Another year gone by, and another successful one for the Club. Membership is holding steady in the mid-thirties - the only real problem with this size being that it's difficult to muster orders of at least 12 garments when we order more clothing. We have welcomed 2 new members. Colin Cape - a one-time Phoenix fast man - returning after a long absence, and finding that regaining racing fitness is a challenge when you haven't done it for some years. And Chrystal Sheldon who was lured into riding the Clarencourt 4Up as her first ever race. She seemed to enjoy it and is keen to try other races next year.
On the racing front, as Frank will no doubt have said, I think that we have had a very good year. Joe Bertorelli has come into his own and truly made the transition to "fastman" status, he deserves to be Club Champion this year. On the other hand Brian does not deserve to leave the Club Dinner almost empty handed, as he surely will. He put up a valiant battle, based primarily on experience, despite no longer having the necessary time to devote to training and racing. He could easily have thrown the towel in and not bothered to complete the last of the distances once he was looking outgunned, and I'm sure someone could have found plenty for him to do instead with the time; but no, he wouldn't give in.
On the other hand, the 12 Hour in August was a pleasure to be part of (for those of us who could disappear into the car every time it tipped it down!). Our three riders were reasonably well matched and, fortunately for the helpers, actually spent most of the day within about 20 minutes of each other. Ann rode well to improve Cis's 12 hour record which had stood for 40 years; Brian enjoyed his 12 as ever (well, maybe just a little bit) and Joe took a leap into the unknown and now knows that he can go somewhat further in a 12 - you are supposed to ache a bit the next day!
Joe has managed a full house of pb's this season, Ann just missed by not improving at 25 miles, but then again she only rode two 25s and one of those was the Medium Gear - too busy riding Women's National Team Series road races for the Surrey League! Tony Tugwell scored pb's at the two distances he rode this year. All in all I make a total of 13 pb's in 2002 and an untold number of "best for x number of years" amongst the other members. The magic hour has eluded both Joe and Pete Edwards this year, but they are both capable of "going under" given the right day. There were also a series of pw's (personal worsts) as we suffered the worst weather conditions in Kingston to Worthing history. A roaring headwind and intermittent, cold, torrential downpours allowed Simon to swipe the "slowest ever winning time" from Ron!
Our District Committee has done a survey of the 2001 racing season, comparing the numbers of rides in Club Events throughout the season against the number of places applied for. As far as I can make out the Phoenix comes out of it quite well. It seems to me that we are one of the most active clubs in the district: applying for a large number of places, and filling almost all of them. The only clubs that seem to have more people riding Club Events are clubs that are substantially bigger than our own.
After a successful visit in 2002, Jake has organised another trip to Majorca for March. This time avoiding the date of the Open 10, after this year's unfortunate clash. She is also organising the Club Dinner again. February 22nd 2002, put the date in your diaries.
I think that the website has been a success this year. Colin Cape found us again due to the website and I've been having a long distance tussle with him over improvements to our 10 times - I thought I had him, and then he trumped me twice at the end of the season! I know that there are a few people who look at the site on a regular basis and I have tried to keep it updated during the season, but it's flagged a bit in the last few weeks with the approach of the AGM and other demands on my time. I have had to change where the actual files reside several times, but always look for it at http://www.kprc.org.uk and you will find it wherever it is. This year I have been listing all Open event rides - the ones that I have found out about - ridden by members, but I know some members have done rides and I don't have the details. No names - yet! But please keep Frank, Brian and myself updated with all your rides in 2003.
Last year we invited the Clarencourt CC, who had become homeless, to join us by having their clubnight at Worcester Park and on the same evening as ourselves. I rarely get to the Clubroom myself these days, but I gather that it has been a success.
In June, Clive Oxx had quite a nasty accident on a Sunday Clubrun, and was carted off to hospital. That afternoon there was a lot of telephoning and running around in an effort to contact his family. We knew who his sons are, but not how to contact them, especially not in a hurry. Frank's argument with a coach a couple of weeks later also gave us pause for thought. As a consequence we decided that I should start a database of contact information for members. Basically I need to know who should be contacted, for each member, in the event of them being carted off to hospital. Some of us live alone, and others might prefer to nominate a friend to be contacted, it's your choice who you put on the form, but can everybody return the information to me before the start of next season at the latest. I propose that the list be held by a number of accessible people so that one or two phone calls are all that is required to find the information. This probably falls under the scope of the data protection act, but it will be used solely in the event of an emergency and can be updated at any time you wish.
Several years ago, Cis George presented the Club with a wonderful trophy in memory of Bert George. This trophy is awarded for services to the Club and has been decided by a sealed ballot at the AGM (postal votes accepted) for the last few years. However it is doing the rounds of the same three "obvious" members who seem to be winning it by gaining 2 votes when almost everyone else in the club gets one! Thus we have decided that the committee should put forward a short-list to guide the voting slightly. A case for receipt of the trophy can be made for almost every member of the Club, but to start with the "finalists" for this year are:
| Cis George: | Cis kept the club together in it's early days during the war and later as Club Secretary for many years. |
| Doreen Powney: | Doreen has been stuck with the club for many years whether she liked it or not: making teas, baking cakes, feeding the committee. Currently she is Treasurer, tea stall at the evening 10's and even emergency timekeeper. |
| George Powney: | George was Time Trials Secretary and also Club Timekeeper for many years. |
| Grant Pyke: | Grant is responsible for finding us our current clubroom and has saved the club rather a lot of money since the move. |
| Den Rosendale: | Den, like George, was Time Trial's Secretary and also Timekeeper for many years. |
Sorry, Ron, your name is already on the back of the trophy.
The "sealed" vote is so that the recipient is not common knowledge until the Dinner, so it will still go ahead at the AGM as usual. Anyone unable to attend the meeting may send their vote in if they wish: post, email or even telephone - I can sort out the results this year as there is NO likelihood of me winning.
As of December 1st 2002 - after a life of 55 years - the RTTC will cease to exist. Some of you may know all about this, I assume that many of you will not. The RTTC will become a Limited Company "Cycling Time Trials". This has all come about due to the threat of litigation should someone die whilst involved in a Time Trial (unfortunately this does happen occasionally, for a variety of reasons) and their relatives decide to sue everyone and anyone involved for all they can get. We are told that because Time Trials will now be promoted on behalf of this company, the people involved in the promotion will be protected from litigation. I am afraid that I am not convinced by this as we have had lectures at my place of work impressing on us that each and everyone one of us could end up liable if someone were to be injured by a product made by our company. However, I understand that the BMW Motorcycle Owners Club have gone down this same path for the same reasons as the RTTC. Largely because of this, your club delegates voted in favour of the transfer to the limited company - although it has come as a shock to realise that it does mean the end of the RTTC.
The familiar RTTC logo will still be used, but I notice that it now has 1937-2002 added underneath the letters. All this means that there is a new entry form that has been issued. It is already available from the RTTC website, and I am expecting to receive some copies along with other information in December. I guess that all the RTTC paperwork will have to be reissued with a new heading. Copies of the forms etc will be available from Frank and myself as soon as possible. Can everyone please throw out their old forms and put in requests for new ones. Anyone planning on entering Christmas events (Anne…?) will need copies of the new form asap so give me a call.
Finally, our District Committee is always looking for new blood - I did a couple of years as a committee member, which was interesting, but attending the meetings got too much to fit in. However this year our long-standing (and long-suffering) Secretary, Chris Watts, has given notice that she really needs to retire from the job. So they are looking for someone to take over. Ideally they want somebody computer literate as they do acknowledge that computers are the way forward. They have indicated the possibility of carving the job up and, I think, Chris said that she would stay on for a further year - or at least be on hand to assist - if someone or several someones could be found to take over. If anyone thinks they might be able to do all, or part, of the job let me know and I will put you in touch with Chris to discuss the matter.
That's all for another year, if I've forgotten anything I'll post it on the website.
Best Wishes for a safe and speedy 2003
Lisa
Lisa Colombo: November 2002
I normally end my report with the usual acknowledgements to members for their help during the year. This year however I will start with my thanks. It is a fact, I have not been a passenger on a bus for some 40 years and most of you will know, in mid July in Kensington High Street for some reason I tried to remedy this, but missed the door, and came off slightly worse than the vehicle, such is my eyesight to my surprise it was a 54 seater coach. My thanks to all the club folk who wished me well via a phone call and/or numerous get well cards. Clive Oxx also had the misfortune to sustain injuries this year, recording probably greater on the Richter Scale than I, and as a member of the Phoenix I am sure that he would like to thank the membership for their concerns. My thanks also to Ron and Doreen Powney, Iain Margery and Ian Burt for organising and timing the Club Events at such short notice. Regarding the attached list of trophy winners, my thanks to Pete Mitchell and Lisa Colombo for correcting my mistakes and adding to any omissions to my list.
The Open 10 went well, as seems expected these years, although it did clash with the Phoenix training holiday in Majorca. We had an entry of 93, the highest for 6 years. The 2003 event on Saturday 12th April will be my 13th year and very much appreciate all the help that you give. With the very generous donations of club members we even made a profit. For the first time ever, the end of year Fastest Times & Positions sheet has gone to a second page, most distances have gone faster and/or more riders, brackets are last years figures:
| Club B.A.R. | 3 riders | 21.438 mph | (2 riders) | (21.208 mph) |
| Women's Championship | 4 riders | 22.115 mph | (2 riders) | (22.051 mph) |
| Men's Championship | 4 riders | 22.755 mph | (2 riders) | (22.253 mph) |
| Vet's Championship | 6 riders | +5.670 mph | (5 riders) | (+3.712 mph) |
| 10 miles | 19 riders | 22:58 | (19 riders) | (23:39) |
| 25 miles | 16 riders | 59:01 | (17 riders) | (1:0:39) |
| 50 miles | 10 riders | 2:5:38 | (8 riders) | (2:10:31) |
| 100 miles | 5 riders | 4:44:50 | (2 riders) | (4:54:21) |
| 12 Hours | 3 riders | 217.39 | (2 riders) | (216.887) |
Also 10 Club Records broken as against (6) last year, obviously thanks to Ann Bath. Club Event entries were down from an all time high last year of 262, to 213 (including 52 PTT's) this due to 4 events being cancelled for various reasons, one being the closure of the Portsmouth Road events due to traffic lights at Pains Hill, but the number of riders per event was the highest ever at just under 18. The Hill Climb was one of the 4 cancelled events, due to lack of entries, it was suggested in next year's Hilly 12 a timed section (perhaps the Zig Zag) could be incorporated for this title, just think two events for the price of one. From a racing membership of 20 a total of 16 improved on last year's time in at least one distance. The attached list shows all the trophy winners, but briefly.
For the first time in the history of the Phoenix a woman has won the 12 Hour Championship, good luck also to Ann Bath for her hat trick of Women's Championship wins. Joe Bertorelli has at last shown just a hint of his true potential with the Club B.A.R. and at least a "59" next year. It would be nice now that Simon Mitchell has settled down if he would ride a 100 next year and challenge for the Men's B.A.R. Also will Jen Mitchell be pushing the women into second place in their Championship next year. Now that Grant Pyke is being paid by the State to ride his bike, he is improving at every distance. Choosing a very tough Consolation 25 for his only 25 of the year, Iain Margery is well down the 25 list, this I am sure will improve (start cracking the whip, Carolyn). Not since 1998 has Ray Dare decided to ride all the Vet's qualifying distances, and of course was this year's Champion (how does he maintain his enthusiasm?) Tony Tugwell continues to improve each year now that he has ceased to drive some 40 or 50 thousand miles a year. The Petes. Pete Mitchell for some reason improved at 10, 25 and 50 miles (what is he on) and although Peter Edwards improved his 10 and 25 he did fade mid season through (I think) ill health or was it keenness. Not through keenness but perhaps lack of fast training miles Brian Powney had for him a disastrous season, but will undoubtedly roar back, look out the Vets next year. Andy Pearce returned to racing this year, rode the Kingston-Worthing, recorded a 26:49 for his one 10 and promptly went into retirement again. Although Jake Dodd improved on last year's 10 and 25 lost a bit of interest after about June, like me she just likes riding the bike. Hopefully Ian Burt & Amy Robinson will ride the odd event next year now that Amy is settled into her new home.
And finally: welcome back to the Phoenix a (very) old member of the past, Colin Cape: Club Champion, fastest 25 over 4 years and with a Club Record of 56:45, 50 Champion and 12 Hour Champion of the 1960's.
Sorry no more, run out of space.
Good Luck for 2003.
Frank C
As Frank said last year about his original copy of this report "all the words are spelt correctly, it's just that the spell checker didn't always know which word I was trying to spell".
I guess that most of this copy of the report on the internet will be very slightly different to the paper copy because I have had to re-type it to get it in the computer - Lisa
Wow! What a year. Six Phoenix members riding 27 road races in all. Ann Bath, Jen Mitchell and Jake all promoted up to 3rd Cat riders now. Simon Mitchell, Andy and Grant Pyke all rode this year, Grant Pyke riding an LVRC event on the Hillingdon circuit. The Surrey League Handicaps went well this year with Simon Mitchell coming 15th on the Norwood Hill circuit, he said the best bit was overtaking lots of riders on the hill! Andy Avis? together with Ann, Jen and Jake rode the Horne circuit and thoroughly enjoyed the speed and exhilaration of being in the bunch, especially when it all came together and the 60 strong peleton were charging down a hill towards the finish! Our best placings in the Handicaps were Simon Mitchell 15th, Ann Bath 34th, Jen Mitchell 34th, Jake Dodd 37th and Andy 45th.
Ladies Series
Ann was a stand in for the Surrey League Ladies B Team, and helped to save the day by riding in 5 events, 2 in Ireland. Consequently, the B Team won the Series and a big cup! Her best placing was 24th.
Womans National Circuit Race Championship
Jen, Jake and Ann all rode the race held on the Hillingdon circuit on a cold, windy day. We stayed with the bunch for 4 laps then got dropped one by one (Ann having ridden a 50 the previous day). We regrouped and rode our own race to finish 14th, 15th and 17th.
South East Region Womans Road Race Championships
Jake, Jen and Ann all rode this race held at Goodwood and kept with the bunch till the sprint finish. Jen got 8th, Ann 10th and Jake 14th who punctured.
Ann Bath is our Road Race Champion. She rode 21 races including 12 Women's events and has amassed the most British Cycling and Surrey League points. I think the best bit was in a race at Goodwood where Ann got in a breakaway group and came 4th Fantastic!
All the best for next year folks,
Jake Dodd
Treasurer's Report 31.10.02
As last year's financial accounts covered a period of only 10 months, this year's cover 14, bringing the year end back on track. So a comparison between the two years is not sensible.
The figure of £186.20 for the club dinner profit is derived from this year's figures, but after allowing for the £100.00 deposit paid last year, the net profit is £86.20. This is considerably less than last year due mainly to the fact that we chose a dearer menu but kept the ticket price the same.
Once again we had a successful "Open 10" producing a profit of £95.00. We received donations amounting to £145.00 (including 2 from non - KPRC members) without which would have made a loss of £50.00.
Bank interest of £50.68 is in fact interest for last and this as it appears on the October bank statement for each year.
Similarly the £47.90 for the club events levy is for the 2001 and 2002 racing seasons as that too is paid to the RTTC at the end of each year.
So, once again, a very good year for us with the club in a very sound financial position.
Doreen Powney