The Crawley Wheelers are 60 Years Young!
This year Crawley Wheelers Cycling Club has turned the grand age of 60!
There was a host of celebrations at the end of November including a special 60th Anniversary Awards Ceremony Hosted at the Three Bridges Football Club by our venerated club president Dougie Fox and a host of 60km/60m rides the next morning (for those that didn’t have too many ‘mineral waters’).
Many ‘mineral waters’ were imbibed, 80s/90s power ballads sung along too and even a little dancing!
Awards Winners List
Road Racer – Colin Chambers
Cycle Cross Female – Ella Chatfield
Cycle Cross Male – Stuart Evans
Women Open TT – Monica Walder
Male Open TT – Chris Woods
Junior Male – Olly Haysom
Junior Female – Ella Chatfield
Youth Award – Seb Szarzynski
Male Club TT – Michael Mackie
Female Club TT – Tanya Zazuliak
Cyclist of the Year – Neil Berridge
Most Improved Cyclist – Tanya Zazuliak
Best Newcomer – Tomas Dixon
Club Spirit Award – Tim Caig
Unsung Hero – Jo Davies
Most Consistent Rider – Wayne Bailey
King/Queen of the Road – Rupert Robinson
Puncture Pro – Steve Martin
Ride Leader Of The Year – Don Reed
Best captured moment – Sabina Hickmet
Well deserved wins all round!
60th Rides
With a little planning 4 rides were planned to fit into our structured categories, 2 rides at 60 kilometres, 2 rides at 60 miles, all planned to a tee to meet in the middle at the Tanhouse Coffee stop.
The 60th Anniversary E Ride
On a damp and murky late November Saturday morning, Wayne Bailey, Neil Berridge, Tomas Dixon, Gary Thayre, Tanya Zazuliak, and I (Paul Budgen) set off to celebrate the Crawley Wheeler’s 60th anniversary with a sixty-mile E ride.
The group was a blend of longstanding and more recent members, with a gap of over forty-five years between the ages of the youngest and older riders. Along the way, I learned that Gary had been a club member several years ago before rejoining recently.
Our route took us up Tollgate Hill, then onto Colgate and Horsham. We then passed through the villages of Rowhook and Ewhurst before tackling two climbs in the Surrey Hills, where Neil paced us very proficiently up to Holmbury St Mary.
A bit of maths and a touch of luck allowed us to arrive at Tanhouse Farm moments after the D ride group. This ride departed from the recent Saturday E ride format of 50 miles with a quick roadside snack stop halfway. Instead, we enjoyed a slightly longer route and met with the other groups at the cafe.
We set off again after a sociable break and a group photo to capture the moment. The second half of the ride was much flatter, and by now, everyone had spent time at the front at some point. I found a reserve of energy and put in an effort from Charlwood to Salfords before settling back into the middle of the group again.
The final stretch included a climb up to the Outwood Windmill before we made our way back towards Crawley. We completed our 60 miles and climbed over 2700 feet, just above the guideline speed of 17mph.
It was a fantastic way to mark 60 years of the Crawley Wheelers with a challenging ride and great company.