New Member
We welcome one new member to the Club this month, Richard Lawrence. We hope that his association with the Club will be a long and happy one.
Annual Subscriptions
There are still quite a number of members who have not paid their subscriptions for 2010. Please pay to Dave Mastin as soon as possible, either at the next Meeting or send to 399, Margate Road, Ramsgate, CT12 6SE.
Current Rates
Seniors (over 18) £20.00
Juniors (over 16 and under 18) £10.00 (also those in full time education)
Juveniles (under 16) £6.00
2nd Claim £12.00
Over 60 £10.00
Social £5.00
New members please note- if you joined after the 31st October 2009 you are covered for 2010.
ANYONE WHO HAS NOT PAID BY THE END OF MARCH WILL CONSIDERED LAPSED AND WILL NOT RECEIVE FUTURE EDITIONS OF NEWSWHEEL.
SPORTIVE and AUDAX JANUARY from Bobbie Fairhall
While some of us took one look at the ice on Sunday 31st January, and went back to bed with tea and custard creams, other of our brave lads, namely Colin and Billy, were tackling the Hell of Ashdown Forest Sportive. Billy's report follows:
Colin Robinson and I survived the Ashdown sportive, which could be described as the day hell froze over! Sheets of ice 5-10 metres long covered many of the lanes we rode, making it dangerous and slow at times. We also missed a turning and put on an extra 5 or so miles, along with lengthy route sheet consultations! The infamous Wall was horrible, a leg-breaking and tortuous climb through the Ashdown forest rewarding us with great views at the top. The second half was unrelentingly lumpy, and the last climb up Star Hill was more than I could really cope with. Colin flew up it like Pantani as I tried to keep up! We finished together, and our split time from the first check (after our detour!) to the finish would have put us in the fastest 70 or so riders. Not too bad out of over 500 who finished on the day. My third Hell and definitely getting slightly more bearable by the year. Big thanks to Colin for inspiring me up those big climbs!
Well done both of you! The grapevine tells me that we will have riders and maybe even a new member or two in the Welsh Dragon Ride later this year. This is gradually becoming one of the UK's premier events and its great we've got people in it. Too late to enter I'm afraid, the extra 300 places released in mid January were apparently filled in under 8 minutes! You can only imagine the size of the full field.
Locally, the Kentish Killer, NW Kent and E Sussex, by GS Avanti looks a nice run at 75k and 100k.
Local Audax commences with the Man of Kent 200k on 28th March and Graeme is already enthusiastically planning his season, spurred on, no doubt, by both our names being included in the 2010 AUK Handbook for our efforts last year. The opening local Grimpeur is on March 14th out of Otford, the Invicta Hilly 100k and 50k. For the uninitiated why not try it, you might like it?
Long term prospects to watch are the Downland Sportive in April, a very popular event, and the San Fairy Ann Air Ambulance Sportive usually in May.
Pilgrims Hospice Cycles Challenges.
For those of you preferring less of a challenge these events will take place on Sunday 9th May:- The Tri-Hospice Cycle Challenge, a 70 mile route starting at either Canterbury, Ashford or Thanet hospice taking in all three sites. Entry fee: £25.00 per person plus any sponsorship you wish to raise.
Or
A less adventurous more family orientated ride, the Pilgrims Cycle Challenge where each hospice town will host a cycle ride of around 15 miles. Entry fee: Adult £10.00; Child £5.00 plus sponsorship.
Full details at www.pilgrimscyclechallenge.org or call 01227 782062.
Please consider helping out this very worthy cause.
VTTA Reliability.
Six club members took part in this on Sunday 7th, Bobbie Fairhall, Doug Bromham, Dave Mastin, Colin Inett, Bill and Jonah Hawkes giving an age span of some 63 years, probably the largest ever in any Vets event!
Unfortunately Bobbie had to withdraw when another rider (not a club member) ran into her, resulting in a broken spoke and buckled wheel. This illustrates the importance of holding your line when riding in a bunch.
Well done to Jonah for completing the distance with his Dad.
Items from the last SEDC meeting.
The KCA 100 mile and 12 hour courses will be the same as last year subject to any roadworks which may be in progress. The main difference is that the 12 hour is now in early September because of concerns over traffic levels in the 2009 event.
The A2 Activity Park at Gravesend is going ahead despite a shortfall in funding and delays over land acquisition.
As a justification for use they have requested some commitment from clubs in the area to hold events there. This does not directly affect us, although travelling there will not be as time consuming as going to the old Eastway circuit.
The number of rides in Open Time Trials in 2009 was up on the previous year, so we are going in the right direction.
A brand new newspaper TT Weekly entirely devoted to time trialling is to be published, the first edition due out on 19th February. This should help to alleviate all of the many complaints aired about the lack of time trialling coverage in Cycling Weekly. For more details go to www.tt-weekly.com. I have application forms available for those of you not on line. Annual subscription will be £56.50 for the year including postage to your door.
The District Handbook for this year is now out, I have copies available for anyone who wants one. The cost is now £1.25 per copy.
Evening 10`s at Fowlmead.
The first event will be on Wednesday 31st March at 1830. If numbers are on a par with last year ie sometimes in excess of 30 riders, the task of timekeeping becomes impossible for one person. We need a volunteer or volunteers to help out in setting off the riders, this is a relatively easy task so please consider helping out if you can.
Dates for your diary.
The VTTA (Kent Group) Annual Luncheon will take place at the normal venue, Ditton Community Centre at 1.15 pm on Sunday 21st February 2010. Tickets will be £18.50 per head. Contact Simon Stromberg at 19, Tudor Drive, Otford, Sevenoaks, TN14 5QP, or sstromberg@hotmail.co.uk
Next month`s Club Meeting will be at Minster Village Hall on Friday 5th March.
Go-Ride Sessions
Feb 13th………Marlowe 1400
Feb 20th…………Fowlmead 0930
Feb 27th…………Family ride out 1400 (to be announced)
Half term week there will be coaching and racing available at Fowlmead. See the Go-Ride newsletter for details or contact Colin.
Unfortunately we have recently lost one coach, leaving us with only two at the moment to cope with our ever increasing membership.
If anyone would like to undertake a coaching course please contact Colin at colin.robinson@pfizer.com or 01843 842371. All costs will be met by the Club.
Thought for the Month
The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.
(Peggy Fleming- Olympic Gold Medallist 1968-Figure Skating )
