only 12 seconds behind, showing signs of recapturing last season’s form in 20 min 58 sec. Third for the Navy was roadman Green in a personal best of 23 min 4 sec.

Sunday morning saw the start of the 25 Mile championships, where Childs was top Navy finisher in 4th, with a new RN Championship record of 54 min 13 sec. Next was Stanton in 54 min 35 sec and third Green, in another personal best of 58 min 50 sec. The 25 Championships saw the RN team finish runners up to the Army.

The RN 50 Mile TT Championships was held in early July on the A38 near Chudleigh.

This event was incorporated within the Plymouth Corinthians CC Open. The turn out from Navy cyclists was disappointing, and although losing top spot by just 12 seconds, Childs took the RN title in a new championship record of 1hr 54min 13 sec.

Second RN cyclist was CPO Mark Gorman (PJHQ Northwood), riding his first 50 in 2 hr 7 min.

Two weeks later Childs made history by becoming the first Royal Navy cyclist to break the four-hour barrier for 100 miles, a feat he achieved at the National 100 Mile Time Trial Championships, which took place near Attleborough, Norfolk.

Sean’s time was 3 hr 50 min 29 sec, which placed him 11th overall. This bettered his previous best by 21 minutes, and smashed the RN Competition Record by more than 18 minutes.

It wasn’t all plain sailing, because at 86 mile his chain came off and at 94 miles his front wheel started to break up. But throughout his ride, he was superbly supported by WO2 Whitlock (PT&SO, RM Poole), who acted as his crew and kept him hydrated and fed.

In August, Sean put in another strong performance by finishing runner-up in the Welsh 100 Mile Champs in 4 hr 4 min 9 sec, held near Abergavenny in humid and windy conditions. This time he was backed up by his brother Sgt Jason Childs (45 Cdo RM), who kept a watch on his feed station and time spilts.

Late August saw the Royal Navy team in action at the CS Dynamo 4 Up 25 Mile Team Time Trial. The team, consisting of Childs, CPO JJ Smith (HMS Vivid), CPO Mark Gorman (PJHQ) and Mr Paul Murphy, worked hard from start to finish in 58 min 43 sec to claim 3rd place on a tough, undulating two-lap circuit near Honiton.

Outright success at last came for Childs in early September when he won the Welsh 12 hr TT Championships with a distance of 259.01 miles.

The event was held in the Abergavenny, Usk and Hereford area in arduous conditions in what turned out to be one of the warmest days of the year.

At the 100-mile point he was nearly seven minutes down on the eventual runner-up and with two hours to go the gap had reduced to four minute, but was rapidly falling as Childs pushed harder to get on even terms.

With 40 minutes to go the support crew of Whitlock and Mr Roger Ridley were continually encouraging him to work harder until he was physically exhausted and in pain by the time he finished.

It wasn’t until they returned back to HQ that he realised that he had become National Champion by a single mile. Childs is currently ranked 15th in the ‘Best British All Rounder’ Time Trial Series.

The RNRMCA AGM will be held at HMS Sultan on Wednesday October 27 starting at 1800. An easy three-hour training ride will take place earlier in the day, departing at 1300.

Further information regarding RN cycling can be found on www.navycycling.org.uk