Clothing order

Pete McGuiness is taking clothing orders. Contact him at the shop. Talking of the shop (Geared Bikes and Wear), they are now partners of Cyclescheme.co.uk, a government funded scheme to help you save up to 40% off the cost of a new bike. They can also offer 0% finance on all new bikes over £500. Sounds good to me!

Racing round up

We have so many people racing now in different events that I'm afraid that I will have to just report notable rides. So apologies if you feel slighted that I have not included you, it's nothing personal. I may not even know. Of course, I am always happy to receive information on people's personal results.
Shaun Smart finished 16th in the fourth Dunsfold Park race of the year and Mark Trevis an excellent 9th at the fifth.
Richard "Pastie" Bevan was 3rd in the Bognor Regis CC evening 10m TT on 15 May with a time of 23:38.
The following week Paul O'Donovan was 4th in a time of 23:25, just pipping Pete McGuiness by six seconds. Paul has been improving his times steadily throughout the year. We also seem to have an M.Cooper riding for us. Does anyone know him/her? Answers on an e-mail please.
At the latest Bognor event, which run every Thursday throughout the year, Richard Bevan was our fastest with 23:33 for 5th place. New member Andy Matthews finished 7th with 24:09.
Alistair Mallet has also been improving his times. Down from an initial 29:11 to 27:06.
Richard Bevan finished 7th in the 3/4 race at Portsmouth on the 14 May. Two places ahead of Derek Witt who was old when I started racing in 1981. I recall him reprimanding me for not riding in a straight line. He was right! I was so nervous back then. Mark Warrington finished 13th. With Mr do or die Mark Holland 24th. Mark Trevis was 6th in the elite race.
Jamie Ford was 12th in the under 16/14s.
The following week Shaun Smart was 5th in the 3/4 race, a couple of places behind former VC Noviomagous rider Willy Hill.
Alex and Benjamin Stirling made their season debuts. Alex was 10th in the under 16/14s and Benjy 2nd in the under 12s.

Angmering Youth Series

Jamie Ford finished 10th and Joseph Marchant 12th at event number three in the Angmering series. They are facing stiff opposition from the Brighton clubs. The following week Joseph was 11th overall with Jamie a non-starter (see below). I note that Joseph is chipping away at his time trial time. At the 25 May, Jamie was 9th overall in the points and Joseph 15th. Details here.

Get well soon

Jamie Ford will be out of action for four weeks after fracturing his knee cap after falling off an X Board (what we used to call a skateboard). We wish him a speedy recovery.

New members

Welcome to new members Mike Miles from Emsworth and Andy Matthews from Birdham. Andy is a trained Osteopath and he will provide his services to club members at 10% discount.

New film

From the director of "Velo Go Mad at Perfs" (you have to say this in a deep and sexy voice), starring the race winning Fay Cripps comes "Velo Go Mad at the Spring Challenge". Certificate PG (tips). Velo Go Mad at Perfs, a new film by Mark Scalatore. Ride the dream.

Mark Trevis at Pompey

Courtesy of Mark Holland.

Cyclo-sportives

Mark Holland, Dave Pothecary and Alistair Peel all rode the Hampshire Hilly Hundred cyclo-sportive. You can read Mark's report here.
Mark Warrington rode the Southern Sportive.
You can find out about more sportives on our events page on the Velo website.

Events to enter

The Southdowns Way randonees take place on the 28th June.
On Sunday, 13 July the Petersfield Round Table present Petersfield Ups and Downs. "A cycle ride through the countryside around Petersfield". Details here.
Looking further ahead to 21 September is the date of the ever popular Duo Normand in Normandy, Francais. This is a two-up time trial with lots of different categories. It is always popular with Les English. Riders start on a ramp and are allowed a following car. Lots of spectators too.

New members

Welcome to our two newest members, Mike Miles from Emsworth and Andy Matthews from Birdham. I know that Mike, at least, has been partaking in time trials.

More success

Fay Cripps, our pedalling teacher, is our latest winner this year. Fay took first place in the women's event at the Goodwood Spring Challenge by a clear five minutes. Anne Marshall was 6th although still riding for Hants RC.
Shaun Smart was second in the veteran men's competition. Pete McGuiness was 24th in the same event. Full results here.
Congratulations to Richard "Pastie" Bevan who finished third in the 4th category race at Chertsey and in the process moved up to third category. Richard can be seen in the picture below sprinting it out.

Shaun Smart finished a career best 5th at Dunsfold Park on Tuesday, with Liam Terry 17th, Mark Trevis 39th, Mark Warrington 63rd. Eugene Bardwell also started, but was a non-finisher.
Liam Terry had been in action at the elite BEC CC race at the weekend and finished a very creditable 12th against strong opposition.
Mark Trevis and Mark Holland rode the Team Axiom Tour of the Mulberrys 2008. Mark Trevis finished 13th overall. The race largely being decided by the first stage time trial. Full results here. Mark found the race hard going and was eventually dragged off his bike by race officials.

Mark Trevis

Mark Holland

Photos copyright of Graham Robins.

Youth squad

Our youth squad were in action again at Angmering on Monday. Full results here. Jamie Ford finished 10th overall and Joseph Marchant 12th.

New members

Welcome to our two newest members Angus Peel from Chichester and James Woodward currently of West Worthing, but working in Chi and hoping to move here.
By my reckoning we are up to 35 members now

Sports Massage

New member Anne Marshall is a qualified sports masseuse. Anne is offering discount to Velo members. Go to the members page for details.

Club night

It's club night this Sunday, 11 May at 8pm, the Vestry, South Street, Chi.

Racing round up

Our "youth squad" (sorry Shaun that doesn't include you) have been in action at Portsmouth and Angmering. Joseph Marchant and Jamie Ford have been in action at Angmering. At the second round event Jamie managed to overcome his bete noire, the experienced Kimberly English, in one of the events. Overall for the event, Jamie finished equal 6th and Joseph 14th. I don't yet have the results of the latest round.
Our youngest rider, Benjamin Stirling, made his season's debut at Portsmouth. He went to claim his prize money for winning his age group, but was told that it is all being handed out at the end of the year. A slightly crest fallen Benjy was cheered up when he was told he would get a bigger lump sum at the end of the year. A true professional!
Liam Terry finished 13th in the second Dunsfold Park series race. Shaun Smart was 22nd. Shaun finished an excellent 4th in the 3/4/J category race at Portsmouth. I'm glad to see that he beat the "moaning brummie". Mark Holland and Richard "Pastie" Bevan finished equal 11th. Mark Trevis was 13th and Liam Terry 20th in the elite race.
Last week's Bognor 10 mile time trial had three Southdown riders listed as riding. The fastest "Velo" rider was M.Miles. Does anyone know whom this is? New member Angus Peel finished in 26.39 and Alistair Mallet was probably just happy to finish without a mechanical for a change in 28.32.

Saturday morning at Rowlands Castle Cafe

Southdown Velo in their natural habitat.

In the pink

In honour of the Giro d'Italia starting on Saturday I have decided we should have a pink theme.

Youth racing at Angmering

Your roving reporter made it over to Angmering Raceway for the first in the season long Monday night series. It stayed dry, but there was a cruel wind blowing down the uphill section.
Fourteen youngsters signed. I say youngsters, but one of them seemed to be twice my height. As well as the wonderful Christine Bardwell and husband Eugene, Keith Butler, Glyn and Kristin Durrant and Ray "Bunny" Betts put in an appearance.
Southdown was represented by Joseph Marchant, riding his second series at Angmering, and newcomer Jamie Ford. Both rode well and improved as the series of races during the evening progressed. Jamie finished 5th overall and Joseph 12th. The full results can be found here on the Surrey League website.
I am indebted to Mike Marchant for supplying me with the results of the second event:
9 lap scratch - Jamie 6th, Joseph 9th
9 lap handicap - Jamie 5th, Joseph 10th
9 lap handicap - Jamie 6th, Joseph 10th
2 lap ind. TT - Jamie 1m 24.1s, Joseph 1m 28.15s (didn't get the positions).

Joseph and Jamie

New member

Welcome to Anne Marshall our latest member to join. Anne hails from Birdham. Those who have registered for the members' only pages can see Anne's contact details.
Anne informs me that she is free during the day for long rides: Wednesday pm, Thursday & Friday alternate, and during school holidays Monday and Tuesday pm.

Racing round up

Our riders are in action so often these days that I am finding it hard to keep up. So my apologies for any delays in the sytems, omissions or inaccuracies.

Hove Park

Liam Terry finished third after a very agressive ride at Hove Park. Mark Trevis was 5th and Shaun Smart 12th. Liam has also regained his 2nd cat licence. Well done Liam.
Richard "pastie" Bevan finished 5th in the 4th cat race. His best position of the year so far, I think. Well done Pastie.

Les Ingham

Mark Trevis and Liam Terry were racing again in the Les Ingham road race on the tough Bletchingley. Mark punctured and was a DNF. Liam was involved in a crash and did well to finish 16th.

Action from Les Ingham

More pictures here. All pictures copyright of Paul J Wright.

Dunsfold Park

Tuesday night was the first of the Dunsfold Park series. It started where it left off last year with torrential rain. The race split to pieces and Shaun Smart was a creditable 7th. Mark Warrington punctured. Poor Richard Bevan made the trip for nothing when he realised he had left his crash hat behind.

Portsmouth

16th April - Shaun Smart 11th, Mark Trevis 13th, Mark Warrington 26th, Richard Bevan 27th
23rd April - Shaun Smart equal 11th, Mark Warrington 29th, Richard Bevan 34th
30th April - 3/4 cat race: Shaun Smart 12th, Mark Warrington equal 16th, Mark "Scalatore" Holland 44th. Good to see Mark Holland ride his first road race for the Velo.
30th April - E/1/2 cat race: Mark Trevis 16th

Time trial action

a3crg 10m TT (SC) 19-Apr-2008 P881R
30th Mike Marchant Southdown Velo 22:55 - fastest in age group!
48th Paul O'Donovan Southdown Velo SEN 25:08 - 3rd best improvement

a3crg 10m TT (Slowest 120 in last season) 20-Apr-2008 P881R
15th Mark Trevis Southdown Velo 23:46
29th Paul O'Donovan Southdown Velo 25:40

For couch potatoes

For those of you without access to Eurosport you can watch Liege Bastogne Liege on ITV4 on the 3rd May. Details from www.athleticsontv.co.uk.

Races to enter

Dunsfold Park every Tuesday at 7pm. All senior categories and juniors.
Junior and youth racing at Hove Park from May 9th. Details here.
23rd May Hove Park racing for 2/3 cats and separate race for 4 cats. Details here.
British Cycling South East Regional Men's Road Race Championship

Sunday June 1, 2008

Start time: 14:00

Race distance: 120KM

Open to E/1/2/3 South East Region male riders

Support race at 09:30 for 3/4 category riders

Course: Kennardington

HQ: Woodchurch Scout Hall, Woodchurch, Ashford, Kent

Entry Fee: £15 in advance or £20 on the line

Entries to: Kim Anderson, 4 Teal Way, Iwade, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8QU