Editor: Darren Topping

EXTRACT FROM NORTHERN WHEEL (SUMMER)

The shocks have continued for Warrington Road Club Members. Following the deaths of three senior members earlier in the year the clubs chairman. John Atkinson has died by taking his own life. He had been our chairman for fifteen years. His death immediately followed a weekend with his clubmates in the Lake District. John went in his car carrying all the luggage and saddlebags. Something he had done a number of times before so the lads could ride on stripped down bikes. The weekend was a great succsess even though the encoutered strong winds and rain on the way home. John carried their luggage all the way home and handed it over at the end of the journey and went home.It was the last time he was seen alive.

In 1959 at the age of 19 John led his team-mates to the clubs first national championship medals when they won the team award in the national 12 hour championship. John finished fifth but would probably have won an individual medal if he hadn't changed bikes six times with punctures and mechanical problems.

Weekends away seem to be the new fashion in the club with weekends in the Lake District and North Wales already held and more planned. I can remember that weekend trips were very popular in my younger days in the 1950s. My favourite Saturday night destination was a lonely old pub high up on the moors near the Darbyshire/Stafordshire border. At the time it had no electricity and the bar was illuminated by oil lamps. It served enormous meals and after a joyfull session in the bar the landlord gave us candles to find our way to bed. I could never understand why the pub never got burned down.

The club suffered yet another shock with the death of Mary Haslam at the end of April. Mary was a club official and a delegate to a number of organisations in the Manchester area and a strong supporter of club events. She will be sadley missed.

A bit of good news. The club has had a number of new members including two or three younger members.

The cub is running the National 50 mile time trial championships and our plans are well advanced.

Johnny Helms.

NATIONAL 5OML TT REPORT

The names remain the same only the distance changes. After winning the 10-mile and 25-mile time trial championships Michael Hutchinson and Julia Shaw added this year’s 50-mile titles to their tally on Saturday at Holmes Chapel, in Cheshire.

It was Hutchinson’s 10th successive championship at the distance and Shaw’s fourth, who also claimed a fifth back in 2004.

At the same time their winning 2009 triples earned Hutchinson and Shaw the Champion of Champions titles for the Ron Kitching and Beryl Burton Trophies.

In-Gear Quickvit RT’s Hutchinson blew the opposition out of the water, his winning 1-43-18 putting 3-50 in to runner-up Matt Bottrill (I-Ride RT) while third placed Charles McCulloch (Shorter Rochford RT) was a further two seconds behind Hutchinson.

McCulloch led Shorter Rochford RT to success in the team race his 1-47-10 backed by Mark Holton’s 1-49-46 and Adam Duggleby’s 1-52-18 for a winning 5-28-41.

With roadworks on the A50 forcing a move to a new course meant riders faced a circuit that had to be covered three times with a mixture of suburban and country roads, the road surfaces in some places leaving something to be desired.

Early starter McCulloch set the tone with a 52-57 first `25`, going on to finish with 1-47-10 that was good enough to head the listings back in the event headquarters at Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre where a ready supply of tea and cakes kept spectators, including former pro and Milk Race winner Les West, and supporters well nourished.

McCulloch was top dog until Bottrill threw his hat in to the arena. Famous, or should we say infamous, for his fourth places in championships (Matt has managed that 10 times) was determined to break the mold this time out.

At 25 miles Bottrill was 18 seconds up on McCulloch and race leader on the road as it where. Although Bottrill lost most of that over the final miles he still held on to two precious seconds of his early advantage to finish with 1-47-08 and head the leader board.

There were still plenty of challengers out on the road. Bottrill off number 100 had a good 90 minutes to wait to see if his ride was going to be worth a medal.

All of last year’s medal winners were still to finish, the first of them 2008 silver medallist Andrew Bason (Wrekinsport CC), but he went out of the running with 1-49-18.

Some 20 minutes later Ben Instone (scientific-coaching.com) finished his three-lap effort and his 1-48-46 didn’t shift Bottrill.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson was ploughing his way through the back of the field reaching the 25-mile time check in 52-05, 34 seconds up on Bottrill.

Hutchinson obviously opened the taps up over the second half. Hutchinson’s coach Jamie Pringle was taking time checks some way before Chelford Island and with about 12 miles to go he had Bottrill on 1-26-04 and Hutchinson through in 1-24-04. If that was correct the last 12 miles took the In Gear-Quickvit RT rider 19-12 for a finishing and winning 1-43-18.

“It was an interesting race and I’m pleased to have won again,” Hutchinson said. “It wasn’t the usual type of championship course, a bit more interesting than usual. It was a bit narrow in places and there were potholes and broken road surfaces, but it was the same for everyone.

“The roundabout created some problems with traffic and you had to be careful looking out for other riders over the three laps it was easy to get held up,” Hutchinson added.

Ten wins in as many years can’t be bad. “No that is right, I suppose I’m lucky to have ridden the 500 miles without one problem,” Hutchinson laughed.

Will he be chasing the `100` title next? “It hasn’t been one of my targets for the year. Saturday’s `50` brought the first half of my season to an end. I’m going to have a bit of a rest now before getting back in to training. It takes it out of you trying to keep form for eight weeks so I’ll be making a low key approach to the `100`,” Hutchinson said.

Bottrill thought the course “interesting.”

“It was more a roadman’s course, a bit like those used for the Rudy Project events so it suited me. It is good to get a medal again and not end up fourth,” Bottrill said.

“I knew the roads, local knowledge helped a lot today,” McCulloch said. McCulloch was a non-starter in the 25-mile championship two weeks ago. “Yes, I had hurt my knee and did not want to take any risks and make it worse before the `50`.”

A non-starter in the 25-mile championship after a medal winning ride in the `10`, Stuart Dangerfield started the `50` but after one lap pulled up still suffering after a cold that developed after the `10`.

“I’ve not felt well since then. Coming back from Australia and the warmth to the weather we have here hasn’t helped. I went straight in to racing and training hard and did too much too soon and have paid for it,” Dangerfield said. Warning like `Rambo` “I will be back.”

With an impressive 5-13 winning margin Julia Shaw (UTAG-Yamaha.com) carried all before her to continue her unbroken run of 2009 championship wins.

Three minutes of her lead over eventual second placed Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael) were established by 25 miles with Lynn Hamel (Team NCA) at 3-13. Hamel was closely followed by Lynne Taylor (Walsall Road CC) just 11 seconds adrift of `10` silver medallist Hamel.

The powerful Shaw pushed on to finish with 1-54-40 to Storey’s 1-59-53. Hamel had a bit of a wait to have her time confirmed, it had not been relayed to the event headquarters so she had to wait until the timekeepers returned. Then all was well and she was credited with 2-00-30 for third place ahead of Taylor, who had been hoping her 2-01-45 might have given her that place.

Shaw said "I'm gald I went around the course yesterday. it was a big help knowing where the pot holes were. There wasn't much traffic but i got held up a bit by a lorry just after catching Lyn (Hamel), we both lost a little time there. I felt good today and rode really hard. I've entered the 100 but I'm also thinking about doing some Road Racing."

Hamel, Sara Blackburn and Diane Hulbert took the team honours for Team NCA.

All that remained was the prize giving which was given a Continental touch with Eurosport’s David Harmon introducing Tour de France multi-stage winner and 1961 RTTC national 50-mile champion Barry Hoban.

All in all a very successful day for the promoting Warrington Road Club.

;

The Ex-President’s Piece 2004

Well, my stint as president is over. In addition to my normal three years I was asked to serve an extra year to see the club through its eightieth year, a request I was proud to accept.

Our new president is Ron Spencer, an excellent choice. He has been an outstanding racing man, and National Champion. He has served the club well and is one of our sponsors.

The death of Inez Finch was a stop-press item in our last newsletter and now her husband, Charlie, has died too. It is the end of an era. Inez was the Club’s most successful rider. A National Champion, winner of over a hundred races, six times in the top six of the Women’s BBAR and fourteen times Manchester area Champion. An outstanding career.

Throughout her career she was helped and guided by Charlie. He was a very good cyclist and once held the Club’s 50-mile record but gave up his own racing so that he could help Inez.

Unhappily there are two more deaths to report. Ted Spencer, father of Ron, has died. He was one of the Club’s leading rider in the 1930’s and was a great helper and supporter of Ron during his racing career. Older members will remember Gilbert Evans who has also died. My memories include being half wheeled by him on many occasions.

The AGM saw a few changes, the most important of which was the resignation of Stan Jones after 41 years as our social secretary. I doubt if anyone has done quite as much for the Club as Stan. Thank you Stan for the many years of service you have selflessly given to our club for more than 50 years.

The Club has had another highly successful racing season and included the excellent promotion of our races which again struggled to find checkers and marshals. Life was a bit different fifty years ago as this extract from a July 1949 edition of the Warrington Guardian illustrates.
“After Sunday’s South Lancs 100-mile event a party of 13 who had been handing drinks and sponges to competitors had a late lunch in Lindow, traveled to Macclesfield for tea, the steep climb of Cluelow Cross following. Warrington was reached by a tired but happy part after 14 hours awheel.”

Johnny Helms

Social Secretary – Stan Jones

This is my 41st year as the dinner organizer and will be my last. It has been a very interesting time for me since I ran the early ones at Lowton Civic Hall. Members from clubs in the Manchester and Liverpool areas attended in those days – they were a great success. Since then they have been held at Croft Village Hall, the Rugby Club and finally, for the last 9 years at the Hanover Hotel in Stretton.

I am sorry I have to make this decision, but at 78 I am finding it difficult to get around and harder to organize. Over the years I have looked after race numbers and put signs around courses. I have also been the lead car for our Road Race, which I have enjoyed.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me over the last 50 years. I hope I can still help out in other ways.

Stan Jones