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DE LAUNE CYCLING CLUB

FOUNDED 1889

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

I believe this to be Nick Butler

 June 2005
No. 876 -75th Year

www.delaunecc.org

THE PRESIDENTS REPORTS

This will be my last Presidents Report as my presidency comes to an end this month. How fast the last five years have gone. Getting involved with members old and new was part of the job and I enjoyed every minute of it.

What has happened over the last five years? Well the sale of the clubroom must come top. It was a sad day when we no longer had a clubroom. I think the writing was on the wall when we only had a few guys turning up for club nights. We still had to pay for the maintenance, rates, the water bills, gas bills etc. To sell or not to sell came as a grievance with a lot of our members.

Five years ago we had two clubs or should I say two sections, the younger members and the old timers. Letters in the DLN did not help with one section saying, “We get no help from the older members to run events” and one section saying “I have done my bit over the last few years so get on with it” Not a good situation. We lost some good club officials and we lost some members to other clubs.

The new committee has more of an age balance. The youngest being 18 (James King) and the oldest being, I think 78 (Mark Ballamy?) (I may look that old but still got 5 to go to 78 Mr President Ed.) We shanghaied two of the older members on to the committee Alan Rowe and Stax.

One problem we had was lack of helpers and marshals for our club and open events. (I can remember the open 25 in 2000 we had Katie Chown helping at the start with numbers, then dashing off to marshal a corner and then dashing back to the finish to help out in the canteen.) The Old Peoples Home marshalling group was formed to share the jobs with the younger guys. I think this worked because of the promise of a pie and a pint in the pub after the event.

Last April we ran a road race on behalf of the South East Road League. This was on the Sevenoaks Weald course. Guess what? - we had no riders but we did have about 20 De Laune marshals and helpers! How things have changed. We got a nice letter from the SERL thanking the De Laune for all of our help and perhaps we could help out with other events! We will see.

As I am on the subject, we have got our open 25 on the 31st July run by ‘Val the Peach’ on the Chilham course, the road race on 14th June on the Crystal Palace circuit run by ‘Mick the Peel’, and the MTB event at Beastways on the 29th June run by Bill. All events need marshals so apply soon, as you might not get a place!

As I have said in my previous reports, we get a lot of new members through our excellent web site run by Mick, but the problem is that they are all over the place and we can never get them under one roof at a time.

The club dinner is now dead, as we know it. The younger member does not want to sit at a table in his best suit and listen to long speeches, and then jitterbug to music from the 60’s. So we had a cunning plan called The Belgium Night.

For about a tenner you would get roller racing, a good (and I mean good) four course meal and all the wine you could drink (subject to driving) and a French accordionist. The supper is on a first come first served basis and they are a sell out.

How do we do it? Everything is at cost to start off with. The club has a top class chef who works all day to cook and prepare our meal for free. Thank you Cliff and Carol. The cost of the wine and Belgium beer (which we get from the French supermarket) is donated by our members and we give a donation to the Blackheath Harriers through Mick Peel for the use of their clubroom.

To make more room for bums on seats we have dropped the roller racing. How long the Belgium Night will last I do not know but as long as we have interest, enjoy. (We give out the odd cup and short speech when the youngsters are not looking!)

Through the sale of the club room the club is financially sound. The advice from a good working committee and from older members, who know what it is all about, has allowed us to steer clear of madcap investment ideas (I think the bwana bead farm was one of them) and thank goodness we did not put money into the Herne Hill project, knowing what we know now! Our cash has been put into a high interest bank account and part of the interest to promote different sections of our club i.e. time trials, track, road racing, triathlons, MTB and our junior section etc. I hope to have a surprise for the OMA at the Belgium Night.

On Sunday the 22nd May we had our OMA lunch at Brighton and I know that Dot will be giving you a report in this issue As this will be my last report I would like to thank you all for allowing me to be your President for the last five years and to thank the OMA members for my present of red wines. My Pat was over the moon with the lovely flowers. Thanks guys from both of us.

Kav.

PS Do not forget we have an AGM on Monday the 20th June at 8pm sharp at the British Legion Club, 97 Barry Road, East Dulwich, London SE22. Find out who is your next President!

PSS John Darroch I know you are reading this through our web site and I am getting your e-mails but are you getting mine as the ones I am sending to you are being returned to me?

Movie of the Month Review by Nigel Scales

Without any base fitness, much less race fitness, to make me feel guilty, I spent a very pleasant May Sunday afternoon in Hammersmith in the presence of someone who could/should reasonably be termed a British cycling legend - Ian Steel. The event was a special screening of the film of the 1952 Warsaw-Berlin-Prague "Peace Race", where the British team took the team prize and Ian Steel took overall victory beating a certain Jean Stablinski among others (though credited in the film with the correct spelling of his name - Stablewski!). The film itself was borrowed from the Netherlands Film Archive and it took the organiser several months to get the required permission of the film-maker's widow. This didn't prove easy for reasons that will become clear - suffice it to say that she was concerned that the film wouldn't be well-received these days and didn't want any controversy. It's believed that this was the first time the film has been shown for 50 years and possibly the first, and last, time in Britain.

The show opened up with an introduction of the guests of honour - Ian Steel himself and a number of other team members and riders who had participated in the "Peace Race" in other years. There were also some video clips recorded by guests that couldn't attend. The organiser had also found some footage of early Tour of Britain stages featuring Ian Steel and some of the others, including one that passed through Bromley on it's way from Central London to Farnborough! (The commentator was at pains to reassure the viewing public that the race, the first ever, was run strictly in accordance with the Highway Code to ensure the safety of the public and the cyclists and that no overtaking was allowed until the race reached Farnborough (and was de-neutralised) - bad news for the guys who thought it would be a good idea to start the stage at the front of the bunch...)

I wasn't sure what to expect from the main feature - I'd noticed a piano at the front of the theatre and was half expecting someone with sheet music to appear and to provide the sound track! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the film came with sound track and was in colour!! (Apologies to the older members - I wasn't yet born in 1952, much less a movie-goer!) I was slightly less delighted to find that it was in German, however the organiser had arranged a system for projecting English sub-titles over the film (they also had to be vetted for accuracy by the museum...) so I wasn't forced to rely on my minimalist German. The film was made for East German Government owned company, if I understood the credits properly, and predictably the excellent shots of the beautiful scenery and the race itself were interspersed with shots of smiling miners and factory workers waving national and communist party flags. There was some great commentary as well, not the usual relatively boring race analysis you get on Eurosport - I especially liked "All over, there were pictures of Stalin - the great friend of the German people" and "Never again, will we be the cannon-fodder of the American imperialists" - David Duffield eat your heart out!

Before the coverage of the race itself there were shots of appetisers - the kids racing was interesting - my favourite was the rider in the tricycle event who clearly outclassed the competition arrived well clear at the line then braked to a fast stop an inch before it - obviously well-drilled in handling road-junctions but not well coached about bike race finishes! The commentator didn't explain whether the kid was given the result or whether it went to the others who had less scruples about crossing the line! The film had some great shots of the riders racing on good-quality cobbled roads and some cinder-track finishes. One shot that caused a sharp intake of breath was a rider's-eye view of an approaching climb - a cobbled monster that made the one in the old Hovis advertisement look like a dragstrip. And no namby-pamby 20-speed STI-controlled groupsets and carbon frames with built-in coffee-maker for those boys remember... these were the days when you more or less had to shorten or extend your chain if you wanted to change gear. (OK - slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.) The race seemed to be a bit like a stage race version of Paris-Roubaix - a mix of tarmac and long sections of cobbles (though in better condition than the pave sections of the classic) The leading race vehicle was a white, open, motor-bike and side-car combination and the whole film gave a good feel for the era.

After the film Ian Steel spoke, overcoming the effects of a throat cancer, talking about the politics in British Cycling at the time For those who don't know, the governing body - the National Cycling Union - disapproved of "massed-start" road racing, fearing that it would cause public objection and lead to racing being outlawed again - a return to courses known by code numbers (like Q21) and the sartorially disastrous black alpaca racing kit (ask Kav to show you his!). The British League of Racing Cyclists pioneered road racing and there was a lot of in-fighting, banning of riders etc. Ian Steel was in a BLRC-selected team when he won the Peace Race and his early retirement from the sport was due to the politics. Ian described how the race favourite, a Czech, tried to crack him on the final stage by taking the front and staying in the left gutter, exposing Ian to the cross-wind from the right and forcing him to work hard to hold the wheel. One of the British team riders suddenly rode up alongside and stayed there, protecting Ian but giving no shelter to the Czech, for mile after mile. The Czech smiled, shrugged and said "You have a great team" and accepted Steel's inevitable victory. (By about one minute...) Ian also noted that none of the British bikes failed during the race although a number of foreign riders suffered frame failures. Those were the days!

For anyone whose appetite was whetted to see the film, there is a ray of hope. There is the possibility that it might be made available on DVD. I'd definitely recommend it for the combination of nostalgia and quality colour footage of '50's era racing and a rare British road-race victory in the world's then-biggest amateur stage race.

MEMBERSHIP

The club showed its appreciation to “Kav” with the presentation of a gold badge to mark the outstanding period of his presidency. We must also congratulate him on receiving a medal from Her Majesty’s government for all he did during his two years’ National Service with the Royal Artillery in Egypt – the Canal Zone, to be specific.

The government, in their wisdom, recently decided to issue a General Service Medal to all those members of the armed forces who served in the Canal Zone. Kav’s arrived in a cardboard box with a slip of paper, which had to be signed and returned to the MOD. Kav added under his signature a note remarking that after 50 years of waiting he thought he should have been invited to the Palace for the medal to be formally presented by the Queen!

On many of our ski trips, we have sat around a log fire in the evenings with a glass of wine and have been held spellbound by Kav’s tales of his service in Egypt, and especially R&R in Cyprus; but then you have to pay attention because he organises the ski trips! Incidentally, he has been seen on several occasions proudly wearing his medal in the Maidstone branches of both Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s.

I think that club member Sam Fensterheim should be congratulated on his contribution to the public meeting held on Thursday, 12th May at the Methodist Hall in Herne Hill, where the future of the Herne Hill track was discussed. Sam, although only 16 years of age, gave a very clear and concise opinion as to why the track should remain available, especially for youngsters in his age group - quite a daunting experience for anyone to stand up in front of almost 300 people. There were several other De Laune members present at the meeting, including Alan Rowe, who also spoke in support of the retention of the track. My personal view is that Dulwich Estates have a battle ahead as everyone at the meeting was for retaining the track, including local residents, and although there were no representatives from Dulwich Estates, it seemed to me that Mayor Livingstone’s representative, Val Shawcross, gave veiled threats that Ken would be very unhappy to see the track disappear and if it did, this decision could impact on any other developments they had in mind for the site.

We must add to the list of members making donations to club funds the names of Don White and Peter Gunnell: Don would like his donation to be used for the promotion of the DLN.

Finally, the other day, whilst collecting my daily paper from the local newsagents and wearing my polo shirt embroidered with the club name (incidentally, we still have a few extra large at £17.50 if anyone is interested), I was stopped outside the shop and questioned as to whether the De Laune referred to the cycling club. Of course, I replied that it did, and the person I was speaking to turned out to be Bryan Rumbelow, who was a member in the late 60s – small world!

Brian Saxton
Membership Secretary

ON YER BIKE!

The bicycle is considered the most significant technological innovation since 1800, according to a Radio 4 listener’s survey.

Fifty-nine percent of the 5,500 voters put pedal power above nominations such as the internet and the internal combustion engine. The transistor and the electro-magnetic induction ring were joint second. The bicycle was nominated for the You and Yours programme poll by Professor Heinz Wolff, of Brunel University, who said the affordable transport had “changed humanity”.

Brian Saxton

ALL THE RACING RESULTS & NEWS

EnduroPLUS 6-Hour Endurance Race, 24th April 2005 Sponsored by Specialized

The venue for this years ‘Enduro6’ (now called EnduroPLUS) was changed from the usual Trentham Gardens course to Catton Park near Tamworth, a course that has previously hosted rounds of the National Points Series. Catton Park is regarded by many as a fairly flat circuit and, while it’s certainly less hilly than Trentham, anyone who has by lunchtime, it was a blazing hot day and the course began drying out rapidly. I’d pre-ridden the course on Saturday so knew what to expect.

Ross and I had teamed up again for this event although a near disaster ensued on Saturday night when Ross realised that he was unable to get a hire car. A quick set of phone calls followed before Bill Wright stepped in and lent Ross his car for the weekend with strict instructions that Ross was to drive it like he owned it. Ross turned up on Sunday morning having done the 2hr London to Tamworth drive in1hr 40 minutes…

It had rained slightly on Saturday night and the weather early Sunday was still looking a bit undecided. The course was very greasy in places, the clay soil hadn’t taken kindly to the rain and Ross quickly800m run to the bikes was over fairly quickly and I came into the pit area just behind Nick Craig to pick my bike up from Ross and ride out onto the course. We’d decided to ride double laps of the 5.25-mile course thus giving each of us an hours riding followed by an hours rest. I completed my 2-lap stint in almost exactly one hour and handed over to Ross. I spent the next hour eating energy food and talking to Ned Overend who, although he is 55 (over twice my age), was still managing to ride a lap almost 5 minutes faster than either Ross or I were able to. By the time I started out on my 3rd and 4th laps, the course had dried out considerably although a lot of the singletrack sections in the woods had the consistency of plasticene, which made for an energy-sapping ride. The long draggy climb at the back of the course seemed to be getting longer and steeper with each lap too but at least it was warm and sunny and Team De Laune was only just outside the top 10. We had a race-long battle with the guys in the next Pit Area to us as well. One of them was about 1 minute quicker a lap than either Ross or me, the other guy was swapped to mud tires. The event is run under “parc-ferme” rules meaning that there is a large Pit Zone and each pair of riders is allocated a 6’ by 4’ space where they must store all necessary kit for the 6 hour race – tools, clothes, food, chair, umbrella, sense of humour. The Pit Zone contains toilets and a water tap and racers are only allowed out of this Zone if they are on the course racing. We were ready in our little space by 9.45am, waiting for the race to start at 10. By now, the sun had started to appear and by lunchtime, it was a blazing hot day and the course began drying out rapidly. I’d pre-ridden the course on Saturday so knew what to expect and Ross had already made it clear that he wasn’t doing the Le Mans style run at the start so I lined up just behind mountain biking legend and former 6-times World Mountain Bike Champion Ned Overend who’d come over from America at the request of the event sponsors, chair, umbrella, sense of humour. The Pit Zone contains toilets and a water tap and racers are only allowed out of this Zone if they are on the course racing. We were ready in our little space by 9.45am, waiting for the race to start at 10. By now, the sun had started to appear and by lunchtime, it was a blazing hot day and the course began drying out rapidly.

I’d pre-ridden the course on Saturday so knew what to expect and Ross had already made it clear that he wasn’t doing the Le Mans style run at the start so I lined up just behind mountain biking legend and former 6-times World Mountain Bike Champion Ned Overend who’d come over from America at the request of the event sponsors Specialized and was racing with his son as part of a publicity team. Also present was British Olympic rider Nick Craig and several other big names from British mountain biking. Ross and I were going to have our work cut out...

The about a minute slower so we were neck and neck for most of the race. It was only when one of them had a mechanical in the last 15 minutes of the race that Ross was able to get past putting us in a creditable 12th place out of 84 teams in the Men’s Pairs race. We’d completed 12 laps between us in a time of 6.05.52. Each of us had ridden 6 laps 32 miles 2750ft of climbing And annoyingly enough, Ross got the fastest lap time, 9 seconds quicker than me! Note: my first lap time includes the 800m run at the start

Total time: 06:05:52

James Lyon

Vlissegem Kermesse - Belgium 24/04/05

I was kindly invited to do my first ever race abroad in Belgium by Ian Whitehead of Ruxley Cycles. Belgium being the 'home' of cycling all races over there are much more organised, faster and attract larger fields than here in England. In England pretty much all youth races will be held on a closed road circuit of a mile or less such as Eastway and will last from 20 to 40 minutes . In Belgium on the other hand many youth races are held on the road with a circuit of around 6 or 7 miles closed off just for a youth race. The race distances are about 40 miles and race speeds can reach up to and above 30mph on an 84inch gear. I set off from Herne Hill and after a car journey a shuttle and another car journey arrived in Belgium at Neuwelingen in West Flanders only 4 hours after I had set off.

After a good warm up and the bellowing of English 70s music being played from the speakers in the portable commentary box I lined up at the start line with one other English rider Simon Lewis and 42 Belgian riders. This is a reasonably small field for Belgium as there was another race in the area. The race started at a frantic pace with me loosing my water bottle on the first lap after going over a monster of a speed bump. There were frequent attacks some of which stayed away for a few laps but were never let out of the groups sight. I even had a crack myself but no avail. Then on the home straight with about a mile to go to the finish line a Belgian rider struck out alone. With none of the group willing to commit to the chase until 500m metres to go the race ended in a 30 up bunch sprint in pursuit of the brake. I finished 18th overall out off 43 other starters. The other English rider Simon Lewis finished a creditable 6th after leading the bunch sprint out.

A good warm down followed by lunch and then the collection of my prize money as prizes go down to 20th in most Belgian youth races. Completely knackered Simon and I flopped into the car with Ian kind enough to load our bags and bikes in. Four hours later after a good days racing I arrived back home.

I would like to thank the club for funding my trip to Belgium as it would not have been possible to have such an experience otherwise. I'd also like to thanks Ian Whitehead of Ruxley cycles who was kind enough to lug me over to Belgium and organise race entry etc. My next trip to Belgium will be on May 8th back to West Flanders to take part in a kermessere.

Sam

2005 Gorrick MBC  100 Enduro

Challenge 1 May 2005

1        Steve Hambling       VC Deal/AC TIV                           05:39:01
2        Marcos Schier          www.fosker.com/Torq Bar             05:44:16
11      Clifford Steele        De Laune                                   07:55:15

SUNDAY 1ST MAY GORRICK 100 MTB ENDURO

Myself Cliff Steele did the Gorrick 100 MTB Race in Surrey I was doing the 5 lap which was suppose to be a 10 mile lap I found out later that it was a 13 mile lap. Their was a 7 lap race but I decide that I would like to finish in day light and still be able to walk afterwards I had my support team with me Carol my wife and baby Cassea what a team. Sun and hot weather made a special appearance at the south toughest endurance event hosted by Gorrick MBC and sponsored by Gill

The race started at 9 o clock am with around 88 riders it was a steady start with along climb with about 20 riders braking of from main bunch. I decide to stay with main bunch as it was going to be a long day on the first lap I was leading the main bunch which was going pretty steady I was going to wait till the 3 lap before I started to push it. It was starting to get really hot a specially in the single track I was starting to feel it on my 3 lap Carol was telling me that some of the riders had started to drop out and race organiser had apologise for the extra 3miles that was very nice of them

I decide to stop on my 4 lap and get some much needed food from my support team well one half of my support team as baby Cassea had gone to sleep she is dropped from the team now no slackers I don’t care if she is only 7 months old anyway got as much food into me as I could it was around 4 .5hrs now so much for doing it under 5 hrs I managed to latch onto a small bunch of riders on the 4 lap but I eaten to much food which I think was now trying to come back up I had to stop for few minutes before my stomach started to settle I started of again about four riders had passed me by the 4lap and finally I headed into 5lap I notice some riders had stopped at the feed station but I just swapped over my water bottle grabbed a gel and off last lap last lap how sweet that felt I was on my own for the first 4 miles and the caught two riders they were in a bad way I was feeling somewhat better and push on with about two miles to go I managed to catch up with three riders with one of them decide to give me a bit of a race with him beating me by a few seconds I found out afterwards that he was only doing the 3lap course, well the race had taken me 7hrs S5mins to do 67.5 miles one of the hardest races I have done only 18 riders finished the 5 lap course I finished 11th I cannot give enough thanks to my support team I would not have done the race without them baby Cassea said she would try her best to stay awake next time but its very hard because I’m only 7months old poor excuse, anyway I would like to say a big thank you thank you thank you to Carol & Cassea I’m one very lucky guy.

CLIFF STEELE

FINAL PLACINGS OF THE GORRICK XC SPRING SERIES

The Exodus Spring Series finally came to a close at Porridge Pot Hill, Deepcut Sunday 22nd May on a course described by many as "classic Gorrick". There were steep ups and twisty downs on the dry course with not a single puddle in sight considering the heavy rain during the week. The slightly shorter course than usual gave everyone a chance to feel they weren't going to endure too much on the relentless climbs, though the Concrete Hill still saw many a walker. So now that we've introduced two new venues this Spring you can have your say on which course you felt was your favourite by voting on the poll. If you've got any really strong feelings please e-mail info@gorrick.com

MASTER MALE 1 2 3 4 5 Total

1 ROB LEE                     0 10 10 10 8 38
2 LLOYD BETTLES       0 8 8 8 10 34
3 JAMES LETT              10 5 5 4 4 28
4 BRENDAN DIVALL    0 0 3 3 5 11

RACE No. 5 22nd May

Rob Lee won the Masters title with second in the race, behind second in the series Lloyd Bettles (Numplumz.com). James Lett (De Laune) was fifth on the day, holding onto his third in the series.

Crystal Palace Circuit Races : 4/5/05 Youth A group comprising Simon Lewis (VC Londres), Erik Rowsell (Sutton CC), Louis Charity (Sutton CC) & Sam Fensterheim (De Laune CC) went clear early on. These four kept up a good pace with Fensterheim trying a number of times to break free. Lewis pulled clear in the approach to the flag to win.

Sam trying to break free

1             Simon Lewis                      VC Londres
2             Erik Rowsell                      Sutton CC
3             Louis Charity                     Sutton CC
4             Sam Fensterheim            De Laune CC

24/5/05
3/4/W/J
1             Phil Jones                          Dulwich Paragon
2             Will Thomas                      Agisko/Viner st
3             Kirk Jenns                          PCA/Ciclos Uno
10           Sam Fensterheim            De Laune CC

Race Reports, May 2005 By James Lyon

I’ve been doing a fair few of the local crits, both at Salt Ayre in Lancaster and at Preston Sports Arena. None of these merit their own write up so I’ll concentrate on the crit race of Tuesday 24th at Salt Ayre. James Peckham (JP), former Lancaster resident, was back in this neck of the woods on business so he joined me for this outing, it was great to be racing with a teammate again.

James L leads the break round the corner, Salt Ayre
Photo courtesy of Ian McVety, www.veloriders.com

Salt Ayre is a pan flat circuit of just under 1 mile in length and this evening had a brisk headwind down the back straight. The pace went ballistic from the off with one of the local clubs, Clayton Velo putting in a few hard digs early on. Eventually the pace settled down although several half breaks appeared at intervals. I managed to get into one but in spite of JP blocking on the front of the bunch, we only managed to stay clear for 3 laps. JP also put in one or two hard efforts but to no avail. With 5 laps to go it was looking like a bunch sprint. There was a lone rider off the front but no one was willing to give chase and tow the bunch up to him, at the same time no one believed he’d be able to stay clear although in the end he did. We caught a couple of riders who had tried to make a long break and then I got boxed in as they sat up. Suddenly I went from 3rd place to 23rd place as the bunch streamed past. I managed to find JP’s wheel and together we made our way through the pack of riders. No one was willing to start making an effort into the headwind and the pace was fairly relaxed but everyone was on a hair trigger and there was a fair amount of jostling for position going on. As we passed the start/finish on the bell lap, the pace picked up and it was then that the trouble started. No one seemed capable of holding a line; bikes were going every which way. On the final tight 180 turn with about 300m to go to the line a rider swerved across the track making contact with JP just as he was winding the sprint up. He got bounced onto the grass, bunny hopped back onto the track and then there was a further clash as the rider bounced off JP and into a rider on the other side. Splits started developing as riders yelled in anger, swerved and braked to avoid the impending chaos. JP managed to extricate himself and wound up his sprint; I’d lost his wheel and had to fight my way around 3 riders who had suddenly sat up which cost me a further 10ft. JP eventually got 7th in the sprint (8th overall) with me 2 seconds back in 10th (11th overall).

A good race but it’s frustrating to be so well positioned in the final 300m only for inept 4th cat racers to get in the way. It was great to be racing with JP again too.

30 miles, max spd 33.5mph, avg 25.8mph

SOUTH EAST ROAD RACE LEAGUE

The club has received the following letter from Kim Anderson on behalf of the SERRL:

“Just a short note that hopefully you will pass on to all the volunteers and helpers from your Club at last weekend’s event at Sevenoaks Weald.

I must congratulate everybody concerned, for the road race went exceedingly well, all marshals were where they should have been and covered the roundabout marvellously. All car drivers in the peloton were very helpful with their information over the CBs and in all managed the race perfectly.

I have written a letter of thanks to the Governors of Stocks Green Primary School thanking them for the use of their school and the assistance of Paul Lane, the caretaker. I am sure you will agree that the school is a far better HQ than the scout’s hall.

We still have three new events on the calendar that still require assistance from a club. I have enclosed a calendar highlighting these events. Perhaps you could see your way to helping out on one of these dates?”

I understand that Kav has the dates of the three above-mentioned events.

Brian Saxton

(The above is in response to the event held on the 3rd April 2005).

O.M.A. E-MAILS & NEWS

Dear Mark, I found the item in the April DLN on the National Cycle Museum very interesting as I hadn't realized that it had been relocated from Lincoln to Llandrindod Wells. In the early 90s Frances and I spend a very pleasant weekend in Lincoln and on the Saturday afternoon I had a most enjoyable time exploring the collection of cycles and other cycling memorabilia at the museum. I was, therefore, interested to see the photograph of Peter Gunnell on an historic tricycle from the collection at Llandrindod Wells and in a bid to win your prize of a bottle of wine I have been perusing my 1958 HMSO handbook of the collection of cycles at the Science Museum in South Kensington and of all the machines listed and described in that publication the one that most nearly seems to fit the tricycle that Peter is sitting on is a Doubleday and Humber Tricycle of 1878 - but I'm not holding my breath!

Whilst writing, Mark, I was pleased to read that Alan Rowe has done so well in recovering from the terrible accident he had in France last year and that he has now got the 'all clear' to ride and drive again. I wish him and Jean good fortune in the years ahead. With best wishes, Arthur How

Hello Mark

Thanks for the update

I have been following the news with sadness and disillusionment, but this meeting and the report have given me new heart.

I still vividly remember my first view of the track, way back when I was about 15. (Nearly 30 years ago). I had just earned enough money to buy my first bike, and my dad had told me about the track where his brother used to race (John Birch was with the Balham CC). So one of my first adventures was to ride one sunny Sunday afternoon from Peckham to Burbage Road luckily the gate were not looked, but I was still nervous about proceeding. Anyway, I was intrigued by the wooden fence I could see a 100 yards away, so I remounted and rode up to the fence. I was amazed and impressed and in love. I could not have timed it better.

One solo rider was lapping the track, doing 200m jumps, and that was all that was going on. I went around to the back of the grandstand, saw the club cabins and went to the finish line. I felt so thrilled to be there, I guess I was tapping in to all the years of fun and excitement that had already happened there. I returned several more times, even collecting my gang of friends and taking then to see it.

And then I found out about the De Laune, and the rest is history.

And I truly hope that many more young riders find there way to Burbage Road and get that same feeling. Long may it continue.

All the very best

Garry Birch

I was both surprised and saddened to read about lockout that currently exists at Herne Hill Velodrome, caused when the Dulwich College Estate Board is refusing to grant a renewal of the facility lease with Southwark Council. Since the Southwark Council is reported to have already spent 1.1 million pounds on improving the facilities at Herne Hill, I am at a loss to understand why a long lease, or terms for an agreed renewal of the current lease, was not negotiated before the Council spent such a large sum of money. This would appear to be a common sense thing to do.

Herne Hill Track as it was known back in my racing days, was my life at that time. I would race at least twice a week during the season, in Monday Competition events, 2/6- per point in prize value, allocated at the end of the season. Then on most Wednesday evenings I would ride in the various Club promotions. On Tuesday and Thursdays, weather permitting I would train. I was sixteen then and at that time I lived with my Grandma at 14 Regent Road, Herne Hill. After rushing home from work in the center of London, Grandma always insisted I ate something “substantial” before I raced. She baked and made me eat her “special suet bread pudding” It weighed like lead in my stomach, no wonder I did not win much! anyway that’s my excuse and I am sticking to it. At the weekend I would usually ride at a grass track meeting usually well away from London.

When the 1948 Olympic Cycling took place at Herne Hill Stadium I was a boy aged thirteen, attending Carnac Central School, in West Norwood, (now demolished) I had won the “slow bicycle race” at the annual school sports day, really balancing on a bicycle and standing still. I was a keen follower of cycling back then and saw most of the famous riders of those days. Tommy Godwin was one of the riders who comes to mind, he won an Olympic Silver medal in 1948. Some years later I befriended him when I moved up to Birmingham, I bought my road bike from him back then, I still have it here in Thailand now, cannot use it anymore as all the equipment is long obsolete and I cannot get any “tubs” for it.

Anyway; I recall applying for two tickets for two days of track cycle racing at the 1948 Olympics, the semi finals and finals. I somehow managed to obtain two x 3/6- tickets, a lot of money back then, and stood in line most of the night prior to the gates opening. I wanted to get a good standing position at the side of the temporarily erected back-straight grandstand. For both days of the cycling, I stood in absolute awe; I vowed that somehow I would one-day race myself, much to the consternation of my parents. I got my coveted place at the side of the grandstand, almost opposite the finishing line on the opposite side of the track. I saw a breath taking 1000-meter Men’s Sprint Final when Reg Harris was beaten by about an inch in the third of three match races for the Gold Medal. This was probably about the only blot on Reg’s otherwise illustrious career.

Once I attained the age of sixteen, I applied for my racing license from the National Cyclists Union (NCU) and rode in various events. I had always wanted my parents to see me race. Somehow I talked my way into a Five Mile Scratch Race at a Saturday promotion, I was way out my class and should not have been allowed to ride in such an event. Mom and Dad did come to watch; I was dropped after about three laps, then lapped. After the race Dad said, “you are wasting your time, you will never be a bike rider” Oh well!

I sincerely hope that the impasse at the Herne Hill Velodrome gets sorted out; it would be a great pity were it to close. One day when back in London I hope to go to the “track” again, it will bring back a lot of memories for me.

John Darroch.

The following was published in a Thanet newspaper circa late 1950s

(I am writing this from memory.)

A police constable stopped a group of cyclists and asked one of them where he had obtained the brightly coloured plastic ice cream banner which was fixed under the back of his saddle. The cyclist assured the constable that he had obtained the banner (which advertised a well known brand of ice cream), quite legitimately. The constable was satisfied with cyclist's explanation but enquired as to what was rolled up inside it, 'TUBS' replied the cyclist.

This is absolutely true, I read the cutting from the paper this week, which one of the Thanet RC elder statesman has kept all those years.

Malcolm

O.M.A LUNCH

Another successful De Laune Promotion on the 22nd May at the Brighton Golf Club. We hope everyone enjoyed the day - you all appeared to, so much laughter and chat as usual, some cheeky cross toasts as always started off by President "Kav" who was overseeing his last official function as President.

Most of us met up at Patricia's house for coffee and biscuits and to catch up on the gossip since last year, then off to the Clubhouse, I think everyone managed to find their way after all these years - there to continue chatting and of course a few beers to get the "lads" reminiscing again. The lunch was very good (all I spoke to agreed), I'm sure Pat will pass on our thanks to the Staff - probably already has done. Thanks again to George for the wines on our tables - much appreciated. Mike Peel gave us the low down on Kav's past life - well some of it! and his great days as a super Time Triallist - (happy days). Mike is a great speech maker - no notes, all from memory, although he did think it was evening instead of afternoon! well we all make mistakes at our age but Mike is only a youngster yet.

After a presentation to Our Pres and Lady Pat, and of course Kav's speech which always has jokes and of course the serious stuff about our Club, which we all take on board I'm sure, he told us the next Social event would be the now annual Belgium Night at the Blackheath Clubhouse, 4th November.

It was great to see you all again, our thanks to Kav he has and still is (until the AGM in June) been a wonderful President.

We finally left at 5.45pm - these De Laune "lads" certainly know how to chat (thought it was the ladies who were supposed to "go on a bit!") not in The De Laune, still its really good to see everyone happy in their "old" friends company...

See you on "Belgium Night" (book early)

Dot & Ken

None this month

BRITS WHO HAVE RIDDEN IN THE Tour de France

Dates are when they first rode

You will recall that in last months DLN Brian Saxton very generously decided that I (Mark Ballamy) would donate a bottle of wine to the member who could name the Tricycle that was being ridden by Peter Gunnell. I have not yet found out the correct answer but I think it’s a “SALVO” as above. It gives me another month to save up for the wine

Go to this web site and see what is being done for the off-roaders - www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=1627

Crystal Palace circuit races - our event is on the 14 June