Sandie Radford Road Race goes wild
Strong winds and sunshine for the 2015 edition of Glenn Longland’s Sandie Radford Memorial Road Race yesterday saw four Sotonia riders line up in the field of 60+ riders including local boy Phil Wilks, Rich Stephens, Tim Cooke and Richard Burch.
It was a sporting course based around Nomansland of 35 miles, which may sound short but featured barely any flat and four laps, the last two going up the notoriously steep Pipers Waite climb to the finish.
The race itself had en eventful start with a group of deer leaping across the road taking out Ed Rowe (wearing number 13) in the process. This part of the forest seems to have more than its fair share of road going wildlife (it was cows last year). Luckily there were no real injuries to riders or deer but it did split the bunch and Tim was left to ride alone having checked all were ok.
There was one break of note on lap two of a couple of riders but they soon tired in the strong wind. Phil and Rich Stephens looked comfortable in the main bunch and on the final ascent to the finish, both looked to have secured impressive top 20 positions (13th for Phil). In Rich's case, a blowout on the climb forced him to ride the last steep section on a flat tyre! Brook Elgie, riding for Rock'n'Road was top club member, finishing a fine 7th.
Ride of the day goes to sixteen year old Charlie Cooper, an accomplished junior cyclocross rider who came second for Eden Veranda in his first ever road race.
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[vimeo height="height" width="WIDTH"]https://vimeo.com/125349595[/vimeo]
[vimeo height="height" width="WIDTH"]https://vimeo.com/125385716[/vimeo]
Sotonia Family Fun Ride returns to the Forest
The popular Sotonia family fun ride returned this weekend for 2015. Held on New Forest trails, nine keen youngsters and their parents joined us on a sunny day for a choice of 5 of 12 mile rides in beautiful Denny Wood near Brockenhurst. The ride was followed by an enthusiastically received skills session held by one of our new youth coaches - Phil Connell. It was also great to see club stalwart, Stuart Martingale back on his bike after his injury last year.
The kids showed some real bike handling skills for our slow bike races and balance practice, especially young Tom - our "Cyclist of the Day", aged just four years old!
Next family ride will be mid May. We're also planning regular coaching sessions in Southampton over the Summer - keep an eye on the website for details.
Please drop us an email if you want to learn more about our youth coaching opportunities!
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Behind the Bike Shed Spring Classic, 12.4.15 - Report
It was the first race at Thruxton of the 2015 last sunday and held in super windy conditions (even for Thruxton). The 4th cat race had a brilliant turnout of seven Sotonia riders entered in a big field of 100 riders. Rob Tomlinson put the hurt on early and punished everyone from the start, which resulted in a quite few riders going out the back.
Unsurprisingly, nobody wanted to do much work down the back straight into the headwind and the main bunch stayed together for the duration with Tom Budden taking some big turns on the front in his first road race and showing great positional awareness, never far from the sharp end of things.
Tim Cooke and Mark Edwards were unlucky to get separated behind a split on the uphill back stretch. They made a group of five that worked together to the end.
There was a crash on the last lap chicane, which Tom was in front of and Chris Moody just missed but it held up Paul Ransom's dash for the line. Tom finished 10th, with Chris Moody 16th and Paul Ransom 19th - great results in the conditions and with such a big field.
In the 3rd cat race, we had Ben Scott-Munden and Edward Wu. Ben also got caught out by the conditions, but Edward Wu managed to stay in touch till the last lap. Thanks to everyone who came to watch and support the team!
[youtube height="380" width="620"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU-jWU4eoAk[/youtube]
Coaching Session Report - 28 March 2014
It was the second session of rider coaching on Sunday for new coaches Phil and Jez as they concentrated on cornering skills. We had six riders taking up the challenge, with two new faces - Richard Woods and super keen thirteen year old, Kit joining the gang. Lots of growing confidence in cornering techniques and competitive spirit - Katherine in particular looked very assured by the end of the session. Well done everyone! Session number three is in two weeks on Saturday April 11th (the University is closed for Easter). Hope to see a few more of you then!
Also coming up this month is the return of our monthly Family Fun Ride in the New Forest on Sunday April 12th
Spring Hill Climb Results, 22 March 2015
| Position | Name | Club | Category (Sotonia Points) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Lockwood | Southampton Uni RC | 2.10 | |
| 2 | Brook Elgie | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.14 |
| 3 | Will Weynberg | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.15 |
| 4 | Jahan Hunter | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.17 |
| 5 | James Peckham | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.18 |
| 6 | Dan Edwards | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.18 |
| 7 | Jonathan Hall | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.19 |
| 8 | Cameron Taylor | Sheffield Uni CC | 2.19 | |
| 9 | Josh Oldfield | Southampton Uni RC | 2.26 | |
| 10 | Harry Chamberlain | Southampton Uni RC | 2.30 | |
| 11 | Sean Holehouse | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.34 |
| 12 | Dave Davenport | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.34 |
| 13 | Tm Cooke | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.38 |
| 14 | Jelmer Cnossen | Sotonia CC | Senior | 2.39 |
| 15 | Gawain Young | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.40 |
| 16 | Richard Burch | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.41 |
| 17 | Ed Rowe | Sotonia CC | Junior | 2.50 |
| 18 | Eli Chen | Southampton Uni RC | 2.57 | |
| 19 | Nick Malbon | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 2.58 |
| 20 | Ben Watkinson | Southampton Uni RC | 3.01 | |
| 21 | Jon Legg | Sotonia CC | Senior | 3.01 |
| 22 | Graham Vail | Sotonia CC | Veteran 40-59 | 3.03 |
| 23 | Paul Ransom | Sotonia CC | Junior | 3.14 |
Sotonia Time Trials are organised by Club members – this event could not have taken place without:
Ted Knowlton (Organiser)
Dave Crocker (Timekeeper)
Martin Napier (Timekeeper)
Ian Stewart (Timekeeper)
Wendy Knowlton
Rob Tomlinson
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Event video: https://youtu.be/vnAf6lR6_hU
Ludgershall Winter Series Round 8, 21 Feb
The winter series at the Ludgershall road race circuit reached round eight this Sunday with a good turn out of three Sotonia riders in the 4th cat race. Separated into odds and evens of around 20 riders each because of the large field, the first race saw Tim Cooke in his second outing (having finished a fine 4th place in his first ever race the previous week) and fast improving youngster, Edward Rowe lining up. Tim was again in the top ten with 7th place. Ed also had an ideal position going round the penultimate corner of the last lap in tenth place when the rider in front of him made an error, forcing Ed off the track - luckily he managed to stay upright but was left off the back of the peloton.
In race two, Edward Wu was looking to continue his great start to the season, having finished second in the previous week. Ed raced intelligently and sat in the pack during the race, conserving his energy for the final sprint. There was only one attempted breakaway which was brought back by the bunch ten minutes into the race and the pace inevitably picked up in the last two laps. Ed made sure he was in the top six, coming out of the last bend third wheel and sprinting to a fantastic victory!
The results continue Sotonia's great start to the early season and put us up to 5th in the team rankings for the Southern region.
If you are looking to start racing or already race and would like to know more, we would love to hear from you.
Find out more here or drop Jez Hart an email
Wessex League Cyclocross Round 14 Army Cycling, 1 Feb
With a month's gap between the last two rounds of this year's Wessex League cyclocross series, the last round proved to have lost none of the popularity for cyclocross with another big turnout at an impressive new venue - Tedworth House in Tidworth organised by the Army Cycling Union.
It's official, the Wessex CX V50 league is the hardest league in the country (and arguably the world as well actually). John Phillips and Martin Ward were lined up in the V50 race against the UCI Masters V50-54 world champion (Philip Roach) and the UCI Masters V60-64 world champion (Dave McMullen). Fortunately, Steve Davies, the UCI Masters V55-V59 world champion was otherwise engaged (he normally rides Wessex CX) otherwise it would have been the full set! Well, we did our best against such formidable opposition and thoroughly enjoyed our race over a new flat, fast parkland course that gave great views to spectators, wrapped up against the biting north wind.
Featuring a fast tarmac start leading to twisting grassy turns around the trees that lined the sports fields, bankings were used to good effect to break up momentum. The firm conditions were then interrupted by a short, sticky mud section and a set of boards that would have benefitted from a ladder to negotiate. Riders then rode into a biting headwind to a long set of stone steps to climb the small hill and the finish line.
In the world-champless V40 race, Simon Guard (33rd) and Phil Connell (40th) enjoyed their customary tussle with Simon just coming out on top this time round. In the Seniors race, Sotonia had a great turnout with Tom Budden, Phil Wilks, Darren Sell and new team member David Baxter flying the flag, with placings of 11th, 19th, 30th and 32nd respectively. Dave Crocker and Jez Hart again provided us all with great vocal support and pit duties. All in all, a great end to the season, with much celebratory sausage rolls and banana drizzle cake scoffed.
It's been a great year of cross for Sotonia, with 19 club members who rode for us across all categories, to what will probably be our highest team finish for many years. Well done everyone and roll on next season!
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Annual Dinner and Prize Presentation 2015
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Team Sky Doctor gives inside view to dinner guests
Sotonia Cycling Club held its Annual Dinner and Prize Presentation last weekend at Ampfield Golf Club near Romsey. Guest of honour and speaker for the evening Dr Steve Baynes, who is a sports medicine specialist and has been a team doctor with the Team Sky professional cycling team since 2012, as well as being the Southampton Football Club doctor. Dr Baynes, who currently lives in Lymington, went to Romsey School and Barton Peverill before studying medicine in Nottingham.
Before presenting the prizes to the club’s trophy winners, Dr Baynes gave a fascinating insight to life on the road with a top professional cycling squad, with an illustrated talk which the audience really appreciated.
Amongst the big prize winners of the evening were Stuart Martingale who was crowned club champion again despite being only able to ride for part of the 2014 following a bad fall in a training accident from which he is still recovering. Jon Dudley retained his season long point’s competition for men. Winchester based Gawain Young won the 10 and 25 mile championships, whilst Romsey’s Angela Burnikell took the lion’s share of the ladies trophies after an excellent season which saw her record a number of personal best rides. Another Romsey based rider Dan Edwards was the club’s top point’s scorer in the region’s time trial competition in his first full season against the watch.
Following a vote of members at the club’s annual general meeting the clubs veteran’s champion, 81 year old Norman Harvey, was also given the title ‘Club person of the year’ as he established a number of age related records.
The evening also saw a presentation to club founder member and current President Eva Drinkwater who was due to celebrate her 90th birthday the following day.
Wessex League Cyclocross Round 13 Crabwood, 28 December
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A cold but sunny winter's day for the Geoff Shergold Memorial Wessex Cyclocross races at Southampton Sports Centre saw four vets and two Sotonia seniors blast away the Christmas cobwebs.
The course, a variation on previous years with a long uphill grass straight on the edge of the park that rose steeply into a muddy wooded section full of tight turns. Fast downhills then forced the riders back up again in firm but often slippy conditions that meant few bike changes but riders certainly had to watch their footing.
In the Vets race, regulars Simon Guard, Phil Connell and John Phillips were joined by newcomer, Dudley Jaynes on his 29er. Simon and Phil were again locked in close battle in the early stages, but with the course hills suiting Simon better, he began to pull away from Phil after a couple of laps and finished first 40+ Sotonia rider a minute ahead of Phil in 24th and 27th places.
In the senior race Phil Wilks and Tom Budden resumed their rivalry and after a fast start, both were in the top 15 coming out of the woods with Tom around 10th. He wasn't done there though and proceeded to pull away from the large group that Phil was in, making up three more places as he slowly wound in the riders ahead and finishing in the highest position by any Sotonia cross rider in years with an amazing 7th place! Phil battled on, carrying a sore knee into the race and came in a worthy 19th out 37 riders.
A great result to finish the year for Sotonia. Just one race in the calender to go now, run by Army Cycling Union at Tidworth on February 1st 2015.
Video of the V/W/J race shot by Julian Gee: http://t.co/fRysYpH2vu
The Wessex league report can be found here
Graham Robins' pics are here
Wessex League Cyclocross Round 12 Fareham, 14 December
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A brilliant turnout for Sotonia and a course which had everything. Twists, turns, ups, downs, sandpit, thick grass and mud in abundance. Riders having to stop to clear front and rear mechs during the race and the course was heavy so all knew they'd ridden a particularly tough cross race! Team of the day has to go to our seniors, brilliant performance and Niels in his pure white new jersey too, the vets churned the course up and we only had to ride for 45ish mins and they had to ride for an hour, so well done to the 'youngsters!' The 'oldies' were led by Phil Connell, consistent throughout the season. In the senior race, Tom Budden nailed his start and despite a jammed chain and two bike changes, he still managed 16th place to top the Sotonia finishers.
With two races to go, hopefully we can maintain a strong showing. Next race is Sunday December 28th - The Geoff Shergold Memorial at Southampton Sports Centre, so even if you don't fancy the ride your support will be appreciated by us all.
Vets (v40s)
Phil Connell 17th
Simon Guard 21st
Vets (v50s)
Jon Dudley 16th
John Phillips 17th
Seniors
Tom Budden 16th
Phil Wilks 17th
Niels Langhout 18th
Darren Sell 21st
Vetus Jakimavicius 23rd
Official Wessex CX report and full results here
Photo Gallery by Graham Robins here