60th Club Dinner

Just a few pics from the club dinner on 5th Feb 2011. Thanks to everyone that came along, lots of past and present members made it a really special evening.

Festival Winter Club Runs

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Why not burn off those festive excesses in the picturesque Surrey lanes on one of the Festival Winter Club runs?

Starting Sunday 2nd January, Club Runs will be weekly throughout January and February.
Meet outside the old Spread Eagle at Epsom Crossroads at 9.30am each week.

Distance and pace to suit those out. Let me know if you can make it so we don't miss you. - 07799505546.

Hope to see you there and happy riding in 2011

Christmas Lunch Ride

For anyone planning to ride out to the Christmas Lunch on Saturday 11th December, we will be meeting as usual at the Spread Eagle, Lecester Bowdens at Epsom Crossroads - 10.am. (Don't sit on the steps!!)

Hope the snow will have melted by then and look forward to seeing you.

Ottershaw Win

It my last road race of the season today at Ottershaw and the final of the three race series. Having finished 15th on race one and 7th last week, I was lying 8th overall. After last weeks heavy rain it was good to get a dry and bright race even if it turned colder again. This last race returned to Staple Hill circuit for 9 laps before moving on to 9 laps of the Valley End circuit.

Staple Hill was fast with continous attacking but nothing staying clear for long before the fast moving bunch caught up. Then on to Valley End finishing circuit and with about 5 laps left, I jumped across to Paul Holdsworth who was in fine attacking form. Riding together we pulled out about 20 seconds on the bunch, just out of sight in the winding lanes. A group of 4 was chasing hard and with just over a lap to go we had just 15 seconds on them with the bunch fast approaching. Having to work hard on the last lap we just managed to stay clear and at the yellow flag with the chasing group just 10 seconds back Paul jumped. Digging deep, I managed to grab his wheel and sprint past for the win.
Couldn't have got there without Paul's hard work and pleased to finish the year with my 3rd and best win of the year.
Overall Lewis Atkins took the series from Ashley Holding in 2nd after his great win last week and I was 5th.

Festival RC AGM

The Club AGM will be held on Tuesday 9th November 2010 at:

St Paul's Centre
Hook Road
Hook, Surrey
KT9 1PF

Start time is 8.00pm


ps can all last year trophy winners please bring the trophies with them.

Soggey League Win

Last week saw my 6th road race of the year in the Surrey League morning race at Alfold, after a summer of testing. Yet another day of heavy rain and wind with a bunch of approximately 50 3rd's setting off.

Immediately the neutralised flag dropped a group of three riders drifted up the road and with the gap growing to 20 seconds, I jumped across to the break on the drag up towards Plaistow, into the wind. The four of us worked well for another lap and were then joined by 4 others to stretch the lead further. On the next lap various riders slipped back to leave just three of us working hard into the last lap. Having not raced on the road for a few months, I was glad that there was not more attacking and with the three of us staying together until the finish I managed to jump through from the back and hold a long sprint for the line and my second win of the year. Back to 2nd cat now so will hvae to have a Sunday lay in now for the afternoon races!

Next I'm planning to ride the Ottershaw Series - Mark /James are you up for it?

Do you remember riding with Tony Whitmore?

Hi All

Had a message (below)from Tony Whitmore who many of you may remember riding with in the 1960's onwards. Let me know if you want to make contact:

"Hello Colin, Many thanks for your reply, most welcome.

Over 40 odd yrs ago, memories get a bit stretched - particularly when I have had a scotch or three when I actually get around to looking at my mail of an evening! You are going to think me mad as a hatter now - I have downloaded your photo's and yes I am positive I recognize Baz / knew him on the road etc. on the two old photo's (we all had similar race ones taken then didn't we? ) and I well remember the surname. But you have jolted my memory with the others you mention. The person I was actually thinking of the other night (but quite wrongly associated with your name) was - Alan Fidgett !!??

It is he who will well remember me as the 'nutter' referred to in my 1st mail. Tuesday & Thursday evening training runs starting from the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth - used to be a whole gang with other club riders joining in (like me and Pete Miles from the Phoenix). Bryan Staples and Adrian Morris ring a bell, John Froud of course. There was another guy - I can't remember at the moment - but he was a good roadie / sprinter (could have worn glasses - I think) but I will know his name when mentioned. Crystal Palace on a Thursday evening - the handicap all category road races that usually ended in a bunch sprint - Your guys used to ride there , so did I, Peter Miles and Barry Arnison from the Phoenix. I did finish in the 1st dozen one night and I am sure (the sprinter guy in the glasses ?from Festival may have been ahead of me - I'm sure was). But I did actually beat John Sargent, Norwood Paragon then. Not bad for 16yrs old ?? Cock a hoops until Pete Miles (Surrey RR junior champ in 1968 (could be '69) actually won ahead of everyone one night (he was the same age as me - no one could believe it ! probably the older guys thought he was a lap behind?) Barry Arnison who was a senior (about 5 yrs older than Pete and myself ) and recorded faster times and wins in TT's and BBAR placings - but he could sprint only like a donkey. Bob Woodley (of the Phoenix and later Twickenham CC) was not actually racing in those late 60's days as he was travelling the world - but as you older guys will know - he actually made quite a name for himself in road races in the early to mid 70's. The Phoenix still have an amazing guy in the form of Ray Dare and his age related records now - he doesn't look any older than he did in 1966. I will attach a photo - it will jog the memory of Alan, maybe yourself and others. taken during the Wessex 24 hr in '68. I was just 16yrs old. No slouch though as less than two months before I rode a 2-7-50 open 50 when I was still 15yrs old. Now you recognize the "nutter" tag given to me by Alan and others. Ah well, carefree days, (I don't think so really) The only thing I can remember is unlimited amounts of energy - what happened to it?

By all means ask around the club - place on blog (with cuttings !!) I only potter about now and then on the bike - you know how it is, on cold dark winter nights before January 1st and when the 12 yr old malt is flowing - going to crack eggs with big sticks this year- never seems to happen does it ? (actually it does in your case) . Got 5 sons from ages 34 to 22 yrs. Two are good part time racing bikies - because of committments, one who races and trains in Italy where his business is based, the other with Army CC. Something rubbed off then.

Best wishes Colin, Tony Whitmore."