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DE LAUNE CYCLING CLUB

FOUNDED 1889

Sponsored by EVANS CYCLES (UK) Ltd. & SPECIALIZED CYCLES

Sam Fensterheim

 January 2005
No. 871 -75th Year

www.delaunecc.org

THE PRESIDENTS REPORTS

Happy New Year to all our members from the guys in the engine room, 2005! What will the New Year bring to our club? New members? We could do with more, especially the young guys. We also need more people in the engine room to help out. There, I have said my bit. Alan Rowe, our time trial manger, is back with us (not driving yet) and has laid out his time trial programme for our members for the New Year. Watch this space.

I think we will be running a road race on behalf of the SERRL on the Sevenoaks Weald course on the 3rd of April (to be confirmed) so we will need all hands on deck for this one, especially as it is on our door step. Our track programme is up and running, see Jeremy White, we have Bill Wright, Peter Harris, Stax, Cliff Steel, Harry Corbett, Nigel Scales, just to mention a few who are working so hard for you.

On the social side we are now working on the Belgium Night. It was suggested we change the name of it to the Little Britain Night (I am the only gay in the De Laune) the mind boggles with what we can do!!!

On a serious note please try to attend the Special General Meeting to be held at the Herne Hill clubroom on the 20th of January, the agenda should be in this DLN. I know that Peter Harris has put in a lot of hard work for this meeting so please attend.

Before I sign off, how about a few articles for the DLN in 2005. I know that Mark would like to hear from you. I have not got a lot to report this month but hope to see you all at the special GM. All the best.

Kav.

PS The De Laune ski team will be in action again this year at Alp du’Huez. Due to dates clashing we are a little split up. Terry, Mike and Roy will be going out early reconnoitre the course. Then to be followed by Titch and myself and 14 guests from the San Fairy Ann CC, did you know that Titch and I, who have now reached the magic age of 70, booked in at Alp d’Huez to get a free lift pass, (worth £120) Guess what! To get a free pass this year you have to be 72. They have put the age limit up!

PSS Just had an e-mail from Johnny Darroch, who lives in Phuket, Thailand. Thank God he and Jead are safe from the Tsunami that hit the country. I know that John will keep in touch with us.

P.S.S.S. Bill Wrights new 2005 junior ladies Herne Hill racing team! Where he gets them from I do not know!

The Tour by Numbers
92nd Tour de France from July 2nd to 24th 2005

The route
Running from Saturday July 2nd to Sunday July 24th 2005, the 92nd Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3500 kilometres.

These 21 stages have the following profiles:
* 9 flat stages,
* 3 medium mountain stages,
* 6 mountain stages,
* 2 individual time-trial stages,
* 1 team time-trial stage.

Distinctive aspects of the race
* 3 mountain finishes,
* 2 rest days,
* 74 kilometres of individual time-trials,
* 66 kilometres of team time-trials,
* 1 transfer by plane and one by train,
* 20 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed,
* 9 new stop-over towns: Fromentine, Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile, Les Essarts, La Châtaigneraie, Chambord, Gérardmer, Miramas, Agde et Lézat-sur-Lèze.

The Hundreth Anniversary of Jacques Goddet
The 2005 Tour de France will coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Jacques Goddet (1905-2000), former director of the competition and of L'Equipe newspaper. It will also coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the first Ballon d'Alsace ascent.
 

A FEW MORE FACTS

Followers
* 4,500 accompanying people
* 1,500 vehicles

Organisation
* 60 permanent staff
* 200 temporary staff
* 180 service providers
* 14 medical staff
* 1,200 rooms reserved daily

Security
* 13,000 “gendarmes”
* 45 “gardes républicains”
* 9,000 police staff & CRS
* 3,000 government officials from the Ministère de l'Équipement
* 10 policemen for the Permanent Mission

Publics
* 15 million spectators
* Men: 68% - Women: 32%
* 71% under 50
* 42% under 34
* 76% of French people have once attented the Tour
* Brand recognition: 96% in France, 90% in Europe
* 30% of foreign spectators in the mountain stages
* 22 various nationalities

Publicity caravan
* 200 vehicles
* 40 brand names represented
* 11 million gifts distributed

Media
* 2,300 accredidated journalists
* 1,200 journaliste, photographer, cameramen & TV directors
* 1,100 technicians or chauffeurs
* 528 various media

TV broadcasting
* 78 channels in 170 countries
* 2 billion viewers
* 2,400 hours of TV coverage

Internet
* 350 million pages viewed (+17% vs 2003)
* 7,7 million visitors

* 2,400 hours of TV coverage

Some more interesting facts for this year’s tour more can be found at:
http://www.letour.fr/2005/presentationus/index.html

ALL THE RACING RESULTS

The SE Championships held at Lydden Motor Race Circuit, on December 5 and hosted by VC Deal. - woman/Veterans/juniors 

J/V/W - Results
1        William Thompson    Jun    Pacific RT               7 laps in 41:43
2        Mick Bell                 V40   London Fire Brigade              +0:32
3        Carl Mcdonagh         V50   Brixton Cycles                      +0:34
34      Bill Wright             V40   De Laune/Evans      +1 lap    +1:30

The Twickenham CC Hillingdon winter series began on Saturday, December 4.

Record numbers attended the first race of the series.

4 riders broke free and Gavin Smith (Willesden CC) won the gallop to the line, whilst Dan Rudd (Team Edwardes) led in the pack.

1        Gavin Smith            Willesden CC                     55k 1.16.10
2        Lewis Atkins            Glendene/Biketrax                       s/t
3        Matt Seaton            VC Londres s/t
4        Warrick Spence        London Dynamo/Cyclefit.co.uk      s/t
5        Dan Rudd               Team Edwardes                 @17 seconds

Youth A
1        Michael Wilmot                  Hillingdon Slipstreamers CC
2        Luke Merrilees                     Hillingdon Slipstreamers CC
3        Sam Fensterheim             De Laune C

A large crowd enthusiastically cheered on the riders at the
Gala Night hosted by Surrey Road CC & Brixton Cycles
on December 8, at Herne Hill Stadium. 

Juniors 500m SS 250m Flying start
Ryan Beckett           JV      Bec CC                   20.78 9.02 29.80
Jamie Bull               JV      South Eastern RC    22.76 10.53 33.29
Sam Fensterheim   JV      De Laune CC           22.49 10.60 33.09
James King            JR      De Laune CC           33.62 11.86 45.48

The 10th round of the 2004/05 London Cross League supported by Mosquito Bikes and USE, held at Hillingdon, on December 19 and hosted by London Fire Brigade CC & Sutton CC

 Youth Race
1        Alex Paton              VC Deal
2        Michael Butler         VC Deal                  U14   @40 secs
3        Amy Thompson       Bikeplus                 1st girl          @2.05
4        Sam Fensterheim  De Laune CC                     @3.40

The 11th round of the 2004/05 London Cross League supported by Mosquito Bikes and USE, held at Footscray, on December 27 and hosted by Gemini BC

 Youth Race
1        Andrew Griffiths      Lee Valley Youth CC          33.03
2        Tom Smart             VC Dea                             33.09
6        Sam Fensterheim  De Laune CC                     38.25

2005 Mountain Bike Dates

24hr Races: -
The Saab-Salomen Mountain Mayhem returns for its 8^th year, it’s at Eastnor Castle on the weekend of 24^th-26^th June (including a Dirt Demo Day on Friday 24^th).  Always hugely popular and De Laune has an excellent track record in this event.  Teams of 5 (mixed), 4 or solo. 

The slightly less competitive Sleepless In The Saddle (SITS) returns to Trentham Gardens on 13^th-14^th August with a new sponsor (Kona) replacing Shimano.  Teams of 4, 2 or solo. 

12hr Races: -
Dusk til Dawn is at its usual venue of Thetford Forest on the weekend of 17^th-18^th September for more night-time racing shenanigans.  Teams of 4, 2 or solo. 

6hr Races: -
The ever-popular Karrimor/Specialized -sponsored Enduro6 is back at Trentham Gardens on 23^rd-24^th April.  The usual format of XC racing on the Saturday, a night Time-Trial (1-lap) on the Saturday night and the main 6hr endurance race on the Sunday.  Teams of 2 or solo.

Merida 100 Endurance Racing series: -
April 9^th-10^th                      Builth Wells, mid-Wales*
May 28^th-29^th                     Rhayader, mid-Wales
July 2^nd-3^rd                          Builth Wells, mid-Wales
July 30^th-31^st                      Selkirk, Scotland
September 17^th-18^th          Ruthin, mid-Wales
 

* This first round also includes a Night Time Enduro race of approx 50km, entries are strictly limited to 500 and you must have previous night-time racing experience (as well as some damn good lights!)

National Points Series: -
Following on from last years successful overhaul of the race format, 2005 sees a continuation of this theme, with the XC racing on Saturday and a choice of 2hr, 4hr or 6hr enduro races on the Sunday.  Venues have yet to be finalised, more details supplied as and when I get them. 

April 16th-17th   -   May 14th-15th   -   June 11th-12th   -   July 30th-31st 

More details on race dates can be found at

www.singletrackworld.com
www.bikemagic.com
www.gorrick.com (for the South-based Gorrick series)
www.britishcycling.org.uk

CLUB TIME TRIALS 2005

Here are the Club time trial dates for 2005, the SCCU dates are on Club Events Days as there are 6 to 8 Clubs on those mornings and hopefully we can share marshalls and maybe timekeepers which could help us, but as yet I do not know the times of start until the divisional handbook comes out the I will let you know. As you see the Club Championship 25 is incorporated in our open, this will boost our entries and we will have it properly marshalled, Val is happy to do this in fact it was their idea.

O.M. e-mail News

Dear Mike, Greetings from OZ,

I have just been speaking to Harry on the phone. He is at present in hospital and has been there some time now and Eileen and I are going to see him next Thursday. It would be lovely if he were to receive some get well cards from some of the people who know him, preferably humorous ones (the cards that is). So could you perhaps speak to Brian Saxton, Kav perhaps Don White and Bill Miles and any others that spring to mind. His address in Brisbane is Public Ward 10B Bed 39, Mater Hospital, Mater Hill Brisbane, Australia. I'm sure he will be over the moon.

We got here last Wednesday late after 2 days in Kuala Lumpur in very hot weather but it has hardly stopped raining since we arrived although it has been very warm around 75 - 79 degrees. When the sun is out it is roasting but not enough of it. At least it is warm enough for shorts all the time. Kind regards to everybody and please gets those cards organised. I haven’t told Harry.

John Geoghegan

Dear Mike,

Thanks for passing on the message, Eileen and I visited Harry at home on Thursday he is about a 35 min drive from Glyn. He is very weak after his bout of chemotherapy and very tired but we had a good chat and went down memory lane as you can imagine. He sends his regards to all who knew him. His home address for cards is 37 Kiewa Drive, Loganholme, Brisbane, Queensland, QLD 4129, Australia.

Have a good Christmas and a happy and prosperous and healthy New Year and give my regards to everybody in the Crown on New Years day. We will be on a yacht in Sydney Harbour to see the New Year in so it should be quite an experience. We had 37.6 degrees on Tuesday this week.

Kind regards, John.

Hi Kav and Mark, Sunday 19th December 2004.

Sorry I have not replied before, when we got back from New Zealand we had two Korean business visitors come over for four days, then Bill and Laura my business friends from New York for ten days, they returned to NY two days ago. Add to this the new house construction and you will see I am hardly retired.

Firstly I would like to offer some thoughts on Alan Rowe and his campaign to have every cyclist wear a crash helmet;

The De Laune CC was formed in 1989 (no John 1889 Ed) as a Boxing Club, it turned to cycling as its main interest about the year 1900. If we assume that the average membership of the Club has been 100-150 members and that the Cycling Club part has been going for 104 years now, by my calculation we are looking at around 10,400 to 15,600 members that have been cyclists.

I have no idea how many miles an average member would ride each year but the final figure would likely run to something in the order of 15,600 members x 2000 miles per year = 31,200,000 miles.

As far as I know Alan is the only member to ever have suffered such a serious head injury when falling off his bike. It can therefore be plainly seen that the chances of having such a serious accident are very tiny.

As a matter of fact I do wear my crash helmet when I ride my bike; I do this because it is common sense. I would resent Government telling me that I have to do this; I would far rather be persuaded by logic and common sense. After all it is my life and I like to live it the way I choose, this so long as it does not harm anybody else.

Please say hi to Alan, I sincerely hope that he is fully recovered from his ordeal in France.

I cannot believe it is almost Christmas, we shall likely go to the Islander Restaurant for Christmas lunch, we get a truly traditional lunch, prawn cocktail, turkey; dark and white meat, stuffing, roast and boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, gravy etc, lubricated with a large glass of red or white Australian wine, and for the dessert, genuine imported English Christmas pudding with custard. Some competition this year though; we have a sensational French restaurant called La Mousson, they too are putting on a "Noel" luncheon, we have been going to La Mousson for about two months now and the cuisine is truly superb. I guess I shall have to make this difficult choice nearer the time. May I wish all my friends in the De Laune a great Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

John Darroch

I must correct John on his thoughts that the De Laune Cycling Club started as a boxing club, in 1889 the De Laune CC was formed to add to the other activities of the De Laune Institute; which at that time already included, cricket, billiards, boxing, football, gymnastics, dramatics, athletics, debating, singing and dancing. Ed.

New Address: j.b.darroch@hvlp.com

Tsunami Sunday 26th December

Hi John

Have just seen on the news what is happening out there, are you OK.

Mark

Dear everyone, Monday 27th December 2004.

The attachment will give you some idea of what has happened here in Phuket and immediate area during the last 24 hours, you will doubtless see all the World News on TV. The earthquake that has caused all this is now rated as a 9.0 on the Richter scale.

Phuket is by no means the worst hit area, India and Sri Lanka are far worse and they are some 2000 kilometers from here. My observations are gleaned from our local TV, for those of you familiar with Phuket you will know the areas referred to.

As requested by the authorities we shall not try to visit any of the badly hit areas, we have been asked to stay out of the way. Telephones in the coastal areas will likely be out for some time as all electric power is off, inland things are pretty well normal. John D

Tuesday 28th Dec 2004.

I have just spoken with two friends who have been to some of the devastated areas. One in Khao Lak right now tells me that the Khao Lak, Tap-la-mu area is far worse than anything seen so far in the Phuket region. He said that by comparison it makes Patong looks like a “walk in the park” to use his words.

In Khao Lak there are a number of newly constructed large five star hotels close to the beach, these have literally been wiped from the face of the earth. He estimates that the death toll from this area alone is something like 4,000, there are virtually no survivors. The giant wave struck with such force it went 5 kilometers inland in some places. He said the area looks like the site of 9/11 on a vast scale.

The force of one wave lifted a Thai Navy frigate, laying off shore and dumped it right way up on the beach such was the force of the Wave.

I checked with a diving friend who is President of the Dive Operators Association for this region. He says to his knowledge nobody was lost on Dive boats. All the Dive boats were out at sea when the Waves struck, all one felt at sea was a large “swell” The captains of the various boats heard on their radios what was happening on shore and stayed at sea. They remained there, in some cases for five hours, until they were sure it was safe to make port.

Pang Nya Bay area too is very bad, many small islands where there are many tourists and locals have been hit very hard.

The death toll in Thailand is currently showing as 800, this figure will rapidly change when the full facts are known.

Thursday 30th December 2004

Jead and I went to the Provincial Hall in Phuket Town yesterday, the food, clothes and supplies that are coming in are overwhelming. We went to offer our service, but they were so very busy it was hard to speak to anyone, then the power went off, so we just left our name and telephone numbers for them to contact us if they need volunteers. There were hundreds of people there, many foreigners, all trying to locate lost or missing friends and family members from scores of photographs displayed; it was a very moving scene.

The Thai Authorities are really doing a wonderful job, there is free internet, free international phone calls, free rides to anywhere on Phuket Island, or the airport, lots of food etc. There are free buses or flights up to Bangkok plus free hotel accommodation is being provided either in Phuket or Bangkok. I truly believe that the authorities are doing everything that can be done.

The Prime Minister came down to Phuket on Monday, he showed honest and genuine concern for all the people. He spent much time in getting all the top level officials together and trying to make sure that everything was coordinated with assistance for everyone, foreign or Thai. The Thai Army, Navy and helicopter pilots are working round the clock, extra police have been drafted in from other Provinces together with nurses and doctors.

I did my normal bike ride this morning and was very surprised to see that Rawaii Beach is back to normal, the roads are clean, the little restaurants are back in business and there was no visible signs of damage. Unless somebody told you what it was like on Monday, you would never know what had happened.

The worst hit areas were the beaches facing due west; they took the main force of the Wave. Khao Lak, 50 miles north of Phuket took a terrible hammering with a huge loss of life. Khun Doe, our architect, was there last Tuesday; he doubts that it can be rebuilt. Brand new five star hotels that opened just a month ago are trashed. The biggest problem is that the beach itself has been moved. Before the Wave hit, the hotels were set back about 100 meters from the sea, similar to the Phuket Marriott. They had restaurants and exclusive five star bungalows right on the beach. Now the restaurants are completely gone, all the exclusive beach front bungalows are gone and the hotel proper now sits at the waters edge, huge amounts of sand having been taken from the beach and out to sea.

I am confident that Patong Beach will open again in the next day or so, I think the beach front road will have been cleaned and all debris removed. The beach itself will be clean and apart from the shops facing the sea, the damage will not look so bad. It is amazing how with heavy machinery and lots of labor, how quickly things can be cleaned up.

The biggest task for Phuket will be to convince tourists that it is OK to come here again, they will have seen the pictures on the TV news and see it the way it was last Monday. It will require a big advertising program to get the true picture across.

Khun Doe says that even Phi Phi Island can be cleaned up and rebuilt fairly quickly. You will remember that the great majority of the buildings were "home made" comprising of wood, bamboo poles, thatched palm leave roofs and the like. Once the place is free of debris these can properties can be rebuilt quickly. Convincing tourists to back will be the biggest challenge. Kata Beach Resort, where Jead and I had our wedding reception is running normally again, you would never know anything happened.

When I see the devastation in places like Aceh Province, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, these countries have a terrible problem; it will take years for them to get back to anything like normal. It has occurred to me that we have seen nothing on the news about Myanmar (Burma) they too must have suffered heavy damage and loss of life yet they are never mentioned?

It is very heart warming to see how all of the richer countries have got together so quickly to try and help those in need. With the likelihood of 100,000 plus having lost their lives, countless thousands injured, millions without their homes or livelihood, it would now appear that this is the greatest disaster ever recorded in history.

JBD.

DATES TO REMEMBER

PRODUCED by MARK & JASON BALLAMY
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