POINTS RESULTS + NORTH COAST 500 CYCLE + RIDING THE RIO ROAD RACE YOUR SECTION NEWS + FRAME BUILDING 101 + NEW LIABILITY INSURANCE BOOTS&SPURS
THE NATIONAL CLARION CYCLING CLUB MEMBER MAGAZINE £2 (FREE TO MEMBERS) WINTER/SPRING 2017
2 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING 2017 FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.CLARIONCC.ORG
CLARIONCOVER
THIRD PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE
GUARD AGAINST CLAIMS MADE BY OTHERS FOR ANY ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOU WHILE CYCLING
ONLY £12 FOR MEMBERS ONLY
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 3
SECRETARY’S WELCOME Let’s change the Clarion S
o, where are we going with the Clarion? Does bigger mean better? I don’t think so, but as we are growing, we need to make sure that the club still fits its intended purpose. I could state the constitution verbatim, but really, we all know that the Clarion is about supporting Clarion cyclists and promoting fellowship among members. I’ve been lucky to experience some great events this year. The autumn weekend at Ironbridge pitched many of us together, including youth riders (from North Cheshire). At the track champs, we mixed up the youth riders so that in the final race, there were teams made up from different sections. And then, when Tuxford Clarion ran their end of year 2-up, we invited other sections, and rather than just local Notts and Derby sections turning up, we had two teams from Blackpool join us. But the Clarion has the strength and size to offer other benefits to our sections. In this issue, you will find news about our free legal advice hotline, which can give you support in the event of an accident if you need to take legal action against the other party. We are also announcing optional 3rd party public liability insurance at a fraction of the
cost of British Cycling and Cycling UK (nee CTC). This needs a certain number of members to sign-up for us to break even, so please consider it before renewing any other 3rd party insurance. Next will be online membership, so before sections create their own systems, save yourself the effort. The Clarion’s one should be up and running by 2017; watch this space. What else? The Clarion has ring fenced funds
(created by donations) and sections can apply for grant funding to support coach training and other development costs. If you want to change the Clarion you can: committee positions are available, and there’s conference at Easter, where your section can promote new motions or elect officials. Get involved and help shape our future.
IAN CLARKE National Secretary
NATIONAL CLARION
Editors Matthew Ball and Kirsty Ball (mball@matthewball.co.uk) Cover Illustration Garry Marshall Printed by prprint.co.uk Submissions Contributions to the magazine may be edited or omitted if there are space constraints.
Chairman DAVE BISSET (Bolton) davidbisset55@hotmail.co.uk
Assistant Secretary ALEX SOUTHERN (London) alex.southern.as@gmail.com
Treasurer ANDREW MARTIN (Tuxford) andrew.martin1971@btinternet.com Tel: 07514 130461
National Secretary IAN CLARKE (Tuxford) Markham Cottage, Low Street, East Markham, Newark NG22 0QQ Tel: 01777 872097 bike@clarioncc.org
Standing Orders Secretary BOB HARBER (Brighton) bikerider@phonecoop.coop
Points Competition CHRIS GOODE (Yorkshire Coast) twentytwowheels@hotmail.com
Website Manager ALAN KIDDLE (London)
National Clarion: www.clarioncc.org
Racing Secretary STEVE CLARKE (Fenland) Tel: 01733 706498 racing@fenlandclarion.co.uk
Vice President KATH LEESE (Heanor)
President KEN HEMSLEY (Fenland)
BOOTS&SPURS
WANTED: NCCCMEMBERSHIP SECRETARY. Please Send applications to Ian Clarke Membership details should be sent to National Secretary in interim
4 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING 2017
NEWS Major new developments
The results are in for the recent member survey with members keen to adopt legal assistance and liability insurance proposals
By Alan Kiddle
LONDON T
hank you to the 220 members who completed the recent membership survey. The results indicate that 80% think that the National Clarion should be offering some form of cycle insurance to our members. Most popular was Third Party Liability Insurance followed by Legal Assistance and then Bike Insurance. When members were asked how much they would be willing to pay for Legal Assistance the most popular response was £5–£10. When asked about Third Party Liability Insurance responses varied significantly, however the most popular answer was £20–£30. As a result of our findings, the National Committee is pleased to confirm that from January 2017, the following additional benefits will be offered to our members.
Legal assistance T
he majority of cycling accidents involve some sort of personal injury through no fault of their own: this includes damage to rider, their bicycle or other property. Most incidents arise through the negligence of the driver of a motor vehicle, a small number involve defects to the public highway and, in occasional cases, accidents are caused by other cyclists. In these circumstances a 3rd party is at fault. The National Clarion is delighted to announce that it has entered into a partnership with Smooth Law Ltd, who will provide our members with free Legal
Assistance to pursue such personal injury claims against at fault parties. This added benefit comes at no additional cost to the annual membership subscription. In the event that a claim is successful, Smooth Law Ltd, like other legal practices, will take a success fee, which for members and families is reduced from the standard 25% to 15%. That said, in circumstances where it recovera all its fees or for monies it receives which is to replace or repair a member’s bicycle, a success fee will not be taken. Smooth Law Ltd is a specialist personal injury solicitors. It will use its experience to assess claims
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 5
for Clarion members
and where it thinks good grounds exist will undertake the claim for compensation on our members’ behalf on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. In addition, it has kindly agreed to extend this offer to our members’ families. Smooth Law will provide a Help/Support Line through its dedicated National Clarion Freephone number: 0800 470 1174. This will operate on weekdays, 9.00 am–8.00pm (except on public holidays). Smooth Law has also produced some handy stickers, which can be stuck on to your bike or inside your helmet for reference. These will be sent out with 2017 membership cards early next year.
Third party liability insurance I
f you cause or are found to have caused an accident which results in injury or property damage then you may be liable for a significant financial claim made against you, and the associated legal costs in defending that claim. This can be averted by holding Third Party Liability Insurance. The National Clarion hasn’t provided Third Party Liability Insurance since the early 1960s. Current options are for our members to purchase insurance from Cycling UK for £24 per year as a result of the £96
affiliation fee which the National Clarion pays to it. Alternatively, our members can purchase a silver membership from British Cycling for £42 per year. Now, the National Clarion is able to offer a low cost insurance product of our own, so from January 2017, for an additional premium of just £12 per year, members will obtain ‘Clarion Cover’. The policy, underwritten by Royal Sun Alliance, provides cover for any claim made against a member while they are cycling anywhere in the world (except USA and Canada) for injury or damage to a third party up to a maximum of £5,000,000 per incident. It covers commuting and club runs, time trials or audax events. As with all insurances there are certain things it will not cover but full details of these and how to opt in for the insurance will be added to our website in the coming months.
CLARIONCOVER
THIRD PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE
GUARD AGAINST CLAIMS MADE BY OTHERS FOR ANY ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOU WHILE CYCLING
ONLY £12 FOR MEMBERS ONLY
6 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING 2017
NEWS
SECTION JUNIOR TOTAL FEMALE 2015 CHANGE
Barnoldswick 0 51 8 46 +5
Blackpool 12 100 26 56 +44
Bolton 0 55 5 60 -5
Brighton& Hove 0 40 19 44 -4
Bury 13 117 10 107 +10
Calder 8 127 27 120 +7
Central 0 46 7 46 0
Clitheroe 0 20 3 16 +4
Coatbridge 4 70 9 74 -4
Crewe 0 4 1 4 0
Fenland 50 200 34 179 +21
Gosport 0 27 5 20 +7
Heanor 1 6 1 11 -5
Hereford 0 12 2 12 0
Ironbridge 4 62 16 N/A +62
Italian 2 9 2 7 0
London 0 41 7 25 +16
Malmesbury 1 42 7 36 +6
North Cheshire 47 265 40 259 +6
Nottingham 4 30 3 33 -3
Saddleworth 0 82 13 52 +30
Sheffield 0 5 0 5 0
Stockport 0 45 6 50 -5
Sunderland 1 81 5 65 +16
Teesside 0 10 0 10 0
T f d 11 58 16 53 5 Tuxford 11 58 16 53 +5
West Lothian 71 267 63 277 -10
West Scotland 0 5 1 6 0
Yorkshire Coast 0 22 9 21 +1
Private Members 0 9 0 11 -2
Total 229 1908 345 1708 200
Membership runs 1/9/15 to 31/8/16.
MEMBERSHIP BY SECTION In detail: 2016 membership
The total number of 2016 members was 200 more than in 2015, the 9th annual increase. The bigger clubs, like North Cheshire and West Lothian, have seen their membership plateau in recent years; growth has come from Saddleworth, Blackpool, Ironbridge and Fenland. The number of youths stays around the same, with the Go-Ride clubs providing the majority of younger members. West Lothian remains the largest club (despite a reduction in numbers), with the highest youth and women members.
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1708
226 960
69
1459
180 643
22
1606
198
1908
229 808
65
1129
97 589
17
YOUTH MEMBERSHIP IN RED
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 7
CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE The National Clarion website has had a revamp. Alan Kiddle has spearheaded the new look – take a look at https:// clarioncc.org
KEY FEATURES 1 A page has been created for each section. 2 Clarion events from around the UK are listed (submit yours via the site). 3 Includes all the usual resources, like national records, trophies, champions and Clarionfriendly venues. 4 The club is delighted to announce new partnerships with Wiggle, Chain Reaction and Planet X. Members making online purchases with these companies should click through the various banners found on certain pages on the new website www.clarioncc.org. By doing this, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to the National Clarion at no additional cost to you. You will also be greatly helping the club.
15% DISCOUNT AT 40+ COTSWOLD OUTDOOR Stores across the UK and online . Quote ‘AF-NATC-99’ at the store till and show your National Clarion membership card. See www.cotswoldoutdoor.com for your nearest store.
10% DISCOUNT ON ‘IN MOTION’ PRODUCTS Big discounts on cycling clothing, accessories, tyres, tubes and sundries. Just select ‘Clarion Cycling Club’ in the drop down options for ‘How did you hear about
us’ at payment, and add your membership number in the ‘Other information’ box. Buy at www.inmotionproducts. com.
ANNUAL 3RD PARTY INSURANCE (JUST £12) See full details on page 4
IT’S WORTH IT! For the £8 National Clarion membership fee you get a lot of potential discount for little investment. Make sure you make the most of your membership!
Use your benefi ts!
BOOTS AND SPURS NOW ONLINE Alex Southern has built up an online library of Boots & Spurs magazines using past issues provided by members of the club. Alex has been scanning back copies and uploading them to Issue, a digital magazine viewer. It’s a great resource which shows what the club has been up to over the years and contains issues
from as far back as 1937 as well as the more up to date magazines. Check out the site for more details,and if you have any editions not yet uploaded please get in contact with Alex.
https://issuu.com/ nationalclarion
ARCHIVE
EASTER MEET 2010+THE FUTURE OF THE CLARION+MERIT WINNERS+SECTION NEWS ARCHIVE STORIES+SURVEY RESULTS+10 CHAMPIONSHIP+CLUB RECORDS SMASHED BOOTS&SPURS
THE NATIONAL CLARION CYCLING CLUB MAGAZINE £2 (FREE TO MEMBERS) SUMMER 2010
STIRLING EASTER MEET PREVIEW + TOURING ADVICE + 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS YOUR SECTION'S NEWS + MEMBERSHIP BOOST + CLARION KIDS + ARCHIVE STORIES BOOTS&SPURS
THE NATIONAL CLARION CYCLING CLUB MAGAZINE £2 (FREE TO MEMBERS) WINTER 2010/11
STIRLING EASTER MEET + RACE REPORTS + AUDAX EXPLOITS + AWARD WINNERS FUND RAISING ADVICE + NEWS FROM YOUR SECTION + CLARION IN THE COMIC BOOTS&SPURS
THE NATIONAL CLARION CYCLING CLUB MAGAZINE £2 (FREE TO MEMBERS) SUMMER 2011
8 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING2017
NEWS
Members turn out to support Clarion House
By Chris Goode
YORKSHIRE COAST F
our years ago was the centenary of the founding of Clarion House and the National Committee wanted to show its support for the great work that Nelson Land Society does, along side many other volunteers. There was good co-ordination between the sections, who got together to present a cheque, travelling to the event, preparing sandwiches and encouraging each other to meet. In all, 24 Clarion members – from Blackpool, Bolton, London, Saddleworth and Yorkshire Coast – met at this wonderful building, which is a tribute to the work of many clarionettes over the years. A donation of £250 was
made from National Clarion funds to help with the upkeep of the building. It is located north of Colne in the stunning Lancashire countryside. David Bisset, Alex Southern and Alan Kiddle prepared the sandwiches, which went down very well, particularly with those hungry cyclists who had
travelled great distances. As always, the tea and conversation flowed and we enjoyed a cake made by Carol Noe, who you can see in the picture accepting the cheque from David. If you get the chance, Clarion House is well worth a visit.
www.clarionhouse.co.uk
Built on good foundations
The National Clarion is pleased to support Clarion House
ONLINE MEMBERSHIP IS COMING!
By Alan Kiddle
LONDON From January 2017, online membership will be launched through the National Clarion website www.clarioncc.org, initially on a trial basis for Fenland, Saddleworth and London
sections but further sections will be added in due course. Online membership will allow payment to be collected using all major credit cards through paypal, and will make it easier to allow existing members to renew and new members to
join. Online membership will reduce the workload of membership secretaries and reduce the administrative costs of the club. Of course, arrangement will be made to allow those members who still wish to renew on paper to do so.
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 9
RIDING TO AULD REEKIE As I write it is the season of “mist and mellow fruitfulness” but for the older cyclist, the beginning of November and into December was a nightmare. Before the Scottish Clean Air Act the atmosphere was terrible. The smoke from the chimneys belched out the ‘lum’ and crept along the road like it had emerged from some primeval forest. These ‘peasoupers’ reduced visibility terribly. Coming home from the Sunday run we would collect a long tail of motorist who followed our effort to see through the fog. We had to watch for the
tramlines. The smell of the smoke caught your throat and you usually had a scarf over your mouth to protect you lungs, you could see the black soot on the scarf where you were breathing through. When a chimney went on fire, flames fought through the fog and it was quite spectacular. It was usually a case of calling the Fire Brigade. Edinburgh was so bad with smoke that it was called Auld Reekie. I thought this letter would make some of our younger members realise the conditions the older members had to cycle in. I always marvel at the
progress the Clarion has made over the years. It breaks my heart to have missed out on all the activity and equipment that is available now. As always, I thank you for the work you have put in over the years for the Clarion. I will be 90 in December so I’m having difficulty hanging the wheel of life; what helps is my Boots & Spurs Magazine. It may be appropriate at this time to wish you an old Scots greeting. “Lang may your lum reek”. Yours faithfully Jim Wylie
CORRESPONDENCE
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN RAISED THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY
By Steve Hope
FENLAND Seven members of Fenland joined together in 2012 to form the Peterborough 5x5challenge.org team, the aim being to raise £10,000 in the calendar year for Help for Heroes. Once this was achieved, we carried on, organising up to three cycle Sportives a year, plus an annual 11km Remembrance running race at Top Lodge in Northamptonshire. The Royal British Legion became our new charity, while the annual Marholm Sportive from Peterborough became part of the National Clarion Sportive
Series and raised money for both local charities and the National Clarion and Fenland Clarion Youth Sections. Over the last five years, we have organized 11 sportives, raising over £40,000. The Marholm Sportive has
established a great reputation; with the local villagers all contributing to the after-ride cakes. The Forestry Commission wouldn’t give us permission to hold our Remembrance 11k run at Top Lodge this year so the Sportive on 10th July from Bourne Grammar School was our last event. The team have had a good innings, and are now calling it a day. We all meet up for a bike ride three times a week at stalwart Fenland Clarion member Ralph Stevens’ house, and meet up for a run every Friday morning, so life will still go on.
The Challenge Team: Steve Hope, Terry Murphy, Simon Lovell, George Prodrick, Carol Fell, Phil Lloyd, and Jim Fell
10 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING2017
IN MEMORY Jean Wye
By Tim Wye J
ean Wye died last year at the age of 94. Not famous or known to readers personally she was, however, active in the Young Communist League and Clarion Cycling Club in the 1930s. There can’t be many left! The Clarion Cycling Club, with its slogan “Fellowship is Life”, was formed in 1895 after a group of likeminded individuals got together in Birmingham in 1894. It took its name from Robert Blatchford’s socialist newspaper. Born to a working class family in Battersea in 1921, my mum grew up during the Great Depression, which helped form her left wing ideals and principles. By the age of 15, she had joined the Young Communist League where she met her future husband Bill. She became politically active. I remember taking my young children to a climate demo about 10 years ago. I asked my mum what her first demo was to which she casually replied “Cable Street”. You really can’t top that can you? Through her politics she discovered the Clarion. She retained fond memories of her comrades. She regaled me with stories of how they would set off from Battersea
“to spread the words of Marx to the rural masses”. Unfortunately, rural at that time was Surrey, stockbroker belt even then, and she admitted “they weren’t very interested in Marx!” Discipline in the club was firm. You were only able to put on waterproofs at the command of the club captain, who would give the order “cape up”, at which point the group was allowed to stop. On a run, one comrade was expelled for using the word “shit”. Her clearest memory was the run that took place on her 18th birthday (the astute among you will realise the significance of that year). They stopped at a tea shop to listen to Neville Chamberlain’s speech. To the end of her days she powerfully described how her bun “turned to dust in my mouth” when the Prime Minister issued those fateful
words “This country is now at war with Germany”. They turned back to Battersea and spent the afternoon filling sand bags. Happy Birthday! Alas, for many of her comrades, “Fellowship is Life” turned out to be shortlived. Many Clarion members were killed in Spain during the Civil war and more still died in World War Two. The club folded and my mum went to work at the treasury where she spent the war years and its aftermath as personal assistant to JM Keynes, the famous economist, travelling around the world with him, including the post-war Bretton Woods Economic Conference. She retained her interest in cycling and even though she derided my beautiful De Rosa Super King as “plastic” she was watching the tour from her hospital bed this year. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to see Britain’s fourth win.
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 11
By Duncan McLaren
STOCKPORT D
oug Clark was a longstanding member of Stockport Clarion Cycling Club; since 1984. Doug passed away peacefully on December 15, 2016 after a 26-month long battle with brain cancer; he was 48. His family always came first – he was a devoted and loving husband. He is survived by his wife Hillary, daughter Ellie (10), mother Christine, father Ian and brother Andy. Doug was a very active and successful Stockport Clarion cyclist; he still holds the club records for time trials at 10 miles (20.36) and 30 miles
(1.9.30). He was the first SCCC rider to break 2 hours for 50 miles. His 100 mile TT time was 4.19.19 and 251.36 for 12 hours. Doug, as well as being a focused racer, was always heavily involved in the social side of the Clarion; attending many Easter Meets and competing in National Clarion championships. Doug moved to New Jersey in the USA when he was 29 years old where he met Hillary. Even though he lived in the USA Doug always kept in touch with members, and always made the effort to meet up with club mates on his visits to the UK. Doug grew up in
Wilmslow, Cheshire, where he developed a passion for cycling and swimming. While always successful in his professional life, Doug’s love of endurance sports gave him great joy. In fact, the term “local hero” was not an exaggeration when it came to Doug’s triathlon success – 16 years of competition in USA national races produced literally hundreds of 1st place finishes. He qualified for the Ironman World Championships five times, including a 1st place age group finish in 2009. That same year, USA Triathlon recognised Doug as the Masters Triathlete of the Year. Doug also set and still holds a USA Triathlon record, winning his age group at the Nationals for seven consecutive years. In 2010 Doug became a certified USA Triathlon coach, combining his love of the sport and his desire to share all that he had learned. It was a great shock when Doug was diagnosed with cancer. He fought hard over the next 26 months, and inspired many people with his attitude and upbeat approach, even participating in a promotional video for Livestrong, the American charity that supports people living with cancer. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him at Stockport Clarion, National Clarion and the triathlon community. RIP Doug.
Doug Clark
12 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING 2017
CLARION EVENT REPORTS
Tuxford found enthusiastic team spirit, with its new 3-up 25TT race proving popular
By Ian Clarke
TUXFORD T
uxford Clarion offered to promote a 3-up 25 mile TT for the Clarion in 2016. We (Tuxford) have a great 11.3 mile TT course on a triangle around and just outside of Tuxford and it was a bit of a pipe dream of mine to run the event over two laps and make it 25 miles. Francis Grafton of Nottingham Clarion and an official CTT course measurer, measured up my preferred 25 mile route on this slightly sporting and nicely quiet course. I was really pleased to get 30 riders in 10 teams enter, making it one of the best represented events in the Clarion calendar, with teams from Fenland (three teams), Nottingham and Bury (two teams) coming over to pitch themselves on our home turf against four Tuxford teams. It shows the strength of
Tuxford that I have now been kicked out of the A team, and in a way, I am glad they did as it was nice to see Tuxford’s A team narrowly beating Fenland’s A team by two seconds. Clearly the home advantage helped us. We have already offered to run the event again next year so hopefully we will get even more teams come to join us, and let’s put the Tuxford boys to the test again and see if they can be beaten.
Results 1. Tuxford A (Jack Levick, Shawn Gough, Guy Cook) 56.08 2. Fenland (Simon Pitchford, Paul Lunn, Andrew Gilbert) 56.10 3. Fenland (Steven Kaye , Jerry Norman (J), Paul Lilley) 56.58 4. Tuxford B (Ian Clarke, Andrew Martin, Ashley Hill 58.37 5. Nottingham (Chris Henderson, Mark McCartney, Mike Cooke) 59.24 6. Bury A (David Stammers, Joseph Cadwallader, Gavin Wright) 59.49 7. Fenland (Steve Clarke, Lindsay Clarke, Sean Beard) 1.02.33 8. Tuxford C (Archie Hollingsworth (J), Nigel Wilson, Neil Pike) 1.08.37 9. Bury B (Oli Philbin (J), Phil Shaw, John Bunting) 1.10.23 10. Tuxford Women Jayne Clarke (DNF), Amy Ogden, Cat Harrison 1.30.16
New 3-up 25TT on offer
Bury get
By Ian Clarke
TUXFORD A
s part of our Autumn meet at Ironbridge we were delighted to be able to use a local Hill Climb race, promoted by local club Newport Shropshire. It was on a steep ¾ mile climb that started right next to the famous Ironbridge and climbed straight out of the gorge on a climb of four steps, starting with a flat acceleration, a hairpin bend, then straight up a 1 in 8, followed by a steadier
The Autumn Meet provided a great launchpad for the Hill Climb champs
10 teams took part in the race
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 13
MARTIN HOLDEN
podium at Hill Climb Champs
1 in 12, another 1 in 8 and finally a long 1 in 12-ish drag to the line. Despite not staying at the Youth Hostel with the rest of us, Bury Clarion sent a crack team of lightweights who showed the rest of us how to climb hills, taking the top three places with relative ease. The (not to be confused with a racing team) London Clarion, took fellowship and sportsmanship to new levels making up the tail end of the field and beating Clarion Champion track sprinter
James Roberts into last place, with James unfortunately having an asthma attack on the way up. Luckily he survived to tell the tale. The Ironbridge weekend is such a fabulous event, with some 90 members attending and 24 taking part in the Hill Climb, that we are hoping to use the same venue and weekend in 2017.
Results 1 Joseph Cadwallader (Bury) V 3.42 2 David Stammers (Bury) S 3.44 3 Francis Woodcock (Bury) J 3.49 4 David Grindley (North Cheshire)
V 3.55 5 Jack Levick (Tuxford) S 4.00 6 Steven Butterworth (Saddleworth) V 4.11 7 Matt Hacker (North Cheshire) V 4.16 8 Amy Ogden (Tuxford) W 4.30 9 Ian Clarke (Tuxford) V 4.31 10 Lachlan Hacker (North Cheshire) J 4.34 11 Paul McClearey (North Cheshire) V 4.35 12 Robbie Cooper (Ironbridge) J 4.36 13 Robert Wade (Ironbridge) V 5.02 14 Sebastian Grinbury (North Cheshire) J 5.06 15 Jeff Cooper (Ironbridge) V 5.10 16 Ian Kilroy (North Cheshire) V 5.13 17 Nigel Hodgkinson (North Cheshire) V 5.15 18 Adam McClearey (North Cheshire) J 5.44 19 Avril McClearey (North Cheshire) V 6.19 20 Claire Whitworth (North Cheshire) V 6.23 21 Tom May (North Cheshire) J 6.43 22 A Southern (London) S 7.01 23 Martin Perfect (London) V 7.24 24 James Roberts (North Cheshire) V 8.27
14 | BOOTS&SPURS | WINTER/SPRING 2017
CLARION EVENT REPORTS
Track titles decided in Derby
By Ian Clarke
TUXFORD D
erby Arena hosted the Clarion Track Championships for the second year and saw some spirited performances in both the Senior and Youth events. With riders from six different sections, Saturday saw the Seniors battling on the boards and Sunday saw the Clarion stars of tomorrow duking out for Omnium honours. Top dog among the Seniors was 50-year-old Martin Perrett (Heanor), who lifted the Omnium title and ensured the Dove Trophy stays on the family mantelpiece, after last year’s winner and Perrett’s son, Will, was sidelined after undergoing tonsil surgery a few days earlier. Tuxford’s Mark Love took silver, while Guy Cook (also Tuxford) had to settle for 3rd. It was a good start for Cook, who took the opening 20-lap scratch race with a blistering sprint finish, edging out Perrett and Love. The first Championship of the afternoon went to Perrett, although he was 2nd fastest on the day to Fenland’s 2nd claim Tom Stokes, who was not eligible for awards. Perrett’s 2.33.61 for 2000m was eclipsed by the
Manchester-based swimming coach from Peterborough, who produced an electric 2.24.94. Last season’s Clarion Sprint Champion James Roberts (North Cheshire) successfully retained the Mackay Pollock Trophy, after qualifying fastest in the 200m TT with 12.31. Roberts didn’t get it all his own way and was pushed hard in the final by Fenland’s Adam Robinson, riding his first ever sprint competition. A well drilled Tuxford quartet of Cook, Love, Martin Smith and National Secretary Ian Clarke caught last season’s champs Heanor in 2.48.13 to win the Czechoslovakian Trophy. Perrett took the win in the penultimate 25-lap Points Race with 15 points, seeing off 2nd placed Love (13) while Stokes (11) finished in 3rd. The final race of the afternoon saw Chesterfield
caravan specialist Cook win his 2nd race of the meeting when he edged out Love in the bunch gallop, to take the prestigious 5-mile Trophy. The race was run off at an impressive 27mph and Perrett’s 4th place was enough to give him the Omnium win. Special mention to Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) and Claire Whitworth (North Cheshire), both riding competitively all afternoon with their male counterparts.
YOUTH RACING S
unday saw the turn of the youth riders and star of the show was Fenland’s David ‘Jerry’ Norman who rode to an impressive 22.19 the day before in the GHS 10 Final at Coventry. Norman, who was 2nd in 2015, went one better and won each of the five events to take
David Norman, Youth omnium champion 2016
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 15
the Youth Omnium title. Norman’s nearest rival was Nottingham’s Will Beech, who was 2nd in the Pursuit, Points and Scratch races. Top B rider was Beech’s clubmate Alfie Lofthouse, while Ben Marsh (Heanor) followed up his win the previous day in the Notts & Derby Cyclo Cross by being the best of the C’s. Sole female was North Cheshire’s Helen Osguthorpe, who battled hard, despite being a little under the weather. Thanks to all the officials who helped out and made the event run smoothly. Chapeau to Mary Gill, Ian Shapiro, Paul Harwood, Ian Clarke, Lindsay Clarke, Neil and Noah Pike, Mike Mitchell and Bob Howe.
Adult Omnium Results 1. Martin Perrett (Heanor), 9 2. Mark Love (Tuxford) 12 3. Guy Cook (Tuxford) 13 4. Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 20 5. Martin Smith (Tuxford) 25 6. Andrew Clare (Teesside) 26 7. Adam Robinson (Fenland) 30 8. Pete Campbell (Heanor) 31 9. John Hughes (Nottingham) 31 10. Ian Shapiro (Heanor) 35 11. Ian Clarke (Tuxford) 36 12. Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 38 13. Steve Holton (Nottingham) 43
20 LAP SCRATCH 1 Guy Cook (Tuxford) 2 Martin Perrett (Heanor) 3 Mark Love (Tuxford) 4 Tom Stokes (Fenland) 5 Martin Smith (Tuxford) 6 Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 7 Adam Robinson (Fenland) 8 Peter Campbell (Heanor) 9 Andrew Clare (Teesside) 10 Ian Clarke (Tuxford) 11 Steve Holton (Nottingham) 12 Claire Whitworth (N. Cheshire) 13 Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 14 Ian Shapiro (Heanor)
2000M PURSUIT HEATS 1 Tom Stokes (Fenland) 02.24.94 2 Martin Perrett (Heanor) 02.33.61 3 Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 02.34.61 4 Andrew Clare (Teesside) 02.36.76 5 Martin Smith (Tuxford) 02.37.58 6 Peter Campbell (Heanor) 02.39.51 7 Ian Clarke (Tuxford) 02.40.09 8 Adam Robinson (Fenland) 02.45.99 9 Claire Whitworth (N. Cheshire) 02.53.00 10 Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 03.02.83
3rd & 4th Ride off 4 Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 2.39.73 3 Andrew Clare (Teesside) 2.37.43
Pursuit Final 4000m 1 Tom Stokes (Fenland)
2 Martin Perrett (Heanor) Ct in 2.48.13 FLYING 200M TT 1 James Roberts (N. Cheshire) 12.31 2 Adam Robinson (Fenland) 12.96 3 John Hughes (Nottingham) 13.03 4 Guy Cook Tuxford (13.06 5 Mark Love (Tuxford) 13.08 6 Peter Campbell (Heanor) 13.54 7 Steve Holton (Nottingham) 14.06 8 Ian Shapiro (Heanor) 14.31
Sprint 3rd & 4th Ride Off 3 John Hughes (Nottingham) 12.87 4 Guy Cook (Tuxford)
Sprint Final 1 James Roberts (N Cheshire) 12.28 2 Adam Robinson (Fenland)
TEAM PURSUIT 4000M 1 Tuxford (Clarke, Love, Smith, Cook) 2 Heanor (Perrett, Shapiro, Campbell) Ct in 2.48.13
25 LAP POINTS 1 Martin Perrett (Heanor) 15 2 Mark Love (Tuxford) 13 3 Tom Stokes (Fenland) 11 4 Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 10 5 John Hughes (Nottingham) 10 6 Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 6 7 Guy Cook Tuxford) 5 8 Martin Smith (Tuxford) 2 9 Peter Campbell (Heanor) 2 10 Andrew Clare (Teesside) 1 11 Adam Robinson (Fenland) 1 12 Steve Holton (Nottingham) 1 13 Ian Clarke (Tuxford) 0 14 Ian Shapiro (Heanor) 0 15 Claire Whitworth (N. Cheshire) 0
5 MILE CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Guy Cook Tuxford 2 Mark Love (Tuxford) 3 Andrew Clare (Teesside) 4 Martin Perrett (Heanor) 5 Phil Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 6 Ian Clarke (Tuxford)
7 Martin Smith (Tuxford) 8 Peter Campbell (Heanor) 9 John Hughes (Nottingham) 10 Adam Robinson (Fenland) 11 Steve Holton (Nottingham) 12 Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 13 Ian Shapiro (Heanor)
Youth Omnium Results 1. David Norman YA (Fenland 5 2. Will Beech YA (Nottingham) 11 3. Alfie Lofthouse YB (Nottingham )13 4. Carter Howe YB (Heanor) 16 5. Ben Marsh YC (Heanor) 26 6. Helen Osguthorpe YA (N. Cheshire) 26 7. Jack Lofthouse YC (Nottingham) 31
500M TT 1 David Norman (Fenland) 37.61 2 Alfie Lofthouse (Nottingham) 41.87 3 Carter Howe (Heanor) 41.94 4 Will Beech (Nottingham) 43.82 5 Osguthorpe (N. Cheshire) 47.12 6 Jack Lofthouse (Nottingham) 47.86 7 Ben Marsh (Heanor) 48.64
10 LAP SCR 1 David Norman (Fenland) 2 Alfie Lofthouse (Nottingham) 3 Will Beech (Nottingham) 4 Carter Howe (Heanor) 5 Ben Marsh (Heanor) 6 Helen Osguthorpe (N. Cheshire 7 Jack Lofthouse (Nottingham
PURSUIT 2000M 1 David Norman (Fenland) 2.36.18 2 Will Beech (Nottingham) 2.55.74 3 Helen Osguthorpe (N. Cheshire) 3.17.09
1000M 1 Alfie Lofthouse (Nottingham) 1.26.54 2 Carter Howe (Heanor) 1.31.09 3 Ben Marsh (Heanor) 1.36.42 4 Jack Lofthouse (Nottingham) 1.38.07
20 LAP POINTS 1 David Norman (Fenland) 25pts 2 Will Beech (Nottingham) 4pts 3 Carter Howe (Heanor) 4pts 4 Alfie Lofthouse (Nottingham) 5pts 5 Ben Marsh (Heanor) 20pts 6 Helen Osguthorpe (N. Cheshire) 20pts 7 Jack Lofthouse (Nottingham) 30pts 16 LAP SCRATCH 1 David Norman (Fenland) 2 Will Beech (Nottingham) 3 Alfie Lofthouse (Nottingham) 4 Carter Howe (Heanor) 5 Helen Osguthorpe (N. Cheshire) 6 Ben Marsh (Heanor) 7 Jack Lofthouse (Nottingham)
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CLARION EVENT REPORTS
By Chris Goode
YORKSHIRE COAST I
n the women’s competition there was a clear win for Lindsay Clarke (Fenland Clarion) with victories in the Easter Meet 25 and the National 10. There were four riders in second place: Hannah Bayes (Yorkshire Coast), Amy Ogden (Tuxford), Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) and Sarah Williams (West Lothian). There were 11 entrants in the women’s competition and 56 in the men’s. Eighteen sections took part, up two on last year but the overall number of entrants was down largely due to the cancellation of the 50 TT and road race. Jack Levick (Tuxford Clarion) was the overall winner in the men’s competition, with his team mate and National Secretary, Ian Clarke, in a well-deserved second place. Jack has made enormous progress this year under the tutelage of Bryan Steel. He won the National 25 with a superb 56 minute ride near Stirling, and the National 10 title. Tuxford also seized the Section prize, gaining 128 points more than Bury Clarion (J. Cadwallader, D. Stammers and F. Woodcock) The third counter for Tuxford was Mark Love. Heanor (P. Campbell, M.Perrett and I. Shapiro) and Nottingham Clarion were in joint third place with 109
points. Nottingham were represented by last year’s champion Martin Knight, M. McCartney and Richard Birkin. Best wishes to Martin after a recent illness. Well done to Ironbridge and London Clarion for rising up the table; there was also a late surge by Sunderland Clarion. They tasted success in their cyclo-cross promotion in November. We look forward to further friendship and friendly rivalry in 2017. Many thanks to all the organisers, their families, sections and friends who put on the races that help make the inter-section points competition a success. Awards will be presented at the Chester Easter Meet.
Men’s Points 2016 After 6 rounds and Final positions J. Levick (Tuxford) 120 points I. Clarke (Tuxford) 88 P. Campbell (Heanor) 51 J. Cadwallader (Bury) (50 C. James (Calder) 50 M. Knight (Nottingham) 50 M. Perrett (Heanor) 50 G. Davison (Sunderland) 40 J. Glass (West Lothian) 40 S. Kaye (Fenland) 40 M. Love (Tuxford) 40 D. Stammers (Bury) (40 G. Cook (Tuxford) 30 M. McCartney (Nottingham) 30 A. Martin (Tuxford) 30 R. Birkin (Nottingham) 29 S. Cooper (Nottingham) 20 D. Grindley (N. Cheshire) 20 R. Hemesley (West Lothian) 20 P. Kilpatrick (Tuxford) 20 S. Butterworth (Saddleworth) 18 M. Hacker (N. Cheshire) 17 D. Bisset (Bolton) 15 D. McLaren (Stockport) 14 P. McClorey (N. Cheshire) 14
A. Southern (London) 14 R. Cooper (Ironbridge) 13 A. Macintyre (Coatbridge) 13 M. Smith (Tuxford) 13 M. Ball (West Lothian) 12 A. Clare (Tees-side) 12 R. Masson (Stockport) 12 M. Perfect (London) 12 R. Wade (Ironbridge) 12 J. Cooper (Ironbridge) 11 C. Goode (Yorks. Coast) 11 A. Robinson (Fenland) 11 S. Clarke (Fenland) 10 G. Craven (West Lothian) 10 I. Kilroy (N. Cheshire) 10 N. Hodginson (N. Cheshire) 9 S. Hope (Fenland) 9 J. Hughes (Nottingham) 9 D. Grant (Coatbridge) 8 B. Harber (Brighton) 8 I. Shapiro (Heanor) 8 A. Spittlehouse (Calder) 8 F. Grafton (Nottingham) 7 A. Southern (London) 7 A. Hemesley (West Lothian (7 M. Perfect (London) 6 K. Worrall (Stockport) 6 W. Beech (Nottingham) 5 G. Fenwick ( London) 5 S. Holton (Nottingham) 5 J. Roberts (N. Cheshire) 5
Women’s Points: (after 6 rounds) 1. Lindsay Clarke (Fenland) 100 points 2= Hannah Bayes (Yorks Coast) 50 2= Amy Ogden (Tuxford) 50 2= Sarra Whelan (Tuxford) 50 2= Sarah Williams (West Lothian) 50 6= Jess Beyer-Lyons (Nottingham) 40 6= Aisla Curtis (West Lothian) 40 6= Avril McClorey (North Cheshire) 40 9= Jayne Clarke (Tuxford) 30 9= Rosemary James (Calder) 30 9= Claire Whitworth (North Cheshire) 30
Section Points 1. Tuxford Clarion 248 points 2. Bury 120 3= Heanor 109 3= Nottingham 109 5. Sunderland 90 6. West Lothian 72 7. Fenland 59 8. Calder 57 9. North Cheshire 51 10. Ironbridge 36 11. Stockport 32
Points Competition 2016 Summary
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12. London 31 13. Coatbridge 21 14. Yorkshire Coast 20 15. Saddleworth 18 16. Bolton 15 17. Tees-side 12 18. Brighton 8
Boys Junior Table From the Hill climb (round 5) and Cyclo-cross (round 6) Francis Woodcock (Bury) Douglas James (Calder) Lachlan Hacker (N. Cheshire) Daniel James (Calder) Adam McClorey (N. Cheshire) Tom Hay (N. Cheshire)
Winner of each round (Men, Women) 1. Easter Meet 25: Martin Knight, Lindsay Clarke
2. National 25: Jack Levick, Sarah Williams 3. National 10: Jack Levick, Lindsay Clarke 4. Track: Martin Perrett, Sarra Whelan 5. Hill Climb Joseph Cadwallader, Amy Ogden 6. Cyclo-cross Chris James, Hannah Bayes
Cyclo Cross Champs Adult race 1. C. James (Calder) 2. G. Davision (Sunderland) 3. S. Mackie (Sunderland) 4. G. Seaton (Sunderland) 5. D. Jackson (Sunderland) 1st Vet Clarion 6. Hannah Bayes (Yorkshire Coast) 1st Woman 7. Aisla Curtis (West Lothian) 2nd Woman 8. Rosemary James (Calder) 3rd Woman 9. Allan Smith (Sunderland) 1st Vet 50 Clarion 10. N. Wallbank (Sunderland)
Youth race 1st Douglas James (under 12) 1st Daniel James (under 10)
THANK YOU These events wouldn’t take place without the hard work of the organisers and their team of volunteers. A big thank you to all who helped
Jack Levick 2016 Points champion
PHOTO LYNSEY RODGER
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In April 2016, Sunderland’s Raymond Robinson competed in the 2016 European Sprint Duathlon champs coming 21st. In August he rode the World Masters Cycling Champs in St Johann, Austria. The event was made up of a 1km TT (finishing 9th) the mountain sprint (8th) and the next day a 20 km TT (26th). He is an Army reservist so has also been selected for the Army Masters CX race team.
The Sunderland master
Peter Campbell from Heanor rode in the 35-39 age category, UCI Gran Fondo World Championship in Perth. Here’s Peter exiting the Zig-Zag Hill for the first time, heading towards Kalamunda
A BABTISM OF MUD
By Matthew Ball
WEST LOTHIAN Like a scene from Victorian industrialised Britain, a polluted festering factory of dirty men and women toiled over machines in an attempt to keep them running efficiently, and to keep our masters happy. West Lothian’s Alex Ball
and Andrew Turner rode the British Cyclo Cross Championships in Bradford, and dads Duncan and I were the pit crew. Our naive pre-race plans soon went out the window once the action started. We were woefully underpowered, with Duncan's hand pump 2L washer and my borrowed 'ornamental' jet washer. We were up against teams with generators spewing out
fumes and power washers that wouldn't look out of place on an oil rig. Luckily the friendly Edinburgh Road Club took us under their wing and blasted the muck from the Clarion bikes with their club owned contraption. And the race? Muddy, slippy, off camber and run ups like the steepest Munro. Locals called it the toughest course of the year. At the
OUT AND ABOUT
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finish Andrew looked clean and happy, Alex had a couple of tumbles and wasn't in the best of moods, having resorted to running after a mechanical, but cheered up quickly. It was good to see the lads pushing their limits against skilled and strong riders, and there’s lots to learn after this baptism of mud. Better tyres and a massive jet washer are key purchases on the wish list for next season.
You don’t wear white in the CX pits
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YOUTH CYCLING North Cheshire Juniors enjoys
North Cheshire Clarion Go-Ride Club goes from strength to strength
By Liesl Hacker
NORTH CHESHIRE T
wo and a half years ago North Cheshire Clarion’s Go-Ride club North Cheshire Clarion Juniors certainly wasn’t as vibrant as it is now. The club’s coaching team was depleted, with just a couple of dedicated coaches remaining. The club’s coaching venue was also not ideal, with only a grassed area available. Fast forward to the present day and the club now has five dedicated qualified coaches; with discipline specific coaching awards in road and TT, MTB and track, supported by a fantastic Young Volunteer. Although our coaching venue still isn’t ideal, it’s a vast improvement, and at least offers tarmac, running track and grass options. This venue is supplemented by hiring local purpose-built cycling circuits and visiting a local forest for discipline specific coaching. Today’s club has 53 junior members (roughly a fifth of the overall club membership) and an ever increasing number of young riders trying out the club, inspired by Rio cycling successes. Our weekly coaching sessions are buzzing! The vast
majority of our members are active members of the club, participating in coaching and social events, and representing the club in track, cyclocross and circuit racing. The club’s social activities seem to be one of the prime reasons for its success, fostering strong and long lasting friendships which extend outside of club activities, and have led to
family weekend breaks, holidays and other activities together. These events include treasure hunt rides and themed fancy dress rides. With further exciting planned developments for the winter and the 2017 coaching season it is hoped that the success of the club will only continue to grow. Our winter training programme will include
LEFT: Our winning girls: Mel Boylin, Helen Osguthorpe and Lottie Kilroy
BELOW: North Cheshire Clarion Junior riders Euan Hacker, Adam McClorey, Lachlan Hacker and Mel Boylin meet Philip Hindes at the BBC.
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2016 successes
British Cycling inspired workshops on training and race preparation, and the opportunity for twice weekly turbo/roller training sessions, including core strength and flexibility. Our 2017 coaching sessions will provide greater opportunity for rider development through monthly hire of a local cycling circuit and monthly junior club rides, and easier access
to club rides for our young members. Again looking back our youth racing team consisted of just three or four riders. This has grown to a team of 14 circuit racers and 15 cyclocross racers. We now also have three first claim junior members regularly racing in the local ACT track league in Manchester. Following an introduction to
youth racing workshop held recently we are considering the need for another gazebo, as we have high hopes of increasing our youth race teams further in 2017. Our young members have also enjoyed some inspiring experiences through their involvement in the club. Our riders were included in the audience of the BBC2 Victoria Derbyshire Show Celebrating Rio 2016, and had the opportunity to meet Olympic and Paralympic stars, including Philip Hindes, Dame Sarah Storey, Kadeena Cox, Nicola Adams and Dan Goodfellow. Following this, our members, along with members of Bury Clarion’s Go-Ride club, attended a coaching and racing session coached by gold medal cyclist Callum Skinner. What memorable experiences for these young cyclists! The club’s recent successes culminated in us being named British Cycling’s National Go-Ride Club of the Year 2016, one of the club coaches was awarded North West Volunteer of the Year, and our Young Volunteer (YV) was awarded Warrington’s Young Volunteer of the Year. Our YV is now a representative on British Cycling’s National Youth Forum. The club was also featured in the Summer edition of British Cycling’s Go-Ride magazine.
Find out more at www. northcheshireclarion.co.uk
Ready for coaching
Cyclocrossers lining up to race
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RIO OLYMPICS
Ex pro rider and West Lothian coach Shani Block came out of retirement to represent Israel in the Rio Women’s Road Race. Stephen Henley discovers how she made it to Brazil
Tell us about your time at the 2016 Rio Olympics. How did you prepare? My preparation started from
when I qualified and had enough UCI points to know for certain that I was in the top 100 ranked women and able to go to the Olympics. This was at the beginning of May 2016 and I trained until the day of the race itself. All my hard work totally focused on trying to get myself at my best, as best
prepared for this race. I did a lot of long hours on the bike while trying to juggle my family life [Shani has three young children]. It was a hard task for all the family.
What was your opinion on the route, in particular the descent of the 530m Vista Chinesa where Annemiek van Vleuten
‘ Hard training and family support got me to Rio’
Shani at the West Lothian Kingscavil hill climb
PHOTO BY WWW.THEPRESSROOM.CC
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crashed? Were you scared? My approach to the route was to study it and know everything hole and cobble stone by heart. I arrived 10 days before my race and every day I just trained on the route itself , especially the Vista Chinese. It was a hard climb but the descent was even harder and I couldn’t not think about it every day, all day. On Saturday, the day of the men’s race, I watched the race with my coach, and after Nibali and some other very experienced riders crashed I told him that even if I climb up that hill first I was not risking my life going down that horrible descent. Ana’s crash was terrifying. I didn’t see her but I saw the ambulance rush up the mountain and I knew that someone had crashed going too deep and too fast.
What did you do after your event? McDonalds? All I wanted was to cross the line safely. I remember at the end, after a few minutes of just resting on the bike, I asked an Israeli journalist who was there to call my family and tell them that I finished and am coming home to be with them. It was a very happy and sad moment for me because I knew that this would be my last race. After the race I went back to the athletes village and just had a nice dinner with some colleagues from the Israel
team. I was just relieved it was all over.
What are your plans for the future? Tokyo 2020? My plans are to be part of the West Clarion coaching team, I am learning so much from the kids here. They really want to learn and become cyclists and I enjoy watching them
perform. I am also starting a new journey as a DS with a Danish women’s team, BMS Brim, and this is something I know I want to do when I grow up out of the saddle as a racer. 2020 is way too far for me to think of. For sure I want to race in it and I would very much like to be part of my national team in some way.
What advice do you have for our younger members? My advice for the youngsters on any team is very simple: believe in what you can achieve. There will always be someone who is better than you are but consistency and hard work will and do pay off.
Even if I was first up the climb I was not risking my life on the way down that horrible descent.
Tucked into the peloton and crossing the line (below right)
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2017 CHESTER EASTER MEET
2017 CHESTER EASTER MEET Friday 14th to Monday 17th April
ER
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ACTIVITIES There will be a get together on Friday evening in the bar, and Conference will be on Saturday morning. A programme of rides, walks etc. will be available nearer the time.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY Entertainment and a buffet on Saturday evening, resentation dinner on Sunday evening.
COST The meet levy for the full weekend is likely to be around £50. Menu choices will be available nearer the event.
HOTEL Mercure Chester Abbots Well Hotel, Whitchurch Road, Christleton, Chester CH3 5QL. The hotel has a spa and gym available to those staying in the hotel. It is two miles from the city centre, with good parking and regular tourist buses to the centre stop close by. Bed and breakfast is £90.00 per room (twin or double), the hotel telephone number is 0844 815 9001. When booking please indicate that you are attending the Clarion event.
CONTACT David Bisset: davidbisset55@ hotmail.co.uk
Chester is a city bursting with must-see treasures, 2000 years of history and spectacular shopping. It is one of the best preserved walled cities in Britain and has a number of medieval buildings, a Gothic cathedral and one of Britain's largest zoos. In the old city, the Rows is a shopping district distinguished by 2-level covered arcades and Tudor-style half-timbre
buildings. A Roman amphitheatre, with ongoing excavations, lies just outside the old city's walls. Around Chester, cyclists will find quiet lanes and beautiful countryside, with Cheshire to the east and the Welsh foothills to the west. With its central location close to many Sections, why not join your club mates for the Clarion's annual jamboree?
JOIN YOUR CLUB MATES IN CHESTER
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PERFORMANCE
Charlotte Gorman joined Bury in 2016 and has gone on to break long-standing club records. Peter Roscoe has been watching her develop B
ury Clarion is attracting members from beyond the boundaries of the borough including Charlotte Gorman who hails from Rossendale, a location with a number of clubs to choose from. Charlotte settled for Bury Clarion apparently because she found us helpful and friendly – we seem to have lived up to her expectations. Charlotte, who is in her 30s, has certainly impressed. Before joining, she rode our annual ‘all comers/come and try it’ hill climb, when she was the 3rd fastest lady and placed 24th of the 69 finishers. Had she been a member at that time she would have been 7th of the 18 Bury Clarion finishers. The first Bury Clarion competition she rode was our club handicap championship (using a Southport CC event) when she posted an actual time of 24min 24 secs, smashing the 52-year-old record of Vera Rigby by 2mins 33 secs. It was a surprise when in a later combined club 10 with the North Lancs Time Trials Association she finished fastest of the Bury Clarion
Commuter to competitor
entrants in a time of 24min 54secs, getting the better of Andy Horner, multi club champion over years, by five seconds. No excuses from Andy – she was just the best on the day. Charlotte continued to race events at the Stephen Burke circuit, finishing in second place and winning on one occasion. She has embraced hill climbs with great enthusiasm, riding more than anyone in our club, being fastest lady on four occasions and 2nd on one occasion.
The most challenging was the Lancashire Road Club event on the Rake, which, with a rich prize list, attracted the best riders from around the country. On this occasion she was 5th fastest of the 12 lady finishers in a time of 3min 37.8 seconds, which was good enough for 69th place of the 94 finishers. Charlotte’s best performance came in the last hill climb: a Yorkshire Road Club event on the Cragg Vale course, which has the longest continuous ascent in the country. She was not only the fastest of the seven lady finishers but she also broke the course record for ladies in a time of 18min 2.5 secs. At the Rake and Cragg Vale events Charlotte would have been pleased with the Bury Clarion supports on the courses. It is interesting to reflect how Charlotte came into cycling. Athletic sport of any kind has never been something that she excelled at. She started cycle commuting to work and found she liked it, and being technically minded she joined the Strava network to find that actually she was riding at a speed above average. Encouraged, she decided to enter races and is finding great satisfaction in this, as well as enjoying the camaraderie of club life.
Racing is something Charlotte is finding great satisfaction in as well as enjoying club camaraderie
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In search of Adam Yates
Three enthusiastic Adam Yates fans went in a search of their hero at the 2016 Tour de France. Abbie, Alex and Finn from West Lothian staked out the Orica GreenEdge bus on stage 18 until the Bury Clarion honorary member appeared and signed a few autogaphs. They also managed to pick up a few bidons and caps from the Australian team. Look closely on the bus and you’ll spot it showing off a (surreptiously placed) Clarion vinyl sticker. Do you think you could find a better location for our emblem?
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BIG RIDES: NORTH COAST 500
The long way round: Bolton’s Highland tour
Bolton Clarion’s North Coast 500 (12th – 21st August 2016)
By Mike Singleton
BOLTON O
ur tour of the Highlands kicked off with beers and pub grub and a night in Inverness Youth Hostel, ready for a cloudy but mild Saturday
morning start in mid-August. Paul Hackin, Bernard Nicholson, Richard Brown, Paul Wolstenholme, David Bisset and I were on our way. Day one started with a headwind but the weather was acceptable until just after our lunch stop at Contin, when the rain started and an increasingly strong wind
blew the heavy drizzle straight at us. It became a test of endurance until a couple of miles before we reached our first evening’s stop at Lochcarron. We headed straight for a café to warm up and were greeted with the comment “you’re so lucky”. Perplexed, we enquired why? “This is the best weather
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Enduring climbs and empty roads to relish
we’ve had since May!” Our hearts sank: if this was good weather, who knew what the next days would have in store. The next morning was damp and misty although not cold, and our ride over the spectacular Bealach na Ba was most enjoyable, even though the view from the top was non-existent due to thick
Scottish mist. Our descent to Applecross brought us back into daylight and gradually the sun came out. Lunch outside Nanny’s café in Shieldaig was enjoyed as we chatted about Bealach na Ba not being as tough as any of the major climbs in the Lake District. The increasingly warm afternoon was spent
along rolling hills plus a lengthy climb, before an equally long descent took us to Torridon YHA where we spent the night. Next day saw an early start. It was warm and the morning air was filled with hungry midges so it was a case of dashing for our bikes, swiftly attaching our panniers then returning to the midge-free reception until we were all loaded-up and ready to go, which proved quite a task, especially for Bernard. We set off amidst truly stunning scenery and enjoyed some gentle climbs and long downhills: this really was idyllic cycling, with little traffic on good road surfaces, and we headed for the small but delightful village of Poolewe for an alfresco lunch outside the Bridge Cottage café. We then continued in glorious sunshine through more stunning scenery, encountering small coves complete with empty beaches and clear waters, and lovely quiet little roads, to our evening destination: a Bunkhouse in Loch Broom. We’d left our washed cycling kit on the garden washing-line overnight to dry but in the morning it was soaking with dew, and the midges made us scurry around like rats removing the wet clothes and putting our bags onto our bikes, all in a panic to get moving before being eaten alive. Breakfast was 10 miles away in Ullapool; we parked our
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BIG RIDES: NORTH COAST 500
bikes across the road from the café against the sun-soaked harbour fence and covered them in our wet kit to dry out in the hot sunshine. Success! More glorious roads and scenery followed as we headed to our lunch destination – a café set amidst the hills, miles from the nearest village or town. Unfortunately, we were met with a large ‘Closed’ sign. It was at least 18 miles to the nearest village/shop and we were hungry, thirsty and in need of a rest. Paul pedalled back a short distance to a lonesome cottage to enquire if they would mind topping up a water bottle. They did much better, inviting us all to sit outside on hastily arranged garden chairs where we chatted and enjoyed tea, coffee and biscuits while drinking in the wonderful panorama in front of us. We were now so relaxed we were reluctant to leave but after handshakes and thanks aplenty we bid our farewells and set off again, soon cycling alongside Loch Assynt and the ruins of
Ardvreck Castle, which is built on a rocky promontory jutting out into the loch (built 1590). Lochinver was our overnight stop, in the modern bunkhouse. In the evening we played a game of ‘let’s find the best place to dine’, pausing for a couple of beers en route before suddenly and alarmingly running out of options as each establishment reported “we’re full”. Back to the pub then, where we waited (whilst drinking) until we were eventually invited to a table to dine (ravenously). L
eaving Lochinver at 7.30am, having prepared our own breakfasts in the bunkhouse, we headed uphill into the Sutherland Badlands and a thousand lochans, all mirrorstill in the warm sunshine. Photo opportunities abounded on the inleted coastline and one very steep climb had us all walking. We continued over the Kylesku road bridge where we had our third sighting of a golden eagle rising on the thermals. On to Scourie for lunch then
The scenery morphed from desolate and rugged, but beautiful, to a more pastoral scene
to Laxford Bridge in very hot temperatures. On an undulating road we looked for a shaded spot to rest up for ten minutes; apparently it was hotter here than the Algarve! Onwards and upwards, where Paul got a stone jammed between his tyre and mudguard and had to remove his front wheel to get it out. Dave has been troubled by a painful foot and stopped to immerse it in a cooling loch – it seemed to help. Then a long drop to Durness with a huge sandy inlet and into the village to find the bunkhouse. Booked-in, showered and changed, we headed to the Spar across the road to buy the next day’s breakfast and that night’s beer. We left Durness at 7.35am in thick Scotch mist and cool conditions but with the midges still biting furiously; Paul even stopped to fit his head net under his helmet. We cycled around a deepcut inlet called Loch Eriboll and the scenery was quite fantastic. Heading east past Loch Hope and over Kyle of Tongue bridge we come upon a hostel style hotel where we paused for coffee and cake. We left Tongue in a proper sea fret towards Bettyhill 12 miles away, for lunch, where Richard had fun with the
The gang enjoyed good fortune – lots of sunny weather and no punctures
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sugar dispenser, leaving him with sweet burger & chips! After lunch, the countryside morphed from rugged, desolate but beautiful moor and lochs, to a pastoral, agricultural scene. We were heading for Thurso, passing the grim looking Dounreay nuclear power station along the way, to Sandra’s Backpackers for the night. T
here was a slight chill in the air as we set off the next day, something we had become unaccustomed to; next up was a cold, windswept John O’ Groats, where we paused for a warming cuppa, complete with a tasty (and reasonably priced) bacon bap. Down the A9 to Wick next, where we enjoyed sandwiches and drinks in Mackays Hotel – owned by David’s very welcoming cousin – then onwards to Helmsdale for the night at the Belgrave Arms. The weather forecast for our final day wasn’t good – a strong headwind and heavy
showers. However, we set off in dry conditions, and with a very pleasant cross-tail wind we were soon making good progress down the A9, which was a blessing as this is not an ideal road for cycling. The further south we went the busier it became. Through Brora and Golspie, briefly pausing outside Dunrobin castle to remove layers as the temperature rose, and on to the bridge over Dornach Firth. Through Tain on the lookout for a café with no luck, so continuing to Alness for lunch with the glorious sunshine now resplendent! After lunch we were straight onto more scenic, quieter roads away from the A9. We worked our way around the Cromarty Firth, through Dingwall and on towards the Muir of Ord and around Beauly Firth. The last leg was into the wind on a long flat stretch of road beside the Firth with Inverness in sight! The sun was shining and we dodged the Saturday traffic and shoppers in the
town centre, arriving back at the Youth hostel by 3pm. What a week (8 days)! Fantastic scenery, great roads and superb weather; Gary Thompson, another Bolton Clarion member, had completed the same tour (solo but supported by his family in a camper-van), the week before us and his pannier-free advantage was more than undermined by bad weather. We didn’t have a single puncture or mechanical fault and completed a total of 525 miles . We climbed over 31,000 feet, all in the splendid company of fellow Bolton Clarion members – what more could you ask for? As we enjoyed a curry and a few beers in Inverness that evening we mulled over the tour and agreed that if we ever do this again we would head south from Bettyhill, then via Altnaharra, Lairg and Bonnar Bridge to Inverness – avoiding the east coast and the unfriendly A9.
www.northcoast500.com
Friendly locals rescued the thirsty stranded riders
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PROJECT
Ian Clarke’s birthday present from his wife Jayne was a bike building course at Swallow Cycles with Ironbridge Clarion’s Pete Bird. Find out how our National Secretary soldered on.
DAY 1 Preparing the tubes T
he day started with a detailed chat about what we’d be doing, and a check of my measurements. My calculations were about right but Pete thought my top tube could be 1/2 inch longer; we settled on 1/4 inch. Firstly, Pete presented me with my tube set looking all engineering-like and undamaged. The first job was easy: I had to shot blast the ends of the tubes ready for brazing. I explained to Pete that it was the brazing that I was most fearful of, having not wielded a gas torch since I was an apprentice in 1979. Next job was to cut slots in the forks and chain stays, ready to be attached to the fork ends. Hacksawing slots by eye and of the right width was a bit tricky. Pete did the first (of 4), I did the next (too slack), the next was too tight (needed a lot of filing) and the
A frame building course brings a winning result
Pete demonstrated the first fork end, making it look both easy and difficult
last was about right.While I was doing this Pete was in and out between giving advice and help to his tandem customers. Then came time to fire up the ‘gun’, starting with propane then oxygen, adjusting the flame for the task. Pete demonstrated the first fork end, making it look easy and difficult at the same time, explaining how to get the correct ‘red hot’ temperature and feed in the brass rod while directing the heat to get the brass to flow down the joint. Next was chain stays and I was surprised at my progess. Peter was on hand, guiding me when to pull away the ‘gun’ and where to direct the heat. I moved on to the fork crown and watched the brass flow from the brass rod being fed into steerer to fork crown joint, and appearing through capillary action at the bottom of the crown... wow, now it was making sense. Towards the end of the day, I mitred the seat tube to get the optimum material inside
the bottom bracket, using a bench grinding wheel, which was a piece of cake. Then we tacked the seat tube in place, ready for tomorrow... DAY 2 Cleaning and drilling I
got stuck into cleaning up all the flux and crap off the brazed components, fork ends and chain stays. The shot blaster was my friend; I want one at home. Then I was told to file the excess brass off because it can easily be a bit lumpy. I
Ian ‘felt the fear and did it anyway’!
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 33
did one seat stay which I was quite pleased with, but then got a bit carried away and filed away some of the tube as well, leaving an unsightly depression. Pete seemed relaxed about this and later filled in the depression with blobs of silver solder, repairing my mess so that you cannot tell. As Pete says, the sign of a good craftsman is that he/she can fix their own mistakes... clearly I’ve some way to go. Here it started to get tricky. I had to start mitring tubes, which will enter the lugs and butt up to other tubes inside the lugs. Sounds easy? No! The hardest tube to get right
is the down tube where it goes into the bottom head lug and fits up to the head tube. I spent maybe 90 minutes on this one joint, which will never be seen once it’s inside that lug and brazed. We decided where the bottle cage mounts should be, which surprisingly isn’t that scientific. I drilled the tube with the aid of a jig that lined up the drill and made sure the hole was centred. Crickey, this 853 tubing was hard stuff; it really surprised me how hard it was to drill and how strong the tubing is. You can hold the stays and tubes in a vice under a lot of pressure and not damage
them at all. Finally, Pete set up the facing tool for the forks where the bottom cups would fit and I started grinding (by hand). I didn’t want to stop but it is a time consuming job and Pete was shutting up shop. DAY 3 Using the jig I
started the hard way, facing down the fork column with a facing tool, which should have made the Hearst fit right. Disaster! After 40 minutes of using my body weight (as instructed) I got to the bottom and inspected the forks, only to agree with Pete that the forks must have been made off centre. In accord with the ‘you are only a craftsman when you can repair your own mistakes’ Pete decided that with a lot of heat, bending and additional brass work, they could be made good. I left Pete to that while I prepared the chain stays for
Before the big clean-up
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PROJECT
fitting to the bottom bracket, mitring a scollop and making sure they were equal length. The rest of the morning involved putting together all the tubes inside their lugs, aligning them in the jig and getting ready for brazing. Now the tricky bit: we had to make sure that all tubes and lugs were in the right place and ready to be brazed. This is a full on task for most of the afternoon. Imagine the head lugs, the seat lugs, and the bottom bracket: you have to get each one of them up to the right temperature, fluxed up, and then start feeding the brass in. Then comes the real skills with the torch (propane and oxygen). The higher heat is directed away from where the brass is entering forcing it to flow between tube and lug, by capillary action, and appear at the other end of the lug. It really is terrific when you see it happen. With all tubes in the right place, we decided to change approach and add some of the braze-ons, using silver solder technique, which compared to brazing the lugs is simple. Day 3 ended with me cleaning the frame in the shot blast chamber, while Rob waited to lock up shop... I could’ve stayed longer. DAY 4 Brazing and checking I
t was time to start turning my seat stay idea into reality. We start by cutting down the ends and planning how I was going to create a
neat design, an ‘E’ on the stay where it joins the seat lug. With Pete’s experience we decide to do it all with hacksaws and files. It’s quite time consuming to get it accurately proportioned and after an hour or two I was quite proud of my work. I also had to use the linishing tool to put the scollop on the forks as we were going to finish the forks. The last few things to do were to silver solder the top of the seat stays onto the frame, making sure they were perfect lengths and perfectly lined up. I learned that silver soldering is faster and
stronger than brass brazing, but each silver solder rod is £10 compared with a pound for the brass ones. When it came to brazing the other end of the seat stays into the rear ends, I had to fill a lot of brass into the seat stay tubes, which would have been very expensive if it were silver. Next off was to check the frame for tracking prior to brazing the rear brake bridge and it was looking bang on accurate. I had to file into the brake bridge so that it fitted neatly in between the seat stays. All done, quick shot blast and then we tacked one side into place before
Not a radical new bike design, just checking half way through
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 35
soldering in the other side, checking the alignment and soldering the other side. The main frame was now fully brazed, just leaving the forks. Firstly we had to cut them to length which I was a bit nervous about and measured about 20 times before cutting, leaving a few millimetres extra to grind down to get the final fit. I checked them for dual length, fluxed them all up and put them in the jig for brazing. I now had a fully built frame ready to clean up, file down and paint. DAY 5 (LAST DAY) Cleaning, filing and polishing I
walked across from the youth hostel, about 20 steps, and arrived at the
door of Swallow Cycles, just as Rob arrived and unlocked. Today was going to be all about fettling, blasting, finishing and polishing, starting with a few kettles of hot water to soften up the silver solder flux, which dries rock hard. This was a noxious and awkward job, but finally I got it mostly off. Then a long time in the shot blasting cabinet and the frame looked tidy with still several hours left in the day. Next up was linishing (those tidy little scallops at the end of the stays) of the rear ends, but as I was getting on top of them, I noticed a hole in one of the stays that I hadn’t filled completely with brass. Pete confirmed that it was too much to tidy up with
Ian can recall every every braze and file stroke of his build
silver so he quickly filled it up with more brass for me, which was probably the safest and quickest option. I then started on the filing and emery cloth, removing all the excess brass brazing that is in small pieces all over the frame. I was sure Pete and Rob wouldn’t make this much mess. After lunch, Pete set up the frame stand outside the workshop (also the path to the Youth hostel), where I thought I was being put on display. The reality was that in broad daylight it was easier to see any imperfections than you can indoors. An afternoon of carefully rubbing down, until the frame was so smooth that it resembled a polished aluminium or titanium frame, and I’d had quite a few admires. And by 5pm, I was finished: my own frame, made 99% by me, with a lot of close guidance by Pete, and I loved every minute of it. I shall never be able to look at a steel frame again, and I shall remember every braze, every little difficulty, every stroke of the file, all the little imperfections that I tried too hard to remove and polish away... I know every aspect of that frame and what went into making it. If you see it finished, I hope you like it, but you’ll never appreciate it as much as I do, it feels a real piece of me.
Swallow Bespoke: www. bicycles-by-design.co.uk I was a bit nervous and measured about 20 times before cutting the forks to size
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SANTA CYCLO CROSS
PURS|WINTER/SPRING 2017
FESTIVE FUN Gordon Scott took some great photos at West Lothian’s Sanata Cyclo cross in December. The club confined event organised by Ewen Fulton and 40 other volunteers was a great success, with over 100 members dressing up and getting into the spirit of the season.
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SECTION HEAD IS ORIGINAL SECTION NEWS MAST HEAD DRAWN BY EDWARD JONES IN 1936
WHAT’S NEW IN THE CLARION NEAR YOU
170 MILES IN A DAY, Well done to Barnoldswick members Craig Holden, Matt Hargreaves, Frank Clarkson, Colin Urmston, and his wife Sharon in support, who rode the ‘Way of the Roses’ from Morecambe to Bridlington in tough conditions.
Conditions en route – pretty grim at 5.30am
Starting at Morecambe
Well done lads! Frank finishes the Champagne
Mick Kruppa (Race Secretary) giving Dave Sherwood and Doug Brierly tips on their 1st TT
Colin Urmston and Mick Meath trying their hand at Pendle Forest’s 6-mile hilly TT
BARNOLDSWICK T
he Club has had a good and varied year since a major reorganisation last year when we officially formed a committee. We are pleased to announce the re-election of the committee at our recent Annual General Meeting. The Club’s membership has reduced to 30+ due to the majority of the local fell running club not rejoining, which we anticipated. Mick Meath
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xxxx
SECTION NEWS
BARNOLDSWICK ABOUT Top: A cultural visit to Hubberholme early saxon church, a favourite of J.B. Priestley, of which there is a display of his works. Also famous for the wooden mice carved into the pews. Above: Mick Kruppa, Matt Hargreaves, Jo Brown, Colin Urmston, Sue Gornall, Mike Rutter, George Bradbury, Dave Sherwood. Right: Jo Brown looking cool before she attempts her sixperson relay swim of Loch Ness (costumes only, no wet suits allowed) 22mls 18hrs in rough and windy conditions.
BRIGHTON & HOVE S
ince we began our fortnightly rides in 2004 we have always followed each ride with a newsletter featuring – as well as details of the next ride – a report by one of the participants of the last one. Here’s a few extracts from last summer’s crop which, I hope, give a good idea of what B&H Clarion get up to: “On arrival at the Canal Tearoom Sean discovered he had cycled the whole ride sitting on two bananas – better than a gel saddle! (Tessa, July) “Alex of London Clarion had predicted a 4pm arrival, and sure enough, with immaculate timing, at 16:02 a flurry of red-and-whitechecked riders appeared on the approach to the Beacon. But the lead rider was differently dressed – he was not sporting the familiar London Clarion kit, but instead, the National Clarion colours; in fact it was our own Bob Harber! (Jim, July) “A well-earned breather at the top of Ditchling Beacon (photo, Jenny) “We stopped at Streat Place to gawp at the pile rumoured to have been a venue for Charles and Camilla’s trysts. No one invited us in, so we repaired to the Plough Inn, Plumpton Green, for a coffee. (Prudence, August) “Lunch was at the new harbour in a social enterprise cafe called Harbour Lights with good food & great views.
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 39
BRIGHTON & HOVE TO BURY
A large group of swans with many brown adolescent cygnets lounged around and drank from a couple of buckets set out for them. You could see the water running down inside their long necks and we were lucky, after our lunch, to avoid the green, slimy deposits they left behind when they had taken to the water! (Anne, September) “Four of us had lunch in the award winning Steyning Tea Rooms on the corner of Church Street and High Street. Excellent first courses included baked potatoes with tuna mayonnaise and with goat’s cheese, and a vegetable tart. Desserts included a brownie with walnuts, sultana cake and an almond flake topped jam slice. The other three went on to the White Horse Inn where beer could be found. (Julian, 2 October)”
London Clarion members on the final ascent to Ditchling Beacon
JENNY MILLINGTON”.
Full reports are all at http:// www.brightonandhoveclarion.org.uk/. Click on ‘Ride Reports’ and scroll down. Ian Bullock
BURY W
e are on a very pleasing upward trend. Our membership, including our honorary members Adam and Simon Yates, has increased to 128 at the time of writing. It is fitting to note that in the opening stages of The Tour Adam shouted ‘Bury Clarion’ when he saw one of our members. On a later stage a Guardian reporter interviewed him and he made much of his early years in Bury Clarion. This led to me being interviewed and later a half page in a Sunday Observer not only about Adam but also about Bury Clarion’s history. Then, surprise surprise,
Donald Lever heard the article referred to in a BBC breakfast programme when Bury Clarion was mentioned. For many years we have attempted to cater for ladies. Peter Foster led some rides but the ladies said they wanted a female leader. Subsequently, a Bury Lady Beginners Group was established. A contingent from this group have now integrated in Bury Clarion and the remainder will continue with Breeze rides. This could well be a milestone in our history. We have regular Saturday and Sunday rides, and often more impromptu rides publicised on our Facebook site. In the past we have won the team prize in the Lancashire Road Club Hill climb on ‘The Rake’. Our chances this year were negated when Joe Cadwallader unshipped his chain. However, our presence in the event and Francis Woodcock winning the juvenile prize led to a full page report in Bury Times. Joe’s victory in the National Clarion hill climb championship the following week compensated for his disappointment. Mention must also be made of David Stammers finishing second and Francis Woodcock third. Francis also won the junior award in the Newport Shropshire CC event, getting the better of riders older than himself. Peter Roscoe
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SECTION NEWS
COATBRIDGE A
s our winter training programme moves into full swing many of our club members will look back with pride on a year of great personal and team achievements. More of our riders than ever embraced the challenges of tough charity sportives across Scotland and England. Many of our newer riders improved beyond all expectations this year, smashing their own personal records in terms of distance and speed. Riders such as Felix Gibson, Davy Armour, Heather Manson and John Burns really pushed themselves in club training and sportives. Heather and some of her friends completed the stunning North Coast 500 to raise thousands for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow. This is a serious challenge, with 500 miles of seemingly endless hill climbs in tough weather conditions. Heather and our other women riders ‘The Sufferjets’ had a great few months with some impressive riding. This included a great team effort by Liz Hunt, Heather Manson, Hannah Cook and Lorraine Muirhead to complete the Pedal For Scotland 110 mile route. Liz pushed herself further still to complete a tough four sportive challenge totalling 300 miles and 21,000 feet of climbing. Well done Liz!
Bill Clelland yet again was inspirational at the age of 75 by doing a number of 100-plus-miler sportives on a regular basis and at a very respectable pace indeed. Bill is also a team player, helping to look after our social paced club runs. We had a great day at the clubhouse for our Tour De France Club Social in July with over 20 enjoying a good feed with drinks. Our
WINTER/SPRING 2017 | BOOTS&SPURS | 41
Malmesbury meet regularly for rides and cake
Dining al fresco has proved very popular among the riders
COATBRIDGE TO MALMESBURY
mountain bikers Dougie Muirhead, Calum Muirhead and Davy Allen did the club proud once again in the September Tour de Ben Nevis race. Alan MacIntyre and Robert Smith continued to represent the club in Triathlon and Time Trial events. Robert has excelled this year, wearing the club colours in numerous events and he will also be competing in cyclocross events this winter. Thanks Robert for your hard work. Now for some hard work in winter training to prepare for all of those big challenges and sportives in 2017. John Gormlie
MALMESBURY T
here has been a steady flow of new members, including Gary Walker, who has opened a cycle shop in the town trading under the name of Wheelers Retreat. Our club competitions for the 2016 season produced some very worthy winners. Peter Cattermole won the Sunday Series, completing all eight rides. Collectively, the 10 members who took part rode a total of 2930 miles. Peter was also the winner of the Chairman’s Trophy, gaining the most points through his excellent attendance on club runs. The Wednesday evening outings were extremely popular during the summer. A varied selection of courses all ended at local public houses. The rides, minus the
liquid refreshments, are as usual continuing through the winter months. Another success has been the Thursday lunchtime meet at the nearby Angel Café in Sherston, where during the warmer weather the most was made of the al fresco dining opportunities. Members make their own way to and from the venue, riding as little or as much as
they wish. Again, this is an all year activity and a firm favourite with the club’s retirees. We now have an online Course Directory with a choice of routes to and from our coffee stops. With 30 cafes listed, it means we can offer a diverse range of destinations and ways of getting there. Unfortunately our
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SECTION NEWS
Saddleworth Clarion. The riders ploughed their way through 6 loaves of bread, 20 tins of beans, numerous pies, quiches, sausage rolls and a load of bananas, fig rolls and biscuits, as well as tea and coffee and a selection of cakes kindly donated by NCC members. This audax will be held again on 10 September 2017. Come along for the lashings of food, if nothing else. For the first time, NCC will also be organising the 201km Newport and 153km Radway audaxes on 26 February 2017. A number of our riders
Secretary, Howard Sprange, has been diagnosed as suffering with a faulty heart valve. Hopefully by the time this article goes to print, his operation will have been carried out, and he’ll be well on the road to recovery. Tim Wadsworth
NORTH CHESHIRE T
here’s been lots going on at North Cheshire since the last edition of Boots and Spurs. Our Junior club riders had an extremely successful end to the circuit racing season, especially our girls, with overall wins in the North West Youth League in the under 16, under 14 and under 8 categories. Another successful season of road racing saw North Cheshire Clarion finish 7th out of 97 in the North West Regional Rankings – the highest ever placing for the club and certainly out-competing many other long-standing clubs, and dedicated race teams, in the region! Top points scorers were Paul Wilkinson, who managed a number of wins and podium placings at the Tameside mid-week league, and National Clarion RR Champ David Grindley who did likewise in the Litherland league. We once again held our Wizard and the Llamas audax in September. It was well attended, with 97 entries, 52 from North Cheshire and 7 from
are increasingly involved in the audax scene. This year a swarm of NCC members completed the annual Wild Wales Challenge in late August – a route taking in quiet lanes and difficult climbs around mid-Wales. Our junior club held its own event in September: 30- and 15-mile treasure hunt rides, with clues to the answer to a cycling related question hidden amongst the Cheshire lanes. We’ll report on our junior fancy dress Halloween MTB ride in the next edition. The North West cyclocross
big groups wearing blue and yellow on the cheshire lanes
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season is well underway, and participation in this branch of the sport has really taken off this year in NCC. In one of the events we had a phenomenal 32 riders competing, aged 8 to 60+. It’s been particularly rewarding to see two of our vet ladies having a go, and to see the growth in our youth/ junior team to 18 riders. We’re also hosting our own cyclocross event for the first time, as part of the NWCCA league, on 27 November this year (2016). North Cheshire came out in force for the Autumn Meet in Ironbridge, with 26 members in attendance, including 13 junior members. We had a great time catching up with our friends from the other Clarion sections and competing in the Newport CC Hill Climb. Well done to Lachlan Hacker who finished 3rd junior rider. We’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate member Shirley Anderson who has qualified for the 2017 Soria ETU Standard Distance Duathlon European Championships to be held in Spain in April next year. And also 2nd claim 14-yearold member Mel Boylin, who has been selected by British Cycling’s North West region for the Regional School of Racing. Matt Hacker STOCKPORT S
tockport members have had a successful racing year, especially in
NORTH CHESHIRE TO STOCKPORT
Stockport out and about in 2016
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SECTION NEWS
MTB events. The McPhillips had a great weekend with both Mark and Maggie winning in their events at the OMM (Original Mountain Marathon). Maggie McPhillips and Paul Whittaker both finished the Manx 100 (a 100-mile MTB event on the IOM). Maggie is the 2nd woman ever to have finished the event. Andrew Lindley has had an impressive year with a top 10 in every MTB event he has ridden and finished 2nd overall in the Midlands XC series. Andrew has finished 12th nationally in the sports category and now has been promoted to the expert group. SCCC and Manchester Wheelers jointly held a club 10 mile TT on a Monday night, a very popular series with local riders. In April 14 Stockport members went to Majorca on a training week. Some of Stockport members rode out to watch the Tour Of Britain on the Brickworks, a local climb in the area. Our club hill climb was held on three separate climbs. The short, cobbled, steep Beeston Brow, then the classic Brickworks, and finished off on the longer faster Derbyshire bridge climb, won again by Paul Whittaker. We allow other clubs to take part and a few riders took up the invite. Riders from Fenland Clarion, Buxton CC and Congleton CC also rode. Duncan McLaren
SUNDERLAND T
his summer has seen section members take part in a number of events organised by members. New to the club’s calendar was the Penshaw Punisher in September, an audax organised by Dale Ramage, which saw riders tackle a lumpy course through County Durham. A number of members are taking part in a lot of audaxes. Along with Dale, Steve Gordon and Ingrid Shepherd have completed some notable mileage this year. September also saw the annual hill climb and for the second year in a row we went for a two-stage event. Incorporated in the event was the Peter Foster Memorial Trophy, which was won by Lewis McEvoy, who has had a strong season and will no doubt be even stronger 2017. Lewis organised the Stuart Ayre Memorial road
Sunderland has enjoyed a busy summer and autumn of riding
race we held in July. One of the highlights was seeing members get together and celebrate our sport, and run a great event. On the racing front the race was won by Mark Robertson, with Michael Sloanes the first of our riders home. Finally, the annual hostel trip took place in the last weekend of October, with riders enjoying a night in Alston following an 87-mile ride out with two cafe stops. After a good feed and sleep, the Sunday ride home was a shorter 50 miles. Matthew France
TEESSIDE T
he Teesside Clarion does still exist, albeit with an aging population. In fact all our present members are vets although some still do ride competitively. Members meet once a week at the Stonehouse Bakery café in Danby on the
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West Lothian members at their freewheel competition
North Yorkshire Moors on a Wednesday morning, some even come by bicycle to take part in reminiscence sessions over scones and coffee. However, not all our glories relate to the past. This year, we have our very own world champion in Peter Smith, who won gold at the World’s Masters’ Championships in the 500 metre time trial (and third in the sprint), which took place in the Manchester Velodrome. We also still do organise British Cycling events and with the advent of the new velodrome in Middlesbrough, next year we intend putting on an open track meeting which will take place on Saturday 27th May as part of a bank holiday weekend of track cycling. We look forward to seeing some of you there. Iain Holtby
WEST LOTHIAN W
ith winter upon us, the club’s road season has come to an end, and the increasingly popular cyclocross starts to dominate the riding calendar for members young and old. The season was closed off with our now traditional Champions’ night, where awards were given to both youth and senior champions. The prestigious Senior Club Member of the Year was awarded to Alasdair MacIver for his tremendous work in developing the local MTB trails. In the youths, Club
Rider of the Year was Finn Mason. Most improved youth riders went to Miller Crombie and Sarah Darling. A real highlight of the awards night, was club member Shani Bloch giving an extremely insightful talk about her experience of riding in this year’s Rio Olympic Road Race. Shani was riding for her native Israel, and an amazing ride saw her place 20th on the day on what I’m sure most would agree was a very demanding course. Shani regularly coaches our youth riders, and is a great role model. September’s AGM saw some fresh faces join the committee, as several long standing members took a well deserved step back. Chris Downey took over the role as Ride Captain from Neil Greer, while John Glass
took over as Race Secretary from Grant Craven. Both were long standing members of the committee from the clubs early days, and we’re extremely grateful for their efforts over the years. Other changes saw Iain Elliott take over the Communications Secretary role from Debbie Pollard, and Michelle Gregory/Lindsay Williams jointly taking on the role as Ladies Co-Ordinator from Sally Priestley. Club Treasurer Dave Hills unfortunately stepped down due to relocating westward, and we’re continuing to look at options to fill this role. Thanks to all for their support throughout their time on the committee. Locally, work continues with the proposed development of a closed road
SUNDERLAND TO WEST LOTHIAN
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SECTION NEWS YORKSHIRE COAST
bike circuit in Linlithgow, with several club members heavily involved in pushing forward the plans. The circuit will provide the club with access to great coaching facilities for both the youth and senior members, and will be a real asset to the wider community. The Youth Section ran a five-race series (MTB skills, crit, MTB, hill climb, CX). The youth awards were presented by rising MTB star Lucy Grant. We now look forward to our Santa CX and our CX race for Youth and Women in January. Ewen Fulton ran a successful series of trips to MTB trail centres. A Junior membership category was created for 16-18 year olds, and we are seeking to establish a Junior Race Team. A number of new Level 1 coaches were added. Diane Clayton Chisholm continues to coach but has stepped back from the committee and as MTB lead coach – many thanks to her! Iain Elliot, Neil Mathieson
YORKSHIRE COAST O
ne of our members, Terry Lynch, has visited his brother recently in Edmonton,
Canada, and he recommends the excellent traffic free trails, along the banks of the North Saskatchewan river. The trails link a series of parks. We look forward to a talk by Terry in the winter months. Hannah Bayes has done well in the National Schools
OH CANADA! Terry Lynch from Yorkshire Coast recommends the trails in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: “You will have the opportunity to take advantage of the the wonderful traffic free trails. You have literally miles to choose from. The trails take you along the banks of the North Saskatchewan river so you have a series of amazing vistas along the way. The trails link up with a series of parks dotted along the river.”
Boots & Spurs is a great way to show how busy you and your section have been. Send your news, photos and section round-ups to us at the email below. We want to include something from EVERY section in the next edition: mball@matthewball.co.uk DEADLINE:31st May 2017. The SUMMER issue will be out in July.
NEXT ISSUE
GHS competition, securing an 8th place in a National Series road race and winning a cyclocross series in Hull. Her 10-mile time is now below 24 minutes and she has recorded 64 minutes at 25 miles. Watch out for her in the National hill climb results. This year, the race is up Bank Road, Matlock. William Hill, the bookmaker, has seen a number of late bets. Richard Cullen has continued to shine in local time trials, producing PBs and participating fully in club outings. Stuart continues his good work with the International Brigades and the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. Andy and Chris enjoyed meeting up with other sections at Rough Lee in August (see report elsewhere in Boots and Spurs). Chris improved in the 12-hour race at the end of July by one mile compared with the same event in 2015; it is a long way to go to find the missing mile! September proved a good month once again and the club have enjoyed more regular Saturday morning rides. Get those overshoes on and follow rule 5 over the winter months. Chris Goode
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SECTION CONTACTS
1 BARNOLDSWICK Colin Urmston, 07947 185137 colinurmston@hotmail.co.uk
2 BLACKPOOL www.blackpoolclarion.webs.com/ Mike Ryan, 01253 471839 mj_ryan@outlook.com
3 BOLTON www.boltonclarion.co.uk Mike Singleton, 07703 629123 mike2016sing@gmail.com
4 BRIGHTON & HOVE brightonandhoveclarion.wordpress.com Ian Bullock, 01273 682133 i.bullock@ntlword.com
5 BURY www.buryclarion.co.uk Peter Roscoe 0161 761 6856 peterroscoe80@btinternet.com
6 CALDER www.calder-clarion.co.uk Andrew Spittlehouse, 01977 796551 andrew.spittlehouse@gmai.com
7 CLITHEROE Martin Catlow, 01200 425852 robinhatherall@btinternet.com
8 COATBRIDGE John Gormlie, 01236 424346 john.gormlie@blueyonder.co.uk
9 CREWE www.creweclarionwheelers.org Andrew Grace, 01270 841836 andrew.grace@ dicksonssolicitors.co.uk
10 FENLAND www.fenlandclarion.co.uk Nicki Clarke, 07934 915519 robinson.james5@sky.com
11 GOSPORT Paul Knight 07780 956 391 pknight193@btinternet.com
12 HEANOR heanorclarion.org.uk Bob Howe, 07838 597970 rob.howey.howe@gmail.com,
13 HEREFORD Alvin Smith, 01568 770327 alvin.smith@btinternet.com
14 IRONBRIDGE Neil Grove 07743 866726 info@ironbridge-clarion.cc
15 ITALIAN www.italianclarion.com/ Julian Mortel info@italianclarion.com
16 LONDON www.londonclarion.org.uk Martin Perfect, 01892 523927 mjperfect@gmail.com
17 MALMESBURY Howard Sprange, 01666 823476 howard.sprange@btinternet.com
18 NORTH CHESHIRE www.northcheshireclarion.co.uk Stuart Wilson secretary@north cheshireclarion.co.uk
19 NOTTINGHAM www.nottinghamclarion.co.uk Richard Hill 07973 377192 gsnottsclarion@gmail.com
20 SADDLEWORTH saddleworthclarion.webs.com Chris Moreman, 0788 1717 804 chrismoreman@gmail.com
21 SHEFFIELD Jeff Carroll 07772 374 759 email jeff@presspics.fsnet.co.uk
22 STOCKPORT www.stockport-clarion.org.uk Duncan McLaren, 0161 487 4828 dunchewitt@hotmail.com
23 SUNDERLAND www.sunderlandclarion.org.uk Tony Gibson, 0191 5130519 info@sunderlandclarion.org.uk
24 TEESSIDE Colin Armstrong, 01947 880488 armstrongchristian@hotmail.com
25 TUXFORD Ian Clarke, 01777 872097 bike@clarioncc.org
26 WEST LOTHIAN www.westlothianclarion.co.uk Kevin O’Hara 07725 991692 secretary@westlothianclarion.co.uk
27 WEST SCOTLAND Jim Harris, 01236 730157 jimharris35@yahoo.co.uk
28 YORKSHIRE COAST Chris Goode, 01723 341050 twentytwowheels@hotmail.com PRIVATE bike@clarioncc.org
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