2019 AWARDS NIGHT !
This Friday is the annual club awards night at 7pm till 1130pm and lots of hard work has gone into the preparation again this year. We have awards, prize draw and lots of yummy food and disco afterwards. Tickets are still available if you want to come along, family welcome. Its a really great night!
Remember the club kit order closes this Friday! If you need to try on, check in with Paul first but you can pop to Shepherds Cycles to try on in the comfort of his comfy bike fitting room…
Buile Hill Park, Salford CC Cyclocross – Saturday January 25th 2020
By Joseph Cadwallader
Well that’s a wrap for Cyclocross season and what a season it has been!!! I think a few Mums and Dad’s will be pleased it’s over and also very sad it’s gone.
Today was our last race and it would be fair to say, did not produce our best placings. But as the self-appointed leader of this group I was blown away with the maturity shown today, (to be fair maybe even more so last week).
When this group first came together only Ben Richardson and Dylan Cadwallader had dipped their toe and not very deep.
Over the winter, they have all had some big ups and downs but at no point have any of them let it overflow into tears or bragging. They have learned to conduct themselves with, at times, empathy, celebration and some really crazy s*** that even I could not of dreamt up (and if you know me you will know that’s quite a statement).
Never have they blamed a course, a rider, a tyre pressure or a coach ?, even though at times I may of.
We will take a great deal of experience and good memories from this season and push forward as one unite.
The course had it all, negative camber bends, wood planks and a couple of areas that required dismounting.
Today’s placings under 10: Ben Richardson 21st moving up 8 places over the race. Toby Diggins 12th. Under 8’s: Dylan Cadwallader 15th and Harry Patterson 9th, with both having lengthy falls, with neither complaining just rubbing down and cracking on.
I see so many kids quite upset during and after racing, to see this lot it just looks like a great day out ? that’s not to say they don’t really put in a shift.
My plan in the early years is not to produce the fastest riders but I do want to produce a supportive bunch that improves, does not get phased, improves technically and above all else becomes great friends. The really fast stuff will come later.
Massive well done boys one super proud coach (I will miss getting chased around a course) .
And don’t worry Mums and Dad’s I have the next chapter already planned ?
I want to make a short mention to my buddy Francis Woodcock. If not for him I would never have got involved in these shin-dings and you lot would have a lot less to read.
See you all at awards night, I think this will be the first time I have been to one and not picked up a trophy in 7 years however I am looking forward to it the most. Over and out till March.
Notes from an oldie doing my 1st season of Cyclocross.
By David Gamble 27/1/20
Inspired by watching other Clarion riders doing CX in late 2018 in Townley Park, I decided I fancied that getting mucky thing, always up for a challenge. So did my research and bought a 2nd hand bike for £500 in my 50th year just after extended 50th celebrations, and now I was the youngest in the V50 category (but there are a lot of really, really fast over fifties I find)
I missed a few local events so decided it was a good idea to enter the National Trophy at Westmoreland. Well classic fail, fell around 4 times on practice and another 4 in the race at a slightly faster speed. decided to retire before I damaged more than my ego (I slide well!)
It got better after that, Heaton Park was great with the local support and finished. Whiston, got new rubber from Shepherd Cycles and didn’t get lapped by the leader. Barrow was dryish and enjoyed trying to (but failing) to catch the V65 leader (a new hero). North of England Champs (80% running), an experience! Weaver Valley was like cycling round a large field (not technical). Salford was technical and surprisingly went well.
I would encourage anyone to take up Cyclocross at any age, its a great day out watching the Bullets, racing and watching the other races. All competitors are really nice and friendly, no matter what speed you do everyone is respected. Only problem is the season is over ?. Can’t wait until Sept!
Results:
Trophy DNF
Heaton Park 43rd
Whiston 19th
Barrow 32nd
NOE champs 49th
Weaver Valley 14th
Salford 13th
