Julian Gee

Record breaking Red takes a rainy hillclimb on Dean Hill, Sunday 4th October

Red Walters (pictured) was a comfortable winner of a wet and windy Sotonia hillclimb in what is thought to be a record time. 20 riders faced timekeeper Dave Crocker for this annual anti-gravity test and Walters was in class of his own, scaling the climb in under 2 minutes.

Salisbury based student, Matthew Bond, finished runner up just in front of a couple of novice riders, Phil Gough and Chris Lynch.

1. Red Walters BCN 1.59
2. Matthew Bond Cambridge University CC 2.18
3. Phil Gough Come and try 2.19
4. Chris Lynch Come and try 2.24
5. Kouros Driscoll Sotonia 2.26
6. Luke Essigmans Sheffield University RC 2.29
7. Harry Johnson Nopinz Symec RT 2.31
8. Craig Smith New Forest CC 2.38
=9. Dave Barnes Come and try 2.49
=9. James Cooper Sotonia 2.49
11. Oliver Starkey Sotonia 2.54
=12. William Fox Grant SRAMcc 3.11
=12. Isobel Conibear DHC 3.11
14. Jez Hart Sotonia 3.12
15. Martin Olney Sotonia 3.13
16. Gemma Wilks Sotonia 3.30
17. David White Come and try 3.42
18. Wout Davidse Sotonia 3.48
19. Gemma Herbertson SRAMcc 4.05
20. Freya Herbertson-Hill SRAMcc 4.39

Big thanks to all those would turned up to ride and especially to the timekeepers, Dave Crocker and Martin Napier for turning out in unpleasant conditions.

You can view the action here: https://youtu.be/YV0Yg3qq5kY

by Julian Gee

Tight at the top at Fawley - result, club 10 mile time trial Sunday 20th September

Bright but breezy conditions greeted the riders for our annual visit to the P101 Fawley - Calshot course. The field of 18 riders was the best turnout on the course since it was first used about 5 years ago.

There was intense competition for the top spot with just 2 seconds covering the first 4 riders on this deceptively testing course.

1= Graham Harman Sotonia CC 49 TT 24.15
1= Brook Elgie Sotonia CC 42 Road 24.15
3= James Peckham Sotonia CC 32 Road 24.17
3= Phil Wilks Sotonia CC 38 Road 24.17
5  Jeremy Hubbard Sotonia CC 28 TT 24.24
6  Greg Mead Sotonia CC 38 TT 25.31
7  Ed Cox Sotonia CC 28 Road 26.01
8  John Winchester Crabwood CC TT 26.27
9  Jason Harrison Sotonia CC 48 Road 26.47
10  Jon Legg Sotonia CC 45 TT 26.57
11  Steve Shepherd Sotonia CC 50 Road 28.02
12  Claire Newman Crabwood CC TT 29.20
13  Ollie Hollister Crabwood CC Road 29.29
14  Mark Allen Sotonia CC 46 Road 32.20
15  Charlie Shepherd Sotonia CC 12 Road 33.32
16  Emma Harrison Sotonia CC 13 Road 35.09
17  Chris Summers Sotonia CC 68 TT 35.34
18  Martin Napier Sotonia CC Road 35.48

Thanks to Graham Harman and Phil Wilks for putting the event on. Ian Stewart, Dave Crocker and Julian Gee looked after the timing and Nigel Aiken and Richard Burch carried out marshaling duties.

You'll find a short video of the action here: https://youtu.be/3gvhNMNi7B4

by Julian Gee

Keith Ross R.I.P.

Our fellow member and friend KEITH ROSS passed away aged 86, on Tuesday, 1st October.
Keith's funeral is at West Chapel, Soton Crematorium, Bassett at 10am on 11th October
The family would like to know an approximate number of cycling club members and friends intending to attend.

PLEASE therefore advise Martin Napier if you are going, by email:
(martin.napier167@gmail.com). Thank you.

The wake is at Romsey Golf Club, near north end of the M271/A3057.

by Julian Gee

Club President Eva Drinkwater - an appreciation

Sotonia founder member and club President, Eva Drinkwater passed away recently aged 94. The following tribute was given by Julian Gee at her funeral.

I first met Eva when I joined Sotonia Cycling Club in 1972. I’d been introduced to the club by my Father Ray Gee, who’d recently taken up cycling again after a break of some years and was an old friend of Eva’s husband Frank.

By this time, Eva and Frank were stalwarts of Sotonia having been founder members of the club in 1967, when the cycling club they had been members of for many years, the Southern Paragon, decided to pool their resources and help establish a new Southampton based club at a time when the sport and pastime of cycling was in the doldrums.

When I joined the club, I recall Eva and Frank were regularly supplying post-race refreshments at most of Sotonia’s events – and along with the tea and cake came a friendly face, Eva was always pleased to see you, and proffering words of encouragement.

Up until the time children intervened, Eva had been a very active and successful racing cyclist for the Southern Paragon. Those who knew Eva from the late 1940’s and into the early 1950’s told me she was a regular prize winner in events on both the road – time trials and on the track.
Having been told this by my Dad and Eileen Love who raced with Eva, I examined the archives on the Cycling Time Trials South District website, which were quite fascinating, and I discovered in the events from 1947 onward Eva’s name regularly appears at the top end of race results at a time when women’s’ event (no mix races then!) often had over 50 riders. Eva’s club Southern Paragon was one of the top clubs in the South and regularly picked up team prizes, with Eva part of the team, often along with other riders, like Eileen, that Eva had encouraged to take up racing, as she was very encouraging to others, a trait many of you here today will no doubt recognise.

Eva was also very active and successful in track racing too, riding regularly at Southampton, Portsmouth and Poole tracks. In the days before cash prizes were given, she was able to kit out houses with prizes of cutlery and glasses which were often given as race prizes at that time. Eva was equally happy to take the lead or support others and make up a team.
Eva was very adventurous, and her cycling, racing and other activities took her all over the country but particularly to Wales where she had family connections. It was there amongst other places that she pursued one of her other long-time passions, rambling. Amongst her achievements were climbing Snowdon.

In the 50’s and 60s the Drinkwater family were a feature of Paragon camping weekends, sometimes assisted by a chap named Taffy Spinks who owned car to take the camping equipment so Eva and Frank and their clubmates could ride to the destination.
Closer to home Eva was a founder member of Romsey Ramblers over 30 years ago, where her extensive knowledge of the local area was very useful and she was also a keen member of Southampton Canal Society, where she was part of the backbone of the organisation, making the teas, winning competitions with her geographic knowledge and sharing her enthusiasm as an occasional speaker at meetings. Another lifelong interest of Eva’s was the Woman’s Institute and Eva was one of the leaders of Bassett WI in Southampton.

When Eva’s days of club cycling came to an end, she maintained her links with Sotonia. One of the club’s social highlights for many years was Eva and Frank’s summer BBQ where they threw open their garden to members and their families.
I’ve also discovered Eva became something of an activist for cycling rights as part of Southampton Cycling Campaign, writing to the City council to suggest improvements to cycle routes in the City.

Back with Sotonia, Eva was elected as a Vice President for her contribution to the club and then in 2011 became the club’s President, an honorary role that Frank had also performed some years early. Eva took her role seriously and was a regular at the AGM and the annual dinner and prize presentation where she could always be relied on to say grace.

I am sure that these is much more that could be said about Eva’s activities and interests over 94 very full years’, and apologies for any omissions or inaccuracies! I’ve certainly discovered a lot more about Eva in collecting information to include here, and I hope I have been able to give you a brief flavour of the lady and why she was such an endearing personality.

It is very clear to me that Eva can be said to have achieved ‘a life well lived’, spanning sport, family and a whole raft of other interests, where she not just took part in, but made a wholehearted contribution to – and it was all done with her characteristic cheerfulness and encouragement. I am sure all of us here today have had our life enriched for having known and been around her.

Good bless Eva

by Julian Gee

Sotonia Club 25 P166

14 riders took part on a largely bright but very breezy day which made the finishing times look 'old fashioned'! However, it was quite close for the podium positions:

1. Brook Elgie, Sotonia CC 1.5.45 (pictured)
2. Patrick Stumpf, Sotonia CC 1.5.56
3. Phil Wilks, Sotonia CC 1.6.17
4. Rick Evans, RC Ravenna 1.9.26
5. Evan Jardine-Skinner, Sotonia CC 1.9.31
6. Jon Dudley, Sotonia CC 1.11.38
7. Steve Reed, Sotonia CC 1.14.56
8. Nigel Sign, Fareham Wheelers CC 1.16.21
9. Vytas Jakimavicilis, Southampton Tri Club 1.16.55
10. Bruno Soriano, Sotonia CC 1.17.52
11. Mark Gardiner, Sotonia CC 1.19.26
12. Alan Doney, Portsmouth Triathletes 1.21.21
13. Charlotte Keeler, Sotonia CC 1.28.57
14. Paul Whitaker, Sotonia CC 1.32.45

Thanks to Jon Dudley for organising, Timekeepers Norman Harvey and Mary Corbett. Graham Harman, Jon Legg, Steve Underwood, Jason Harrison and Julian Gee were on marshalling duty.

by Julian Gee