Annual Club 2010

Review of the Year

RETROSPECT 2010—CELEBRATING SUCCESS

The year started with a new arrival (on the 8th January to be precise) a baby boy (Ethan James) for Christine and Clayton.  Often new mum’s, if they are the ‘sporty sort’ achieve better results shortly after the birth of a baby, but in this case it seems it was dad who showed post baby birth  form—just note the short distance Time Trial results for the year…

Then there was the unconventional—Rollapaluza Roller Racing (think of our own event incorporated in with the Club’s Awards Presentation in November 2009).  The 2009/10 London League Finale on the 24th February 2010, saw Twickers regular participants, Darren Paice, Dorchie Cockerell and Ve Kuczaj really putting themselves to the test.  Throughout the Series, Darren always performed well and achieved a PB right on his last Race.  The Ladies went just a little better.  At the Final Standings, Dorchie was Champion and Ve Runner-up—Go Twickenham Ladies!

At the beginning of March, with early season rides ridden and the Winter Series over, the Club was able to concentrate once more on its own contribution to Cyclo Sportives—the running of the Surrey Rumble in aid of the Dave Rayner Fund.  Now in its 3rd year the event, deftly organised by Des Bennett with him guiding a team of Club member helpers - a team that the Club has to be truly proud of, saw temperatures of –5°C.  This did not stop nearly 300 riders take to the Surrey hills and with their support raise a fantastic £581.22 for the DRF. To date, the Club has donated, via the SR, a total of £1199.70 over the 3 years.

With the racing season hardly underway, Under 23 rider Tom Bell was showing great form, with 2 wins within 2 weeks, one at the Upavon Winter Series Round 8 and the 2nd a SERRL event at the Fowlmead Circuit.  Coupled with continuing success throughout the year, Tom produced some sterling reports.  Another of the Club’s Under 23 riders, Oliver Newlan, came back into the saddle in May, from a couple of years out of it.  Ollie was soon back in form—picking up where he left off.  His season of great positions, including a number of 1st’s  has earned him one of the ’top’ slots within the Club’s awards—Senior Road Race Champion.

It was good to see the Club’s juniors taking on the National Junior Road Race Series, with the 1st event of the year on the 21st March, being ridden by Matt Myers, Alex Pantelides, and Declan Higgins.  The Club was represented in many other areas too, including the Beyond Spring Criteriums, Surrey League, Surrey League Handicap Series, SEERL, Cycle Kingdom Circuit Series, BC West Thames Circuits, Herne Hill, Welwyn Track League, Reading Track League, London Women’s Cycle Racing League, Women’s Team Series, Crystal Palace Summer League, WLC, TT Open Events and for the ‘across the seasons’ disciplines (2009/10), the Central Cyclo Cross Series (and the CCCS is already well under way for 2010/2011 season) and the Winter Series.  Over the Series of the latter and in a variety of climates, the Club has collected 2 x wins, 4 x 2nd places and 7 x Top 10 finishes during the 33 races that took place, and was represented by Tom Bell, Tom Sutherland, Alex Pantelides, Mike Miach, Matt Myers, Matt Treadwell, Stewart Ward, Stuart Stow, Declan Higgins, George Kirkin, Stuart Kistruck and Wiesia Kuczaj—all who made a great impression.

Junior Matt Myers, had some sterling rides and results throughout the season while taking on a stint in Belgium.  During his time there, he kept the Club updated of his progress.  As well as Matt, and others,  Gavin Mitchell, Stephen Rush, Declan Higgins, Tom Sutherland, Darren Paice, Natalie Creswick and Stephen Campbell were among those Members who took time out to give the Club reports which featured on the Website, giving an interesting insight on how racing panned out.

And there was of course, on the 2nd Sunday in May, the Inter-Club 25ml TT.  Four clubs participate—the Twickenham, Hounslow, Westerley  and Weybridge.  And the TCC wanted the crown back—the Winning Team on Handicap.  Did the Club do it—of course it did!  Winning Team Members on Handicap were Sol Findley, Duncan Adamson and Clayton Edge.  The Club had no fewer than 33 Members riding.

The first of the 2010 Women’s Team Series (18th April) was organised by the Club, being very deftly headed by Lisa West.  Her organising skills produced an event that was highly praised.  At least 8 TCC ladies rode the series over the season.  Showing they were made of strong stuff, the Series 2 day event at Bedford was ridden by Natalie Creswick, Ve Kuczak, Sol Findley, Dorchie Cockerell and Corrine Hall with Natalie coming in 10th overall.  Natalie continued to overflowed her 2009 form into 2010, with many notable rides, including 1st place at in the Women’s National Road Race Series—Capernwray RR on the 13th June.

The early season success continued into the mid season with further notable rides from Oliver Newlan and Declan Higgins at the Surrey League Handicap event at Kitsmead Lane—Ollie coming in 1st 3rd cat and Declan 1st Junior.  A few weeks later Ollie also showed his kudos on  the track by clinching two wins in one night at Reading Track—’Senior B ‘Unknown’ Distance and the AW Cycle 20k Endurance.   Liam Maybank wasn’t without  success, taking victory on the Hilly Hellingley circuit near Eastborne.  And Natalie continued the way she meant to go on.  Riding the Women’s 2010 British Road Race Championships (Pendle), Natalie was mixing with the likes of Emma Pooley, Lizzie Armitstead, Nicole Cooke, Sharon Laws, to come in 7th.  Right at the last lap Natalie was in the mix, but unfortunately shipped her chain—we can only wonder what might have been!  At the London Criterium Championships at Hillingdon, Junior Matt Myers came in Champion in the 2J category.

Beyond the superb rides by our two 24hr men (John Warnock and Simon Bever) there has been some other notable Time Trialling. No less than 7 Members have gone under the hour for 25mls—Tom Bell, Simon Bever, Clayton Edge (consistently under the hour for 3 events), Steve Home, Liam Maybank (like Clayton, under the hour on all of his 3 25ml rides), Tom Sutherland and John Warnock.  John Warnock and Simon Bever rode Tandem at the Reading CC ‘50’ and took 1st Tandem,  while Nigel Atkins, Tom Bell and Tom Sutherland took 1st Team at the Hemel Hempstead CC’s 25.

TCC was represented at the London Track Championships (Herne Hill) by Matt Dykiert, Scherrit Knoesen, Gavin Mitchell, Darren Paice and James Viner.  At the National Track Championships, Emma Williams rode the Women’s 500m TT, recording a PB in a time of 45.17 and James Viner in the Men’s Kilo finished with a 1.13.914.  

At the Surrey League 4up TTT, Twickenham Team of George Kirkin, Mark Veldmeijer, Darren Pace, and Matt Dykiert put themselves to the test, but did not come up with the result they really wanted—top dogs.  They may not have been happy with their 11 place, but their dedication in team training for the event should be both admired and followed.  For nearly 3 months before the event, they solidly got together on a Tuesday Clubnight and forwent the usual Clubride/Training Ride, for them to train as a Team.

Grass Track is another discipline that is starting to rise in stature.  Gavin Mitchell decided to ‘try it out’ at  the Centrals Grass Track Championships—and came away as Central Grass Track Champion.

At the London Youth Games Finals, the Richmond Cycling Team, supported by the TCC, came in 10th in the Juvenile event, made it to Silver in the Junior Event and achieved 4th Overall out of the 33 Boroughs—the best ever since the event started.  A Bronze medal was missed by one point!  The 4th place helped the Borough to take 4th place over all across all sports.  Among our Junior riders were Rory Atkins and Max Robinson and the Support Crew included Marcus Atkins, Jonathan Rowlands and Tom Sutherland.

Around mid-summer the Summer Sportive Season kicks in, and the Club was not without Members riding a number of events in the usual keen manner, with many stories to be told.  Warren Watson rode and completed the JOGLE over 9 days in June, racking up an impressive 1,000 miles.  And note these rides too:  Chiltern Grandfondo—Great Missenden, 107 miles—Holly Seear in a time of 7.8.40.  Verenti Magnificat Route80Cat—Newbury—80 miles—Denise Quinlan in a time of 5.28.56.  Nick Dodds represented the TCC at the 106 miles 1066 Sportive (East Sussex).   Etape du—Pau/Col du Tourmalet (181km) Kay Thompson in a time of 10:43:00 and placed 33rd in her category.  As usual we had a team of sturdy riders taking on the LaPinarello Cycling Marathon, Treviso, Italy (81km/130km) and the weather was appalling!  The route was shortened... Brave warriors Jason Harris, Denis Bidinost,  Zoe Yendell, Gail Birkett, Martha Grekos, Denise Quinlan, and Barbara Vance, battled hard to finish.  It does not matter how brave you are, but if you have a nasty mechanical, you sometimes just have to stop—and so it was for Lisa West.  Nick Dodds represented the TCC at the 106 miles 1066 Sportive (East Sussex).   There were some great performances from our members in this year's Marmotte, which features the immense climbs of Col Du Glandon (1918m), Col de la Telegraphe (1570m), Galibier (2642 m), and rounds off the legendary ascent of l'Alpe dHuez (1880 m).  Well done to Steve Home, Stuart Kistruck, Damon Yates and Ann Marshall.  John Wilson completed the London to Paris "Poppy Ride" in aid of the Royal British Legion, covering 273 miles in 4 days. John's efforts have raised almost £1200.  Raising funds for the Shakespeare Hospice, Barbara Vance, Gail Birkett and Lisa West rode the 101 mile Great Shakespeare Ride—Stratford Upon Avon.  Barbara says ‘”I am extremely touched at how generous my friends and colleagues have been in support of my efforts to raise some funds for the Shakespeare Hospice and I am very , very grateful to you all”.

Another Mid-Summer ‘event ‘was the birth of twins to our ‘long distance’ Members,  (Canada actually), Richard Tozer and Kate Worsley.

At the WLC Hill Climb, TCC was represented by Rory Atkins, (coming in an impressive 2nd), Max Gloger, Marcus Atkins and Gavin Mitchell—all coming in in the top 10.  As the Season came to a close, the Club had its own Championships,  The Road Race Circuit Championships was supported by over 20 Members and was deftly organised by Doug Collins with a handful of helpers.  November saw our own Hill Climb Championships, supported by a field of  over 23 and superbly run by Des.  And sandwiched between these two events, was the Twickenham CC organised 3 Event Ottershaw Series, once more headed by highly experienced event organiser, Doug.  Thanks must go out to all those Members who took time out to help with marshalling and more.

And food for thought . At least 60 Members raced during the season and at least 16 Members participated in Sportives...

With thanks once again to our 2010 Sponsors, Evans Cycles, and Giant for their support.  All that remains is to wish Members, their families, and their friends, a happy, healthy, safe and successful 2011.