Tour of Flanders Trip
4th-7th Apr 2008 - Steve Burton/Ian Steeper/John Clayton organising
National Clarion 10 TT - Bolton - Sat 26th April
21/22nd June - CTC York Rally
23/25th August - Mildenhall Camping/Cycling Rally
National Clarion 25 TT - Fenland - 7th Sept
3/5th October - National Clarion Wortley Weekend
5th October - National Clarion Hill Climb - Wortley
National Clarion
50 Mile TT, Road Champs, Cyclo Cross Champs - Dates to be announced.
Information from Calder Clarion Club Secretary's
Correspondence
Snow and freezing wind didn't deter recent recruit Martin
from joining the club run to Askern on 9th March just
when everyone thought winter was coming to an end
and we could look forward to springtime.
The photograph is one of a number taken by Bob Steeper since the new year. Bob took most of these one handed while, at the same time trying to keep his bike upright as
he negociated the strong blustery winds.
See Bob's club run photographs here.
Summer Touring
Weekend 2007
Complete Sturgess
Trophy Winners
2007 Flanders Trip
Clarion Easter Meet
Live Sturgess Trophy Table
Club Runs 2008
Bob Steeper's
Club Run Pics
weekend in Venice on 25th-28th Jan 2008. He booked accomadation in one of the old
quarters, adjacent to the Palace of
Renaisance artist Tinteretto.
The group flew into Marco Polo Airport
on Friday afternoon and took a water
bus from the mainland to Venice.
Saturday was given over to sightseeing.
On Sunday there was the World Cyclo
Cross Champs in Treviso and for those
Not interested, there was a shopping trip
to Treviso
Basilica St Marco in the background.
2007 Sturgess Trophy
5 mile TT on a cold, wet and murky Heath common.
Stuart beat Kevin Watson by 15 seconds on the
Hilly course, clocking 17.02. Gary Kemp in his
first time trial for 20 years had the 3rd best time
of 17.33. Dave Smithers swopped the timekeepers
watch for a fixed bike, but punctured on the return
to fade out of the top places.
After the event, everyone was very kindly welcomed
at George and Leslie Gilliland's for a superb new year
breakfast. On the way over, George and the Morrison
twins "doubled back" to a bridge on Oakenshaw Lane
when they thought they saw something which looked
like a body on the railway line. It turned out to be a
footpath !
2006 Sturgess Trophy
Stuart Hinde (the winner) and Scott Kelly
The
Boxing day ride to Holmfirth was plunged
into drama when Tim Moss repeated Owen
Mitton's (Huddersfield RC) 2006 impression of
a cycling water vole diving into the Calder and
Hebble canal on the way back to Horbury Bridge.
Owen declined an offer to do the same stretch of
tow path this year and went home a seperate way
and so our fearless band of Calder riders bravely
took to the same canal side in the failing light
without him, oblivious of what lay ahead.
As the pace quickened, there was the odd twitch
of a back wheel on the narrow muddy path, though the grass strip between
the line of riders and the
canal seemed reassuringly wide. But the group
2005 Sturgess Trophy
2004 Sturgess Trophy
Tom Mcghie, Ian Steeper and Steve Burton about to start from
the bridge over the River Calder and Calder and Hebble
Canal (behind them) at the Bingley Arms, Horbury Bridge
had
been lulled into a false sense of security, suddenly and
shockingly made evident when Tim's back wheel skidded wickedly
leftwards and he went down to his right onto the grass. The grass
was slippery and he slid rapidly over it and head first into the canal;
The last thing seen if Tim were his feet disappearing along with his
bike under the inky surface. As riders rushed to the spot Tim had
gone under, his head appeared and he was shouting something - a
cross between a bellow and a gargle, his words made indecipherable
by the water coming out of his mouth and the icy temperature he was
immersed in.
He seemed to be reluctant to be pulled out until the water drained
from his mouth and his rescuers realised he was pleading
" get mi bike out". Once his bike was safe he was also pulled
out,
dripping from head to foot with a good catch of water weed
wrapped around his chainwheel and rear mech.
next to a gloom laden bar watching England lose 3-2
to Croatia to crash out of the Eurpean Nations Cup.
Probably not as gloomy as Steve McClaren when
he was sacked the following day.
New officials elected: Bob Steeper taking the chair
from Cliff Kettlewell. Johny Clayton treasurer with
Geoff Whiteley stepping down after 7 years.
All other posts remained the same with: George
Masson President, Andrew Spittlehouse Secretary,
Jean Burton Social Secretary, Jim Blankley Time
Trial Secretary, Tim Moss Publicity Officer, Steve
Burton Club Runs Secretary and Jean Milsom
Ladies Section Secretary.
Jean Burton became Secretary of the New Calder
Camping Section having carried out this role for
York Clarion which has ceased to exist.
the head of the bunch - followed from left to right by John
Clayton, Steve Burton, Stuart Bowering and someone else!
Tim Moss has won the Sturgess Trophy, 3 years after his
previous win. The competition is awarded for consistency
and improvement over the summer long evening midweek
time trials.
Kevin Watson and Ian Steeper tied for 2nd place on 83
points each with early season leader Andrew Spittlehouse
slipping to 4th. Full Results here
The National Clarion
Hill climb took place on 7th October with
the climb of Finkle Street, Wortley .
Mike Cowland, Fenland won the event with Calder's Andrew
Spittlehouse finishing 4th again. Richard Fenn, having a week
off from the cross season was 8th
Andrew and Digby Rusling took part in the 10 mile TT,
a traditional
part of the Wortley Weekend
.See full Result. The event was part
of the
Wortley Hall National Clarion annual weekend.
the 2007 National Clarion Hill ClimbChams
blighted by cold wet weather and roadworks which
necessitated Jim Blankley having to reroute the
course for much of the summer. All this didn't deter
riders from taking part with much bigger fields than
in recent years thanks in no small part to Wakefield
Triathlon Club members taking part.
midweek 10s, under dark skies, a scene typifying
the entire 2007 summer.
Steve Burton, Pete Milsom(Umbrella) and Dave Smithers officiating.
annual summer weekend cycle tour. The weather stayed
cold and wet aggravated by the exposed and elevated
location.It was so harsh that two sheep spent the entire
weekend trying their best to get into the pub, eventually
succeeding and eating two pairs of leather motorcycle
gloves, left to dry in the porch by a group of motorcyclist
from teeside who shared the dining room with us on our
second night.
Steve Burton planned two excellent routes and we even
saw the sun occasionally.
The Club BBQ, once again ably hosted by Norma and
John Clayton, at their home in Horbury, was blessed
with fine weather, a rarety for the 2007 summer. There
was good food too, welll most of the food, somebody
forgot to take the sausages off the BBQ and after they'd
been recovered and put on a big platter, most people
didn't realise they were sausages.
See 2007 BBQ for photographs and comments from
the afternoon and evening. The temperature dropped
in the early evening and some characters, previously
considered to be hard, where seen keeping themselves
warm under blankets.
Moss and Kevin Watson to take Gary Phillis' Calder 10 mile TT
title on a breezy overcast evening. “
The
annual Flanders trip 2007proved to be
as enjoyable as ever, though
an Italian victory didn't go down too well with the Belgians. 9 Calder
riders sampled the Sportiv, which boasted 25,000 starters on the eve
of the Ronde.
More riding to catch the race in several places, ensured the group got
plenty of kilometres
in and then settling into a typical Belgan pub to
watch the race on a big screen with all the cycle racing fans from the
local area.
Easter Meeting. This proved to be an excellent event
great place, great weather, great rides in great scenery
and great social events. Could it get better?
Calder members were thin on the ground at this year's
meeting due to clashes with the Tour of Flanders and
the Easter Holidays.
Hudderfield RC's Owen hilarious account of how he found
himself climbing out of the Calder and Hebble Canal on
the last leg of the boxing dayclub run from the pub to
Horbury.
He decided to commemeorate his total immersion in the
freezing waters of the canal by making an award to Ian
Steeper, who had pulled him out. The award turned out
to be a silver gentleman's ball scratcher in a
presentation case.
