Congratulations to Steve Berry who has broken another club record.  In the Kent Cycling Association 12 hour on 5th September his provisional mileage was given as 276. Although still subject to official confirmation there is little doubt that the previous record of 273.324 will be up-dated. 

Congratulations also to Natalie Bent and Mike Perry who were both riding a 12 hour for the first time. Natalie covered 215 miles and Mike 192 (both provisional). This is Mike's first full year of racing - a few years ago he dug the bike out of its thirty odd years hibernation for the occasional commute to work and marked his retirement with this 12 hour. (not on the same bike!)

Not to be outdone by the older riders Jack Edwards and  Tom Moore won their age categories in the GHS 10 on 10th July.   Matty Waters backed them up to be the winning team.

Our leading time triallists have been busy up-dating some of the club records.

On 22nd May Ian Sutton did 1hr-49m-41s to take 35 seconds off the 50 mile record that he set last year.

On 12th June he reduced Ian Silvester's 1995 100 mile record by 24 seconds with 3hr-53m-46s.

On 3rd July Mike Piper did 10 miles in 19m-36s to take 3 seconds from Andy Naylor's 2004 record.

Also on 3rd July Steve Berry took 6 seconds off Ian's 2009 25 mile record with 51m-45s

A week later Steve reduced the 100 mile record to 3hr-48m-24s, a time that gave him 9th place in the National Championship 100.

Congratulations to all three with special mention of Steve - his first ever time trial was our Novices 8 miles in March 2009!

Like last year the clubroom will be closed during the summer..There will be no clubnight after the Quiz Night on 29th June until it re-opens on 12th October.

33 club members made up teams in the Kent Cycling Association 3-up 25 on 14th March. Ian Sutton, Steve Berry and Mike Piper justified being given the favourites starting position by winning the event. Not to be outdone Natalie Bent, Sarah Sutton and Nicky Hughes were fastest Ladies team and Jodie Hope, Nathan Finnis and Tom Moore won the Junior team. 

A week later Michael Barnes backed Ian and Steve to win the team award in the Kent Cycles 25.

 In the KCA 25 on 11th April the winning team was  Mike Piper, Ian Sutton and Michael Barnes.

On 17th April Mike Piper won the West Kent 10 and backed by Steve Berry and Andy McPherson took another team prize. Kate Bosley was the fastest Lady.

Spring Criteriums at Redbridge

Results

Man of Kent 200k Audax

From Golden Green, near Tonbrige, visiting Charing, Bridge, Sandwich, New Romney and Headcorn. Click for details

Open 25 mile time Trial

Kent Air Ambulance Sportive

Open 50 mile Time Trial

Five Flat Audax rides

South East Road Race League Race

Open 10 mile Time Trial

How many 12 year old girls have ridden the Wigmore - or any other - hillclimb racing against mum and dad?
This unusual club and event record was set by the Bicycling Bosleys, dad John, mum Kate and daughter Sarah.

Photographic proof in the Photos section    By the way, dad isn't as fierce as he looks!

As the club numbers passed the 400 mark  our racing members have been reaching new heights.

In May Ian Sutton, Mike Piper and Damian Cairns set a new Team 25 mile record of 2h-40m-28s, taking 7m-03s off the one set in 1988. 

Since then the Team 10 mile record was broken by Ian, Mike and Dave Stocker with 1h-03m-02s, taking 27s off the one set in 2004.  This record lasted just one hour, when Steve Berry helped reduce it to 1h-01m-59s.

Ian Sutton then set a new 50 mile record of 1h-50m-16s, taking 32s off the one set in 1982

He then took the 25 mile record with 51-51, an improvement of 57s on the 1988 one. Mike Piper started after Ian and did 51-52 - he should have asked for an early start!

Michael Barnes set a new Junior 50 mile record with 2h-08m-06s, taking 50s off the one set in 1968.

Another outstanding achievement was Scott Webb's ride in the 12 hour night mountain bike race at Bedgebury. Riding only his second race he covered 16 laps of the 9 mile circuit. This was 2 laps more than the second solo rider and also beat all the teams of four.

The social rides are also going from strength to strength, with last Saturday's 6 groups having a total of 98 riders. 

7 club members rode the Team Cambridge 10 on 1st August and set 3 new records.

Roy Manser and Roly Crayford set a National Veterans record for their combined age group with 22m-22s.

In the solo event Ian Sutton (20.27), Mike Piper (20.30) and Dave Stocker (22.05) took 27 seconds off the club 10 mile Team record.

Steve Berry then finished with 21.02 so reducing it by a further
1m-03s to 1-01-59. 

The solos were all personal best times and Sarah Sutton made it a full set  with 24-15.

At the AGM last December there was a proposition to discontinue the Tuesday evening clubnights because the lack of support did not justify the hire charge of £19 an evening. It was decided to trial the following changes for 6 months , after which the committee would consider the position.
      -move the committee meeting from Friday to the first Tuesday of each month
      -bring out the magazine on the second Tuesday
      -arrange some sort of special evening on one of the remaining Tuesdays each month.

Initially the magazine and "special" evenings did increase the numbers but more recently they have fallen away again. The committee have reviewed the position, taking into account the these factors
      - the committee is too large to meet in someone's house. If we cancel our booking for all except the first Tuesdays any new booking that wants the hall every Tuesday would take priority
      -we need storage space for the rollers and table tennis table
      -the special evenings (Ladies Nights and talks) attracted more during the winter months.

The decision is to close the clubroom during July, August and September then run the usual weekly meetings and some "special" evenings again. The Quiz and French Night on 30th June will therefore be the last clubnight until it reopens on 13th October.

To maintain our booking we will continue to pay the hire charge during the hibernation.

Ian Sutton, Mike Piper and Damian Cairns were some of the club members who travelled to Wales to ride the Ogmore Valley Wheelers 25 on the R25/3H course. They have all been doing fast times on our local courses and decided to see what they could do on a nationally recognised fast course.

Ian did a 53-01, Mike 53-06 and Damian 54-21.  Subject to ratification their team time of 2-40-28 took just over 7 minutes off the previous record that had stood since 1988.

Congratulations and what is the next target?

L to R  Damian, Ian, Mike