DLN Jun 2001

OFFICIALS
PRESIDENT JOHN KAVANAGH 40 Beverley Road Barming Maidstone Kent ME16 9JP 01622 726959	SECRETARY PETE HARRIS 91 Ashbourne Road Ealing London W5 3DH 020 8997 7852	TREASURER STEVE CARTER-SMITH Winchelsea Upper Hartfield East Sussex TN7 4AN 01892 770245

Who wants to win a cup? The situation we have at the moment is that we have a lot of good club trophies, and no one wants to win them. We could have a lot of reasons why. One could be that no one wants to ride over 25 miles. Lack of interest in time trials, or lack of interest in club events in general.

I know one year I won most of the cups, and as I was in digs the cups never came out of the tea chest they came in. I think it is not having the cup for one year, but having your name on it that matters.

It is the same with club records. It is not having the plaque that you hold when you get a club record, but having your name on it forever. No one can take that away from you. I do ramble on!

I know that the San Fairy Ann CC and the 34th Nomads have a system where the fastest rider of the year at a distance wins the trophy. This makes the competition last all year, and believe me competition breed's success. (Sorry lads but I am going on about the old times again!) We had, for instance, half a dozen riders all within 30 seconds of each other and this competition did breed winners.

So what do you think? Is it worth putting up a trophy, say the Championship 25 cup, which would go to the rider with the fastest 25 mile time of the year, be it an open or club event? It must breed competition. We have nothing to lose, as the cups are just sitting in that tea chest gathering dust.

Let Mark or I know, through the DLN, what you think. If the response is favourable I will put it forward at the next AGM. Think about it, your name would be in the DLN each month in a league table showing the fastest times of the year.

Talking about trophies, many years ago the De Laune won the Southern Counties 50 mile team award (see picture) this was Roy Chittleborough, Bert Collins, and myself. The club went to the Greyhound Hotel in Croydon by coach (no cars then) for the presentations. Knowing that Roy did not want that Shield (and glass case) and as I was in digs, we told the coach driver on the way back that the little man in the corner would take it! How Bert got it home I will never know, bless him.

Did you read in the last DLN about the lads going all the way down to Calshot to train on the track (the banking is very, very steep) The event was organised by Peter Harris and was a great success. It was remarked, "When are we going to do it again " Guess what! We had another party of 14 going again over the Easter weekend. Well-done Peter.

In the last DLN I told you about the supper organised by my hero, Quil Forbes. It was a success, and he hinted he would like to organise a "Belgium night" at the clubroom later in the year. Quil get organising!

Many years ago (sorry lads) Roy Savory asked me if I would like to go to a place where woman had hardly any cloths on and you can drink as much as you like for a fiver. He took me to the Lewisham swimming baths.

Can't quite get the flight at such short notice, but I'll be there in spirit... Just got back from the Tour Durban yesterday - 6am start for a 100km race in 25 degrees of humid heat (got 20th in the bunch finish - out of 250 in my category, 5000 in total!). Racing will be tough when I get back to the UK!

THE DATE FOR THIS ANNUAL EVENT AT HERNE BAY WILL BE THE 29th JULY, ALL INVITED, NOT JUST FOR OLD MEMBERS. ARRIVE HERNE BAY 9.00 am. RUN TO START AT ABOUT 9.45am. 40-MILES MAX. BACK ABOUT 1.00pm FOR BBQ.

I decided to have a go at the SPOCO events this year in an effort to build myself up for my first ever 12hr (a regrettable error of letting myself be talked into riding by Mal Adams-thanks Mal). Anyway I entered the Southborough 10 on the Harrietsham course to start off with, was not doing to bad to the turn considering the day, but just after the turn at the top of the hill my chain jammed in between the two chain rings, end of the day for me.

Next up was hilly 27mile, a SPOCO event up at Stowmarket in Suffolk. This was cancelled because of the foot & mouth. Then I entered another SPOCO event at Bishop's Stortford this was also cancelled for the same reason.

I also was down to ride my usual Crawley Wheelers Hilly 46mile, this also being a SPOCO event. I started of well especially as I had the wind generally behind me and mostly down hill, which if any of you remember the old Club Hundred course it started at Handcross went down to Cowfold and turned left down to West Grinstead onto the A24. It was here after 13-14mls I punctured! Should have finished because that would have given me some points, but having lost 8mins. I decided to stop.

The following week I was on my way up to the Easterly hilly 27mile, with John O'Brien riding the same event there would be some rivalry. The course seemed to suit me, not to hilly and all round little country roads just like the old days. BUT! I got to 3mls and punctured again, I left my pump at home so had to ride 3.5miles to the nearest marshall who had a pump. I changed the tube and decided to ride back to the finish doing one circuit, this giving me at least 20miles training. John did a good ride of 1.14. (35?) on a very cold but still morning, well-done John.

Finally this brings me up to date, I rode the Shaftsbury C.C (MM 57.00 Limit) 25mile on the famous fast course E72/25 in Essex. There was a full field of 120 riders 18 of them were Shaftsbury members, and the course was marshalled completely a wonderful turn out from a club the same size as our own. The morning was cold and windy but bright but I just could not get going, as I was still getting over a heavy cold. I ended up with the second slowest time since my comeback 1.07.17! But the ride of the day for me was one R.H.(sags) Savery a 56.20 on an 88" fixed 45yrs ago who on his first 25 for 42yrs did a 1.08.43 . Well done Roy keep it up.

2. Cyclo-Cross Championship (There is no trophy)
1st James Lyon 13 points
2nd Ian Cleverley 14 points
3rd Ross Fryer 24 points

3. De Laune Memorial Shield (Novices '25')
1st Charlie Curthoys 1-04-58
2nd Jeremy Briggs 1-12-17

4. The Miles Trophy (Club '50' Championship)
1st Alan Rowe 2-12-38 (Finsbury Park CC '50')

5. The K & D Fuller Trophy (Club '10' Championship )
1st Matt Goodes 21-50 (Held in conjunction with O M A '10')
2nd Ben Neville 24-15
3rd Bill Wright 24-58

6. J E F Butcher Memorial (O M A '10' Championship Trophy )
1st Alan Rowe 24-38*
2nd Peter Jenn 23-29*
3rd Roy Savery 27-50*

7. The Golden Jubilee Bowl (Winner of the Club Autumn '25')
1st Matt Goodes 56-40
2nd John O'Brien 1-04-30
3rd Alan Rowe 1-04-38

8. The Tomlinson Cup (Club Hill Climb Championship)
1st Matt Goodes 2-00-31
2nd John O'Brien 2-08-55
3rd Ben Neville 2-09-02

9. The Jackson Trophy (Senior Road Race Championship)
1st Danny Rudd 18 points
2nd Alan Male 8 points
3rd Bill Wright 5 points

10. The Johnson Cup (Veterans Time Trial Championship
1st Alan Rowe 25.323 mph )
2nd Peter Jenn 25.763 mph
3rd -

Two trophies previously presented by the President, John Kavanagh, after the Fred Peachey '25' last July were the Fred Peachey Memorial Trophy, won by Paul Mill of Team Edwards in a time of 54-09, and the Johnson Trophy for fastest junior in that event, which was won by Liam Terry of the Bognor Regis CC in a time of 1-16-03 and which included a 4 minute 23 second late start.

There were no club records broken or handicap prizes awarded last year, nor did any lady members race. Jeremy Briggs, of course, rode a '24' but there is no club championship for this event, only a record to be broken.

The results of the Veterans Time Trial Championship and O M A '10' (* = actual times) are a little complicated; only Malcolm Adams, who has the 'code' book seems to know how the results are arrived at. If you are interested then take a glance at DLN 821, December 2000.

'400 different beers….!'

Road race news
Due to commitments elsewhere I have not had time to compile a proper report this month. The only major piece of news is that, at last, the SERRL is heading back out onto the open roads. The first event will be 17/6/01 on the Frant circuit and is open to 2/3/4/J/W; anyone wanting to enter this race needs to let me know before 1/6/01 for pre-entry.

The European race scene has left the one-day specialists behind and is into the long grind of the stage races. Contrary to previous press reports Eurosport are covering the Giro d'Italia with the great David Duffield in the hot seat. Pantani, Armstrong, Ullrich, Millar et al have been lying in the wings and are now stretching their legs. Stay tuned.

Race Diary
Apologies for the lack of detail but we have had plenty of riders out there again this month. James Peckham has been getting in breaks with Richard Prebble, Danny Rudd has won an SERRL event and placed in others, I got my seasons first BCF point for a 10th place in the 20/5/01 SERRL 1/2/3/4 event (at Eastway - no more, please!) and others have been mixing it too. Keep me informed.

The boys in blue, white and brown made another expedition to Calshot for a training session. This time it was Bill Wright, Quil Forbes, Dan Haynes (without the Rhino suit), Pete Harris, Ben Neville, James Peckham, James Lett, Paul Bowen, Brian Dacey, Cliff Steele and Andrew King.

The day was marred by a couple of factors. A huge traffic jam on the M3 caused us to arrive only just at the start time for the session. By the time we had changed, organised the bikes etc we were late and trying to cram everything into the time remaining. The other thing was a number of spills, particularly towards the end of the session. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries, but there was some damage to equipment, and the day finished on a down note.

This was a shame and tended to mask the benefits that had been gained. We have some good riders in the Club, and particular revelations on this occasion were James Lett and Andrew King. All of those who had also ridden at Calshot in March continued to make significant progress.

The track season has now started and our members are starting to represent the Club at Herne Hill: Dan Rudd, Matt Baker, Matt Goodes and Brian Dacey were there for the opening Monday Comp (unfortunately Alaric was unwell). With any luck we will have results to publish for next month.

Given the demonstrable form of our guys in training, I'm hoping that the number of our competing track riders will increase very quickly.

THE LAST DAY FOR COPY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ISSUE IS WEDNESDAY 20th June 2001

THIS SHOULD BE SENT TO:
MARK BALLAMY
41 MAYES CLOSE
WARLINGHAM
SURREY CR6 9LB

Phone & Fax 01883 627809 - e-mail mark.ballamy@virgin.net