Annual Club 2008

Review of the Year

Unusually, the ‘season’ started with the Club’s Annual Dinner and Presentation of Awards, but the ‘organising’ year really started with the inaugural ‘Surrey Rumble’ masterfully pulled together by Des Bennett. The feedback after the event was so good that Des uttered, ‘we must do that again’ – and so it shall be!

Another first, was the Club organising the 3rd race in the National Women’s Team Series (Road Race). With Lisa West at the helm (like Des, this was her first time organising a major event) the event ran so smoothly, you would have thought Lisa was a ‘seasoned’ organiser! The icing on the cake was our own Dorchie Cockerell coming in 2nd! And overall our Ladies Team achieved a superb 2nd in the Series.

There was real team support for the Inter-Club 25ml TT in greatly improved conditions to 2007 with the Road Race Circuit Champs in October enjoying similar conditions. And of course last week there was the successful Crimp Hill, Hill Climb, organised by Des.
Seasoned organiser, Doug Collins, has again been in action looking after the running of the Ottershaw Series.

Andy Betts continued his Road Racing success and Neil Bradford, Dorchie Cockerell and David Jack achieved their 2nd Cat status. Youth Road Race Champion, Rory Atkins, achieved 1st position in the U14 Boys in the 2007/08 Hillingdon Winter Series.

John Warnock broke the Club’s 24hr TT Record yet again, in the National 24hr TT. In the same event he was joined by Charlotte Barnes and Liz Norman riding tandem, achieving a Club Mark Record.

Other than Rob Drinkwater’s successes, there was more triumph in the National Masters Track Championships with David Jack taking Silver in the Points race and Bronze in the Sprint. John Warnock took Bronze in the Points and Nicki Drinkwater took Bronze in the 500m TT.

In the Youth and Junior National Track Championships, Dani King claimed Silver in the 10k scratch.

Gavin Mitchell gained some notable successes at Welwyn which included winning the ‘B’ Block handicap twice.

A ‘stop Press’ is the LVRC Track Championships where Rob Drinkwater achieved Gold in the 750mm TT and Silver in the Sprint with David Jack obtaining Silver in the 750mm TT and Bronze in the Sprint.

The challenge rides this year have been hard and long. 3 Members did LEJOG – Charlotte Barnes, Sacha Hemans and Richard King. Jo Foster took herself off to the Tour d’Afrique followed by the Etape!. Johnathan Brent, Jason Harris, Wiescia Kuczaj, Graham MacNamee, Denise Quinlan and Lisa West represented the Club at the L’Eroica in Italy with Barbara Vance acting as their back-up. And back home Rob Archer, James Leach, Harry Sampson and Mark Spindler rode the Ride Of The Falling Leaves.