Willesden Cycling Club

Anyone (fool)hardy enough to be considering taking part in the Harp Hilly? looks like they’ll only be running the shorter route. Details here

Each year the FFCT (Fédération Française de cyclotourisme) organises their wonderful “Semaine Federale”, a superb week of cycling and socialising attended by over 10,000 cyclists from across France and Europe. It is a non-competitive week of cycle touring around a different region of France each year. Each region selected to host the event pulls out all the stops to showcase the history, produce and beauty of their area with four or five fully sign-posted rides to choose from each day ranging in length from 70 to 200km depending on your appetite (and you will surely have one).

Willesden CC members have been going to this event for many years and it is certainly to be highly recommended. Not only is it great fun but it is also preposterously cheap …..OK, I thought that would get your attention….!! For example at the 2012 Semaine Federale, all entry and camping fees fees for a family of four (that’s Mum, Dad and two children under 18) came to just €148.00 for the whole
week. You can either self cater at the camping site or you can ride to the Semaine Federale Village for your evening meal, which is €14/head. This is a proper multi-course full-on meal including wine, water and bread. If you do not wish to camp then dormitory-style accommodation is around €135 per person per week. Ok, this is more expensive than camping but it is still a bargain.

The 2013 Semaine Federale will be held from 3rd to 11th August in Nantes in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of Western France. Nantes is around 177km from St Malo, which has a direct ferry service to Portsmouth. Other ports are also available, including Le Harve (384km), Caen (300 km), Cherbourg (339km) or Calais (600km).

Full details of the week can be found at http://www.sf2013-nantes.org, though the site is mainly in French there is an English page providing some high level information.

The itinerary for the week is as follows –

Sat 03 Aug : Pick up registration documents and set up “Camp Willesden” at the Semaine Federale camping site.
Sun 04 Aug : 5 rides to NE of Nantes. Distances 68 to 168kms
Mon 05 Aug : 5 rides to NW of Nantes. Distances 78 to 185kms
Tue 06 Aug : 5 rides to W of Nantes. Distances 68 to 168kms
Wed 07 Aug : 6 rides to SW of Nantes (Two start points). Distances 59 to 268kms
Thu 08 Aug : Picnic day – no rides
Fri 09 Aug : 5 rides to N of Nantes. Distances 71 to 196kms
Sat 10 Aug : 4 rides to SW of Nantes. Distances 70 to 172kms
Sun 11 Aug : Parade and closing ceremony

I am happy to help anyone with the registration process, which will be open from early January. I will be able to confirm the 2013 costs as soon as the Semaine Federale organising committee publish them,

Miles Back

If any Willesden rider is interested in coming to Mallorca in March contact Gill Reynolds(g.reynolds@live.co.uk). She is going from the 11th to the 21st of March 2013. The training camp is based near Arenal. Cost approx 40 Euros a day half board.

I hope you’re all looking forward to Christmas. The Westerley CC would like to invite you to our Christmas social event this Wednesday Weds 19th Dec. 8:30 pm. for an evening of Horse racing at the clubroom

Tote manager, Ian McNally will be running this exciting event, which promises to be a lot of fun … you can have a flutter and maybe win a few bob (or even pounds). As usual, we’ll have snacks at the bar and we’re promised that the Rebellion beer will be available. Let me know if you’re coming, please, as it helps us to plan catering, betting slips, etc.

Have a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year

Cheers, Roly (Westerley CC)

Race Report from Australia.
The women’s crit at the Tennis Centre in Olympic Park Sydney on Saturday saw a good turnout. It was quite a hot humid day. The course was flat, narrow and wound pleasantly through a mixture of parkland and car park.

There were quite a few women new to racing and we were split into A’s and B’s. I was in the A’s. The A group had a couple of National Champions (Sue Forsythe and Amber something or other – 6 foot and most of it leg) – a hard core pair who work together, if you know what I mean. They and another girl set off a few seconds ahead of us and were given task of lapping us. The A’s were mixed ability but we all worked together to try to keep ahead of the ultra-A’s. We found a speed that kept you cool without getting any hotter and we all stuck at that.

I did quite a lot on the front, but it didn’t feel any harder than when I’m late for work. We were caught at 42mins, which was a nuisance as the race was 45mins + 2 laps. I was pleased to see ace sprinter and world record-holder, Lise Benjamin, drop out early to get to the cakes first. How I laughed because there weren’t any! On the final lap my mate, Trouty, whipped over the top for a long one with a good third of a lap to go, the the two Nat Champs were on her straight away, and I was on them. I couldn’t get past them at the finish, but I did manage to overhaul Trouty who took 4th. There were prizes (hard cash!! not a lamb chop in sight!) down to 4th, which was good because Trouty was giving me a lift home.

Lise and Trouty dropped in for a beer on the way home and we all agreed we had a very jolly day.

Jayne

The WCC Kids Christmas party at Hillingdon is being held on Thursday, 20th December at 6:30pm.
Kids are defined for this purpose as any member aged 0-125 who wishes to attend plus friends and family, but we can be flexible.

There will be no turbo on the evening, but training on the circuit will be taking place with lights as usual.

Please could everyone bring along a plate of food and/or some drink to add to the festivities.

John Wheatley
Club Captain

In mid November, Janice and Ray Kelly travelled to Tokyo to attend the wedding of Willesden member Akiko Kawachi to Kaoru Obata. The wedding took place on 29th November, in the Meiji -Jingu (Imperial Shrine). This is the most important Shinto shrine in Tokyo. It was a wonderful event, the bride looked absolutely beautiful in her white kimono. The groom was very regal in his traditional japanese attire.

On the 1st December a massive party took place at The Royal Garden Cafe for the bride and groom’s friends and relatives. 250 people attended. A fantastic evening with traditional Okinawan music, party games, great food and drink. Both Akiko and Kaoru are keen cyclists. Akiko rides long distance Audax events and Kao is an Elite road racer. We wish them great happiness in the coming years.

Here are a few photos of the event plus a photo of the Willesden CC National flag seen flying at The Tour of Okinawa cycle race. Even the wedding invitations showed the cartoon of Akiko in her Willesden Kit and Kao in his trade team strip.

Ray Kelly

Hippy writes regarding an event on the day of the WCC dinner and prize presentation:

Saturday 19th January

This is a reliability trial which hopes to recapture some of the spirit of traditional early season club riding. It has its roots in a ride that was done in 1959, but it is a continuation of January rides that have been done by Hounslow members and friends each year since 2009.

For 2013 the event routes will start from the Hounslow clubroom at Staines Sailing Club, the main ride will go to the Big H Café at Berinsfield (85 miles) and the cadet version will be to Marlow (45 miles). It is hoped that riders will form small groups (say six to eight), but anyone who wishes may ride alone. Please do not join groups together. There will be an entry fee of £5, payable at the start.

Although any type of machine is welcome, the HD in J has always been primarily a fixed gear ride, and to promote this aspect a modest trophy will be awarded to the club whose riders do the greatest mileage on fixed. A ‘club’ for this purpose is any group which declares itself to the organisers at the start. All riders finishing within the time limit (7 hours 45 minutes for the longer distance, 4 hours 30 minutes for the shorter) will be awarded a certificate. These times are roughly 12 mph plus an allowance for a 45 minute stop

Icy roads are an obvious danger in January and if conditions are clearly too difficult on the 19th the event will be postponed until the 26th. However the organisers cannot know the state of the roads for the whole distance, and it should be made clear that participants must use their own discretion. All those taking part do so at their own risk.

Contact: 0741 501 2067. (N.B. this is a new number)

I have reservations about charging any entry fee for something which previously was free to enter, but other people tell me that the amount is derisory compared with sportives, and I can only hope that the modest cost is justified by the new format.