OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY RYE WHEELERS IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
Only the best 40 teams in Britain are selected to ride in the National Team Time Trial Championship. The Rye & District Wheelers Team of Steve Gooch, Barry Goodsell and Nick Wilson found their names on the sheet when the order of start was officially announced.
On paper thay had very little chance of finishing in the top half of the field. Almost every rider in the field had won some event or other up and down the country.
The event, held on Saturday 30 June in the Andover area, was twice round an undulating circuit based on Plover Candover Village with a total distance of thirty-seven and a half miles.
The Rye boys were the fifth team to start. Each team started at three minute intervals with the faster teams (on paper) starting towards the rear of the field.
At the half way point Rye Wheelers were in 16th. place, much higher than they could have dreamed of. On the second circuit Barry, Nick and Steve rode with sustained power, while other teams began ragged and loose (The time of the third rider over the finishing line is the one that counts). Some teams lost a rider completely and were eliminated.
The minutes and seconds whittled away and Rye Wheelers crossed the finish as a tight unit in a time of One Hour Twenty Three Minutes and Forty Seconds to gain six places and finish in an amazing Tenth Place.
There were only five traditional clubs finishing in the top 25. The rest were sponsored trade teams that included the very best riders from all parts of the country. Matthew Bottrill from the winning www.drag2zero team is much fancied to win the National Championship 100 and a team mate, Julia Shaw, is favourite to win the Ladies Championship, although former Rye Wheelers star, Bronwen Ewing, now racing with Paul Morton’s Sponsored Team, might have other ideas.
WHEELERS LADIES SEE OFF TRI-SPIRIT CHALLENGE
It was a great evening for the Rye Wheelers ladies on Tuesday 3 July. An Inter-Club competition with the Tri-Spirit Ladies Team resulted in a convincing Wheelers win by over four minutes.
Despite Tri – Spirit taking an early lead, the Rye girls had a better overall average. Personal best 10 mile times for five of the eight Rye riders underlines the determination within the team and augers well for the future.
The event, which was run off over Tri Spirits new 10 Mile course near Ham Street, was followed by a magnificent spread of “Nibbles and non alcoholic wine” put on by Tri – Spirit made it an event that will be long remembered and, we hope, repeated many times over in the years to come.
RYE & DISTRICT WHEELERS
Rebecca Wilson 00:26:57
Keely Chalk 00:27:09
Emma Cutler 00:27:55
Julie Bryant 00:28:36
Amber King 00:28:43
Sam Murphy 00:29:19
Total 02:48:39
SUSSEX FEDERATION EVENT
In the recent Sussex Photographic Federations 3rd annual Natural History competition, held at Wivelsfield Green, Melvin Smith of the Rye and District Camera Club entered 3 slides and came 1st, 2nd, and equal 4th. This completed his hat trick of wins and is also the second year running that he has been runner up. The winning picture of a male Kingfisher was described by judge Glyn Bareham, immediate past president of the Kent County Photographic Association , as brilliant showing great skills in composition as well as patience and a knowledge of the subject. Coming a very close second was Melvin’s picture of a Porcelain Fungus taken from a very low angle allowing the sunlight to shine through the translucent cap, picking out in detail the gills. His third entry was of a flowering stem of Dicentra Spectablis which was taken in his own garden.
Melvin has been a member of the Rye and District Camera Club for over thirty years and at the clubs A. G. M. in the spring both he and Colin Page, who has been a member for even longer, were made honorary life members in recognition for all that they have done for the club during this time. Between them they have held the post of Chairman for 28 years plus various other posts. When presenting them with their certificates present Chairman John Trowell said that it was also for being such good ambassadors for the club while out lecturing or judging at many of the other clubs in East Sussex and Kent.
Melvin took his first wildlife photograph, of a Swan on its nest, when he was nine years old using a Kodak Brownie 127. Capturing this image so inspired him that now over fifty years later he is still photographing our wildlife and the landscapes in which they live.
With his wife, Pam, they have put together over twenty different lectures which they give to various societies throughout East Sussex and Kent. They both have a keen interest in local history and the rural way of life of days gone by, about which they also lecture.
Anyone wishing to book a lecture can do so by calling 01797 270587
Rye Camera Club 24th. Annual Exhibition
Next month on Saturday 15th of September the Rye Camera Club will be holding its 24th annual exhibition at the community centre, where you will be able to see prints by Melvin, Colin and many other members. It is only on for one day, it starts at 10 o clock and the admission is free.
From “Rye’s Own” August 2012 Issue
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