Stories and Adventures of the Rye & District Wheelers Past and Present
The Wheelers have retained only one of their original prewar trophies, the others were lost in the period 1950-54. That is why the 25 Mile Championship Shield is so highly coveted by the Club and is so fiercely fought over each year. The names of all the winners from the past era and recent times appear on the shield. This is the one trophy that every racing member of the Club wants to have their name recorded on.
This year six members will be fighting it out over the flatlands of Romney Marsh on Sunday 5 September. Favourite to win the championship is Barry Goodsell who may also be fast enough to take Roy Fritchley’s two year old Club record of One Hour, Two minutes and Fifty-Three Seconds. The only other of the six riders to have their name on the Shield already is Jim Hollands who won the event in 1957. An extraordinary sequence of events resulted in him being placed second last year but there is little chance he will improve one spot to win again 47 years on. Jon Beasley, who rode so well to get the best young rider award in the recent East Sussex Cycling Association 100 mile time trial, will be the only serious competition for Barry, the other four riders, Gary Booth, Granville Bantick, Jim Hollands and Kevin Hall will be battling it out for third place.
The Evening “10” Points Competition
With just two events to go in the Evening Ten Mile Time Trial Points Competition the standings are as follows.
Jim Hollands 136 points
Barry Goodsell 108 points
Kevin Hall 75 points
Mark Nash 62 points
Gary Booth 26 points
Granville Bantick 14 points
Roy Fritchley 10 points
The “Hilly 8” Points Competition
with one event left
Barry Godsell 36 points
Mark Nash 10 Points
Jim Hollands 10 points
Kevin Hall 8 points
2004 Club Dinner
The Wheelers Dinner will be on Thursday 18 November at the Riverside Restaurant. Several members of the Tenterden Club will also be in attendance. The two clubs will be holding a joint prize presentation. Everyone attending will be presented with a Rye Wheelers “Sprocket” Magazine listing all the club records and exploits and history of the club and it’s members since the Rye Cycling Club, as it was then known, came into existence in 1881.
Hard Luck Jamie
A couple of months ago Jamie Staff rode a ten mile time trial at Tenterden in which several Rye Wheelers took part.
Jamie, who is the Kiran World Champion, rode for the Great Britain Team in the Olympics and just missed out on a medal, being dropped back one place on a technicality to fourth. Jamie was very philosophical about the result.
Cycle time trialing is one of the very few sports where competitors of all ages and standards can compete against each other in the same event. Let us hope that the Wheelers may one day produce a rider from their own ranks who can compete at world level and go for gold in the Olympic Games.
Summer Barbecue
Martin Carter demonstrated his outdoor cooking prowess at the Wheeler’s Summer Barbecue held at Ashenden Avenue on the 26 September.
Over twenty members attended and enjoyed a warm, dry summer evening. Peter Holland organised the lighting and Jo’ Vincent prepared the salad trimmings. Music was provided by Gemma Glover’s C.D player and Jim Hollands organised a putting competition.
Maurice and Esther Carpenter, two of the greatest time trialists this area have ever produced, were outclassed on the putting green but enjoyed the evening. They are both talking of joining the Wheelers as first claim members in the near future and would be a powerful asset to the club with their wide experience of racing and organising cycle events.
The evening was a great success all round and the presentation of a cheque for £1,500 to Rye St. John towards their new ambulance appeal made the event a very special occasion.
“Rye’s Own” September 2004
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