Stephanie May (Team Quest) on her way to a top 20 finish in the Womens Elite
Dean Downing (rapha Condor Sharp) gets ready for the Elite as the Penny Farthing Riders hurtle past
Alex Dowsett (Team Sky) warms up before blasting off to lap the field
Alex Dowsett is congratulated on his dress sense by Sir Paul Smith
And a few more snaps of the evening can be found here. ..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10730972@N07/sets/72157626942052792/
Accomplished Audaxer and Randonneur Karl Hrouda passed away over the weekend. Karl completed numerous PBP’s, his last in 2003 at the age of 76 and with one or more broken ribs!
His funeral will be at 2pm Thursday 9th June at the Harwood Crematorium, Stevenage.
See map at http://bit.ly/lZyYnv
Roger Woodford was back on form at Welwyn on Friday. Finishing 3rd in the Scratch race and 4th in the Devil, he also got in the break in the 10 mile that was brought back before the finish.
A day for club members and their families
Fun for all the family bring along a picnic
Fun races for everyone
Arrive at 1pm to sign on
First event at 1.30
Note events and format may change depending on numbers.
Womens Omnium
2 wins, 2 seconds and a third place by Janet Birkmyre was enough to comfortably win the Herne Hill round of the BC National Womens Omnium.
1 Janet Birkmyre XRT-Elmy Cycles 9 points
2 Marianne Britten VC St Raphael 15 points
3 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands! 17 points
4 Jayne Paine Willesdon CC 17 points
5 Sarah Crowley Cardiff Ajax CC 23 points
6 Cheryl Owens AW Cycles 25 Points
7 Hanneke van der Werf Cardiff Ajax CC 35 points
8 Isabel Cashman London Phoenix 42 points
9 Sarah Lewis London Phoenix 43 points
Qualifying races.
500mm Time Trial
1 28 Janet Birkmyre XRT-Elmy Cycles 1.39.01
2 29 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands! 1.41.11
3 38 Marianne Britten VC St Raphael 1.41.39
4 35 Jayne Paine Willesdon CC 1.41.40
5 30 Cheryl Owens AW Cycles 2.39.65
6 37 Hanneke van der Werf Cardiff Ajax 2.46.58
7 32 Isabel Cashman London Phoenix 2.47.00
8 31 Sarah Crowley Cardiff Ajax CC 2.47.06
9 36 Sarah Lewis London Phoenix 2.47.81
Women’s 8k Scratch
1 35 Jayne Paine Willesdon CC
2 29 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands!
3 28 Janet Birkmyre XRT-Elmy Cycles
4 38 Marianne Britten VC St Raphael
5 30 Cheryl Owens AW Cycles
Sprint Heats
Heat 1
1 28 Janet Birkmyre XRT-Elmy Cycles
2 30 Cheryl Owens AW Cycles
3 36 Sarah Lewis London Phoenix
Heat 2
1 31 Sarah Crowley Cardiff Ajax CC
2 35 Jayne Paine Willesdon CC
3 32 Isabel Cashman London Phoenix
Heat 3
1 38 Marianne Britten VC St Raphael
2 29 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands!
3 37 Hanneke van der Werf Cardiff Ajax
Women’s 2km Pursuit
1 35 Jayne Paine Willesdon CC 2.31.70
2 28 Janet Birkmyre XRT-Elmy Cycles 2.34.63
3 38 Marianne Britten VC St Raphael 2.41.64
4 29 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands! 2.42.56
5 30 Cheryl Owens AW Cycles 2.46.58
6 37 Hanneke van der Werf Cardiff Ajax 2.48.00
7 31 Sarah Crowley Cardiff Ajax CC 2.50.61
8 32 Isabel Cashman London Phoenix 3.02.27
9 36 Sarah Lewis London Phoenix 3.05.09
You don’t need a titanium frame with the latest kit, luggage or lighting systems to ride long distances. Take for example this particular machine, dating from circa 1982. Retro features include peg-fitting pump, safety brake levers and down tube shifters. Note the LED lighting system. The rider successfully completed the 623km in a very respectable time, and is now hoping to secure entry to PBP.
Peter Turnbull, WCC Audax Ace, receives his coveted WCC Super Randonneur Certificate and 18 carat gold medal at the Beast from the East 600km finish.
Congratulations to Peter and Martin and anyone else fortunate enough not to have been photographed with my phone.
Club Captain.
Several more Willesden riders completed their PBP qualifying rides yesterday (Sunday 29) by finishing the WCC 600km ‘Beast from the East’ from Waltham Abbey to Taunton and back, in under 40 hours. Well what else would they be doing on a bank holiday weekend?
A strong Willesden field was led back by Martin Lucas, (seen here receiving his WCC Super Randonneur Series award) second rider to finish in 35hrs. Willesden’s Mike the Bike made sure all the riders got home by finishing last on the road. “I felt strong” said Mike as he inspected the mysterious chainring tattoos high up on his shorts at the finish. WELL DONE to all the riders, the impressive Willesden support crew, and of course the ride organiser – WCC’s very own Beast, Mark Brooking.
Club Captain 30 May 2011
The winner of this year’s Jim Revill Handicap Cup on Sunday was Tony Savage who recorded 1.13.00(54.45) Peter Dixon finished in 57.41.Russell O’Malley, who went a bit further than he need to at the Wendover turn,1.03.29(56.37),Jumbo James 1.11.07(1.01.07)and Brian Moon 1.17.10(19.07). The non-starters were Balneet and Harmeet Dhiraj and John Williams. The rain stopped by 6a.m. but it was a very blustery morning.
Jayne won agiain on Monday at Reading dominating the Ladies Derny paced event.
URGENT HELP NEEDED on the Beast from the East 600K Audax event.
2 x volunteers are needed from the afternoon of Saturday 29 May 2011 through to the next day, Sunday 30 May to help setup an outdoor kitchen to help feed tired and hungry riders on Mark Brooking’s Beast from the East event.
The location is Middle Wallop, Hants. A sleeping bag will be required.
If you think you could help Tracy and Di then let me know and I will give you their mobile number and they will explain in more detail what is needed.
I was booked to help Tracy and Di, but due to unforeseen circumstances last weekend I was unable to assist in the reccy ride and would very much like to participate in the ride this coming weekend.
Wendy Mears (WENDYWEARL@aol.com)
Club Runs
MAY
22 – Waddesdon – Plant Centre 
29 – Tring – Time for Tea
JUNE
05 – Wokingham – Farm Cafe
12 – Wendover Woods
19 – Marsworth + SPECIAL OFF ROAD 50k from Denham
26 – Fairoaks Airport
On Sunday 19 June there will be a Special off road ride from Denham, led by Brian Moon. The route will follow the Chiltern off road 50k route, and is approx 50:50 road and no road. If its dry you might get away with using a road bike but who am I to offer advice.
All Welcome! 09:30 at Denham.
I have made a change to the club runs list as a result, swapping the dates for Marsworth – now 19 June & Fairoaks – now 26 June.
Club Kapitan
Yes, it’s that time every four years when the Willesden makes a foray to France called Paris-Brest-Paris. This year it runs August 21st-25th.
Are you a potential PBP rider, a potential helper wanting a trip to France, or a former helper who wants to pass on their wisdom and knowledge?
If you’re any of the above, we’ll be having a meeting at 7pm on Thursday May 26th at Hillingdon Circuit (same night as the coaching session) to see what the riders would like and what resources are on offer. We can repair to the bar at the soccer place next door afterwards.
What level of support can be offered depends upon the number of helpers. The changes in start time and loss of the campsite at St Quentin may affect how we do things, but the meeting will look at:
Interested but can’t make it? Email me at ianoli2010-audax@yahoo.co.uk
Ron Purdy decided that at 80 he really ought to try a triathalon. He took part with 250 entrants in the HatchEnd/Harrow Jet Stream triathalon on Sunday. He swam the 400m in 11.16, rode the 17Kms in 44.18 and finished the run in 22.38. His time of 1.23.52 gained him the age category award for 80-84 year olds. His nearest contestant was only 64. He can’t wait for next year to improve his times!!!
Photos by Ron Purdy
Boris Johnson rode into Field End School this morning to see the circuit that has been laid out for the children to ride. He met with Brian Wright, who has been one of our members who help to design the course and who coaches the children in cycling skills each week. Boris rode round the circuit several times accompanied by the school children and Ray Kelly and Mike Ellison all wearing their Willesden kit.
I did the Paris-Bordeaux track competition at Reading on Sunday.
It was a bright and sunny but very windy day.
My sole competition in the women’s events was Lydia Boylan, racing for
Look Mum No Hands (the Mothers). As she had had me over at Herne Hill
a couple of weeks back I was very keen to redress the balance (beat
her to a pulp).
There were a couple of senior scratch races I did quite well in, but
the main event – the qualifier for the Derny Race, both Lydia and I
nearly missed. We were racing against the under-16s, and it just
didn’t compute to join the line-up of children. Anyway, fortunately
for us we were allowed to finish our cake and sneak in after a couple
of laps and we were amongst the 8 qualifiers.
I thought I had the Derny race in the bag. I don’t think Lydia had
done it before and the nippers were on tiny little gears. George
Gilbert paced me pretty smartly to the front. Our dastardly plan was
to stay there til the end of the race, some 22 laps later. The first
half of the race went to plan, however the second half did not. I
sensed all was not right when five, FIVE, five of the little critters
sped past me, legs whirring like fans in a power surge. Occasionally,
I would manage to tear my anxious eyes from George’s bumper, and look
for signs of the nippers blowing up. No such luck – they were
streaking away from me with every laboured breath.
I must say, when we were lined up at the podium, that some of these
‘under-16s’ were not that little. Three of the boys must have been
clocking on for 6′ and the Team Terminator one had whopping muscles,
well he would, wouldn’t he? Are they specially bred? AND I had ridden
at speed in to a tree on Wednesday.
Sean Bannister gave us all lots of dosh, my lungs turned inside out
and waved to the crowds and A-leaguer, Matt Gittings (AW Cycles)
embarrassed everybody, lapping the field and doing circus tricks.
Jayne
See attached flyer for track training on Sunday 8th May 10 to 12 noon.
Saturday I had a spectacular win in the women’s omnium at the track in Portsmouth. This had absolutely nothing to do with the recovery drinks I’d had the night before or the fact I was the only woman. I was made to race against some of the finest young racers this side of the Solent and John McLelland. They were all there to race for the Kingsbury Cup, part of the National Endurance League. Mainly through fear of being mown down I tried ever so hard and was not completely humiliated even though lunch came up a couple of times.
In the morning at the same track I raced a circuit race. There were 10 women in with 35 3rd Cat men which was the maximum allowed on the rather narrow track. Fortunately I had remembered my road bike if not my helmet. I had to wear the emergency spare helmet that had been found in the back of an abandoned vehicle and given to me by compulsive trainer and ex-Gregario, Mike Diggins. Vile pink and enormous it sat on my head like a 60’s blobby lampshade. Conscious of my unsightly headwear, I nipped off the front and managed to chase down a break of 5 men, so my rivals only had to look at the back of it. The break went along at a bit of a clip and I would have done more on the front had I found breathing easy. No. 62 chivvied us along and we lapped the field in an eyeballs-out effort. The final sprint didn’t go quite to plan. I’d appointed the AW boys to be my lead-out train and I’m sure if they had been aware of this honour they would have tried harder. Anyway it was mayhem.
Anyway, it was mayhem. How nobody ended up straddling the metal railings instead of their carbon, deep rimmed lovely, shows the skill involved. I kept my eyes closed like when you go between buses. It works for me.
So I came top out of the women and, at worst, 6th out of the men.
I copped my winnings and went off for a recovery drink and the cheese baguette I was to taste, on and off, for the rest of the afternoon. During the point-to-point point’s race, it was every lap.
It was a great day of racing. The weather was hot and sunny, we all died of heat exhaustion and my protein shake grew in to a new life form.
