Kent Cycling Association 12 Hour Championship 2007
Bernard Dean’s Rye Wheelers club 12 Hour Record has been beaten at last, fifty years and one day from when it was established.
New Wheeler’s star, Trevor Bridge, stormed round Kentish roads on Sunday 12 August to record a distance of 223.429 miles, beating Bernie’s long standing record by two and a half miles. Trevor was ninth overall, among some of cycling’s greatest riders, Geoff Wiles, Nick Marsh, Alan Priddy, Gary Chalkley and Geoff Smith to name but a few.
Rye & District Wheelers had no less than twelve finishers, four of them ladies. Liz King won the Women’s event with impressive mileage to take the Club Record but not until the three other Rye ladies had held it briefly in turn. Jane Reeve became the first Rye women to complete a 12 hour event and established the record at 137.683 miles. Two minutes later Brenda Davies completed at 158.651 miles to take it from Jane. Brenda held it longer, it was three minutes before Alyson Nye recorded 183.971 miles, becoming the third lady Wheeler to hold the record in the space of eight minutes. Just three more minutes passed, then Liz King finished her allotted 12 hours and took the record at a remarkable 196.668 miles. Liz was also the winner of the KCA Ladies event and becomes both Kent Cycling Association and Rye & District Wheelers 12 Hour Champion for 2007. There was more success to come for the Rye club, in the team event, not only did they win ( Trevor Bridge, Dave Spice and Barry Goodsell 651.475 miles) but had second team as well (Jim Hollands, Mark Nash and Bob Burden 592.136), pushing the famous Wigmore Cycling Club team, which included John Booty, into third place. There were other rides of great note. Granville Bantick, yes! the same one who is a Rye Town Councillor and journalist for the Rye Observer, rode for the second year, beating his previous best by over eight miles, exceeding his over 70’s club record with 172.660 miles. Kevin Hall surpassed his own expectations and recorded 167.432 miles.