Gravesend Cycling Club Newsletter Issue 85 February 2017 Presidents: Dorothy & Ian Stone NEWSLETTER WE DID IT! 2016 AWARD WINNERS

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1 Presidents: Dorothy & Ian Stone NEWSLETTER Hours of leisure Miles of pleasure G R A V E S E N D WE DID IT! 2016 AWARD WINNERS C Y C L I N G C L U B Top l-r: Reg Smith, Neil Harrigan, James Smith, Steve Harrington, David Evans, Keith Ward Bttm l-r: Luke Harrington, Cameron Abbotts, Megan Wilson, Kate Savage. Missing: Luke Gardiner. (Full list of awards & winners on next page) A really excellent evening at the Cricketers in Meopham; very congenial and homely (= all tightly packed in standing room only!), but very enjoyable. Good food and good company and good to see so many there 42; the numbers increase yearly now. Thanks to Steve Harrington for organizing and Andy Sangster for officiating.

2 GCC s 2016 Role of Honour Pym Hill trophy Steve Harrington Club BAR Neil Harrigan Eldridge Memorial trophy James Smith Senior Evening 10 Champion David Evans 2 nd Steve Harrington 3 rd Luke Harrington Veterans Evening 10 Champion Reg Smith 2 nd Keith Ward 3 rd James Smith Ladies Evening 10 Champion Kate Savage 2 nd Megan Wilson Junior 10 Champion Luke Gardiner Juvenile 10 Champion Cameron Abbotts (Macross Trophy) Evening 10 Handicap Cameron Abbotts Hinds Road Race trophy Reg Smith Hill Climb Men Neil Harrigan Hill Climb Ladies Kate Savage Tom Medley trophy James Smith Tom Taylor trophy Luke Gardiner Touring trophy Megan Wilson Fastest GCC 10 Q10/24 Neil Harrigan Special Awards Newcomer of the Year White Van award (aka Wooden Spoon) Ventoux award Megan Wilson Keith Ward David French Awards of appreciation for their work and support to the Club: Andy Sangster; Jason Tibbs; Roger Stevens; Mike Savage; Graeme Moir; Keith Ward; Dave Abbotts Luke Gardiner, the Junior 10 champion and Tom Taylor trophy winner. Tom Taylor trophy is for the rider who has had the best improvement in their 10 time from the previous season. Unfortunately Luke could not be at the do as parental duties took precedence!!! Well done to Luke though.

3 Results outstanding and since last Newsletter 11/9/16 KCA 25 Q25/10 Road Racing - Cyclopark K Ward v (pb lts) Neil Harrigan rode several 18/9/16 GCC Hill Climb races in October and N Harrigan v November over 40s, 1hr + C Hargreaves laps. In one race he was J Milner v st and in another 3 rd and R Fenning pictures from that race later M Gardiner v in Newsletter. L Gardiner jnr S Harrington K Savage ldy L Harrington T Jacobs v G Parkinson M Wilson ldy C Abbotts jvle B Wilson v (An excellent turnout well done all one of the best for a very long time) This & that. * A big welcome to Paul Turner (Cuxton) and Alan Olley (Wainscott) to the Club. Paul rode the Reliability Trial with us and Alan rode some Evening 10s last season. We hope you both enjoy the riding and social life with the us. We look forward to your company. * Commiserations to Keith Ward who came off his bike on black ice. Foot stayed attached to pedal but body tried to roll over. X rayed but nothing broken but severely bruised and mobility very limited. On crutches and only now able to get around the house with less pain and discomfort, but still very stiff. Best wishes. # Thanks to Dave Abbotts who spotted that there should have been a 2016 BAR winner at our Awards ceremony. Neil Harrigan was duly installed as having the fastest combined 10, 25 & 50 time. Apologies to Neil for this omission. Paws4thort the Club needs to be looking for new blood so Mike can pass the batons on. In this post-brexit-donald Trump world the GCC is going to need personnel more attuned to these current management strategies. I will be reducing my input as Secretary, Race Secretary and Newsletter editor, so

4 Congratulations to Patrick McMaster for organizing a successful Reliability Ride on Sunday in conjunction with the local CTC. 50 riders raised over 240 for the local Air Ambulance. 11 GCC riders which included a potentially new recruit from Longfield. The donation was worth it not only for the ride but to see Patrick s clean car. Amazing!!!! Rumours, rumours. Not so much a rumour though is that we have a mature student in our midst. Twice weekly night classes (the second class is necessary (knowing the student as we do) just to ensure the information in the first has sunk in) in order to ensure his 10 times in 2017 will be even more electrifying!!!! Club Nights still going strong despite the Cyclopark café being closed for the last few months. It is now open again and beginning to offer a much broader range, as per the old café. Feb s CN saw the café fully functioning to our needs, 11 members and a new member too Reliability Ride from Shorne Country Park Prosp new mber, Leon Tony Mike Jason Steve David Kate John Robin Kay Gower Jacobs Harrington Tibbs Harrington Evans Savage Milner Out of picture Paul Turner; Steve Hunter. but he couldn t wait bus to catch/shopping to do!!!! (How good does our Club kit look? And everyone similarly attired. Well done lads)

5 2017 FORTHCOMING EVENTS?????? February 18 Ride to coast David Evans is proposing a ride for my 30th/wedding but am bringing it forward a few weeks. It'll be about miles and end in Deal/Dover area. Finish with pub lunch, beers and then get the train back March 12 West Kent CTC Invicta Grimpeur 100km, & Invicta Hilly 50km Both hilly rides, the 100km being 2 laps of the 50km, but the second lap being in reverse so you can get to enjoy the hills from the other direction! This is a very popular early season event with entries closing 2 weeks before. However, there will be a small amount of entries available on the day. Entry fee includes food! More details, and on-line entry here: 100km = 50km = The route & info sheets will be available to those that have entered about 1-2 weeks before the event. March 31-April 2 Tour of Flanders This is the GCC trip to see the Tour and ride some of the roads on the Saturday before the professional race on the Sunday. 8 have signed up so far with some possibles on the sidelines. They are staying in Ghent, so even if you are not interested in the cycling Ghent is a really nice place to sightsee!! If you are interested then contact Steve Harrington on steve_harrington@live.co.uk (there is an underscore _ between steve & harrington) April 30 Pilgrims Hospice Charity Ride 100m (lesser options available for wimps!), David Evans suggests this ridei've done this for the last few years and is a well organised and run event, good feed stops with sarnies made by old friendly ladies! Cost 25 May 14 Gravesend CTC Hop Garden Rides. 3 rides of different distances, 200km, 160km, & 100km. If you fancy a ride out in the beautiful Kent countryside then these are the events for you! More details here: 200km = 160km = 100km = Entries close 2 weeks before but there will be a small amount of entries available on the day. The route & info sheets will be available to those that have entered about 1-2 weeks before the event. May 14 Castle 100 Ride In aid of action medical research it is a circular route from Tonbridge Castle. There are various distances 33/ 70, 101 or 125 miles. Find out more at

6 July London to Paris bike ride Kate is doing this ride to raise money for the Alzheimer's society in memory of my Nan. She would be grateful of your support and the Just Giving link is Kate is riding mile days London-Calais; Calais-Amiens; Amiens-Paris July 16 Tour of the Hopfields Cyclopark Sportive Various distances 33, 47 & 70 mile routes. Contact Cyclopark for further details. Road Racing at Cyclopark with Neil Harrigan Neil with former GCC rider and general good-guy and strong-as-an-ox Steve Gibson at the Cyclopark race in which Neil came 3 rd and Steve won. Neil leads the group in the first half of the race while in the picture below, a few laps later, Steve is hanging back before making a break, taking 1 other rider with him. That rider could not maintain Steve s pace. Neil lost out in the sprint for 2 nd, despite driving on for much of the last few laps.

7 SUBS.. Oy,you in lycra! Paid yer subs yet? Watja mean? Well it s a new year, it s January. And? Well that means it s PAY UP TIME Ow much mate? 15 if you re in your 2 nd year +, Free if it s your first To whom old boy? Jason Tibbs at Club Night or by post, or to the Secretary or Membership Sec DISCOUNTED MEMBERSHIP FOR Cameron Abbotts Steve Harrington David Barnes Keith Ward Mike Harrington Bob Wilson For riding 10 or more Evening 10 races a rebate of 10. For them only.. 5 This could be you next season!!!!! Committee Meeting update At the recent Committee Meeting the main point was the updating and upgrading of the GCC Website. Our erstwhile photographic good guy, and long suffering husband(!) of our ladies Hill Climb and Evening 10 champion, Mike Savage, has said he could possibly help us out. We were there to discuss his proposals which sounded eminently feasible and practical. (After all in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king!!!! We love you really Mike). Mike would be able to host the site and be able to update regularly, within reason, for the cost, which works out at an additional 100 per year on what we are paying now. Now there is no update facility though; we are stuck with what we have. There was the general feeling that the current site needs to be more enticing for any prospective member, there should be the facility for member to speak to one another via the site and it should have additional features such as a GCC shop (clothing etc), route/ride details, Club history. Mike is proposing setting up a parallel site to the current one so that we can see and monitor how it is developing without losing a GCC site. We had one or two questions to put to Mike so we are just waiting for those to be clarified. If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see on a new website or how it should appear then please let Andy, Steve, Jason, Mike or Roger know.

8 Jumble the GREAT Gravesend CC Bike Jumble you though you had jumble at home -visit the GCC Jumble to see some REAL jumble!! Sat 25 Feb 2017 Southfleet Village Hall DA139NX 9-Noon Entrance 1 (only 1???) If you want to sell and want a table Contact Roger Stevens or steverog8@live.co.uk And those world famous GCC Bacon sarnies mmm yum yum worth it just for them! Buy, sell, eat, chat what more could you want? Roger will buy and/or sell anything - even leprechauns!! Well done Roger for all your efforts on GCC s behalf.

9 The Abbotts.. (from Cuxton) This page has really grown since I first had the idea of just writing a short piece to congratulate Cameron Abbotts, our 14 year old Juvenile rider, on his season was his first season riding competitively and he rode most of the Evening 10s. Poor lad in that in the first big Open race he rode he hit a pothole and came off and sustained the cyclist s usual injury his shoulder. But he came back and continued to ride the GCC Evening 10s when it would have been so easy just to say.sod that for a lark. See the photo on the front page for him suited and booted and the Awards he won on page 2. Then I realized that the Abbots s have a long active history with GCC from the 1977/78 period and thought it might be nice to show, albeit briefly, the family commitment. Dad, Dave, now back doing some time-keeping, was an active rider too, (solo and trike) and also an active club official statistician, time keeper, newsletter editor, race secretary(?). Cameron (14) riding in the Open 10 on Grain last year, just before he crashed. Cameron joined in 2016 Dave in 1979, (18) a year after he joined, riding a 25 in Essex. Only b/w race photos then. The GCC jersey yellow sleeves, red top half, blue bottom. Dave s Dad George, riding the Bexley CC 25 in The year after the family joined GCC Barbara, George s wife/dave s Mum, used to ride socially and tour with George. They had a tandem and would ride to events and always be at and help at GCC social events.

10 TIME TRIALS GCC 2017 Racing Progamme March 19 GCC 10 (road bikes only) Sun 1100 Q10/24 26 GCC 10 (road bikes only) Sun 1100 Q10/24 April 2 KCA 25/Eldridge Mem Sun 0700 Q25/8 4 GCC 10 (20 riders) Tues 1830 Q10/24 (max 20rdrs) 11 GCC10 (20 rdrs) Tues 1830 Q10/24 (20 rdrs) 18 GCC 10 (25 rdrs) Tues 1845 Q10/24 (25 rdrs) 25 GCC 10 (25 rdrs) Tues 1845 Q10/24 (30 rdrs) 30 Wigmore CC 25 Sun 0615 Q25/8 May 2 GCC 10 Tues 1900 Q10/24 9 GCC 10 Tues 1900 Q10/24 16 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 21 De Laune 25 Sun 0700 Q25/20 23 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 30 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 June 4 KCA 50 Sun 0600 Q50/11 6 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 11 KCA 100 Sun 0600 Q/ GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 18 VTTA 25 Sun 0630 Q25/8 20 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 27 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 July 4 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 11 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 16 VTTA 50 Sun 0630 Q50/11 18 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 25 GCC 10 Tues 1915 Q10/24 August 1 GCC 10 Tues 1900 Q10/24 8 GCC 10 Tues 1900 Q10/24 (max 35rdrs) 13 KCA 50 Sun 0630 Q50/1 15 GCC 10 Tues 1845 Q10/24 (30rdrs) 22 GCC 10 Tues 1845 Q10/24 (30rdrs) 27 Catford CC 25 Sun 0700 Q25/12 29 GCC 10 Tues 1845 Q10/24 (25rdrs) Sept 10 KCA 25 Sun 0730 Q25/10 17 Hill Climb (Exedown) Sun 1100 QHC/1 (NB events in bold are qualifying events for the Club Championships) TRACK Bearsby Challenge Shield Fastest timed lap of Cyclopark. If interested contact Mike Coulter

11 2017 Awards what you are competing for! Gravesend BAR (Best All Rounder) This is the lowest aggregated time for a 10*, 25, and 50 mile rides in Kent based events. (* from a GCC Club 10) Senior Men s Championship (The highest number of points accumulated*) from 5 Gravesend Championship events with 2 events from the 50 and 100mile events. (*=under review) Veterans Championship (The highest number of points accumulated*) from 5 Gravesend Championship events with 2 events from 50 and 100mile events. Points will be calculated based on veteran age standard times. (*=under review) Evening 10 Championships Seniors, Veterans, Juniors & Juveniles The lowest total time of 5 events. (Times adjusted pro rata if non 10m course) Bearsby Challenge Shield This is a track award. The fastest flying lap of Cyclopark full circuit. Unlimited attempts, but officially timed. Handicap Championship Calculated from the difference between the two combined fastest times minus the two combined slowest times. The Tom Taylor Trophy The best improvement in a 10 mile time from the previous season to the current season. The Tom Medley Trophy The time nearest to the hour in any event without breaking the hour Hill Climb Championship The rider with the fastest time in the Gravesend Hill Climb event. The Eldridge Memorial Trophy The first Gravesend rider in the designated Eldridge 25 mile time trial Attendance Trophy For the Gravesend member who has accumulated the most points by attending the most Club activities. Attending any one activity gains 1 point. All activities carry equal points riding, Club night, marshalling, time keeping etc Pym Hill Trophy For outstanding contribution(s) to the Club during the season. Half Wheel Trophy Awarded by the Runs Captain at his/her discretion for half wheeling or other generally provocative tendencies with the bunch!

12 The Sydney William Goldsmith Trophy Awarded at the discretion of the Club for any special achievement. The Hinds Road Race Award Awarded by the Club to recognise achievement(s) by a Gravesend rider in road racing. The Touring Award Awarded by the Club to recognise achievement(s) by a Gravesend rider in cycle touring. The Mountain Bike Award Awarded by the Club to recognise achievement(s) by a Gravesend rider in mountain biking. Ramsay Cup A team award, awarded to the fastest team of 3 riders in the Ramsay Cup 25. Wooden Spoon Awarded, at the Club s discretion, for an event or action which has caused a stir! Ground Rules for Competitions 1. In riding in these competitions it is expected that, if a winner, you will receive your award at the annual Club Dinner and Presentation. (This is just showing respect to those that have competed but have not been successful) 2. It is your responsibility to send any event results, GCC, Open or otherwise to the Race Secretary. GCC will not trawl around to find your results. You need to provide (i) the promoting club (ii) course code (iii) date (iv) your time. If you are submitting road race, mountain bike or touring results or information then the corresponding information is required. so don t say you haven t been told!