Shropshire Cycling Clubs Association’s annual presentation attracted around 100 riders and supporters to Ellerdine Village Hall as club runs converged from all points of the County compass to cheer on the season’s winners. SCCA Chair Helen Tudor opened proceedings by introducing Guest of Honour Val Ross, a long standing member of Liverpool District for the sport’s governing body Cycling Time Trials.
Helen spoke about how good it was to see so many member clubs represented and the intense level of friendly competition across four major series and in individual championships which had seen many riders take the opportunity to test themselves at County level, with the Association in a healthy position and Shropshire being recognised as a hotbed of time trialling as a result. She thanked all the event promoters, Association supporters, clubs, helpers and timekeepers who gave their time freely to ensure that a rich and full programme was maintained. She had special thanks for the support received from Ellerdine Village Hall and it’s volunteers who always ensured a warm welcome to the multiple events using it as a base, drawing an appreciative round of applause from the crowd.
But before the medals and trophies were handed out there was a shock for SCCA Secretary Dave Fletcher who was astounded to be presented with a CTT Certificate of Honour for services to the District.
With many winners in the hall it was standing room only at the back with Bronze, Silver and Gold medals being distributed first, covering individual Championships, Team Championships, Cyclo-Cross, Road Racing, Open and Inter Club solo Series, as well as Hill Climb and 2-Up Series, and the rare 4-Up format Championship, showing the sheer variety of competitions available to suit rider preference. Riders earning more than four medals were presented with commemorative trophies, before the major winners were called forward to receive their trophies.
The Association has steadily extended the range of trophies available to win as funds have allowed and thanks to generous donations, with the first new trophy going to Wrekinsport CC’s Chris Halford for winning the SB Veteran’s Inter-Club Series. Halford just missed out on the overall Inter-Club Trophy thanks to a last gasp win from Dan Watts who snatched that trophy at the death.
Early trophies went to two Nova Raiders, with first year rider Dean Callister taking home The Gordon Davies Trophy for winning the 10 mile Championship and Dean Dovey winning The President’s Trophy for most competitive rider. Meanwhile Holohan Coaching’s Kirk Vickers took two distance trophies thanks to wins in the 25 and 50 mile Championships whilst surrendering the Hill Climb Trophy he has made his own since it’s inception to Mule CC’s David Scott by the narrowest of two point margins.
The Hill Climb Trophies all went to new winners with Veteran’s honours going to North Shropshire Wheelers’ Richard Kay, Women’s honours going to Hafren CC’s Emma Sarjeant, and Junior honours falling to Revolutions Racing’s Henri Bedford in his first season at the discipline. Bedford also retained the SB Junior Inter-Club Trophy after a dogged and determined defence, setting many personal bests along the way.
Bedford wasn’t the only Junior to win big with Kieran Morris winning the Shropshire Star Junior Best All Rounder Trophy, The Shropshire Junior Championship Shield and The Buz Hughes Shield to round off a fine season.
There were also big wins for another brace of Hafren CC riders as Louise Hurdley took the Women’s Inter-Club Trophy after a determined effort that has seen her travel all over the County in defence of a lead she maintained for the majority of the season, and Ian Nisbett who also fought hard to win the Shropshire Championship Shield after a superb win in the Friction Hydraulics Series.
The big solo winners were left until last with Nova Raiders’ Deb Hutson-Lumb having a stellar season, taking home the biggest haul in living memory of eight trophies. Hutson-Lumb split her wins 5-3 across Women’s and Veteran’s Trophies, with husband Bernard teased that he would have to build a new shelf to display them all. Those Women’s trophies were: The Brian and Gill Morrison Trophy for winning the Women’s 25 mile Championship, the Women’s 50 mile Trophy, Shropshire Women’s Trophy for Women’s Friction Hydraulics Series win, The Gordon Davies Women’s Trophy for fastest 10, and the Women’s Best All Rounder Trophy. But it is her superb run of Veteran’s wins that impress the most, taking the Veteran’s Best All Rounder, the Jim Heath Trophy for winning the Veteran’s 50 mile Championship, and the Veteran’s Shropshire Championship Trophy. One she didn’t take however was the Women’s 100 mile Trophy after having to pull over with back issues, with SCCA Chair Helen Tudor retaining that Championship.
The winner of the overall 100 mile Trophy was again Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Victor Chetta, who also won The Cliff Ash Best All Rounder Trophy for an impressive sixth year on the trot.
Proceedings ended with the presentation of team trophies with three to hand out for the Coaching Revolutions 2-Up Championship. Women’s winners were Alison Dockney and Sarah Grant, whilst a hard won victory saw Hafren CC’s Emma Sarjeant and Mark Hill take the mixed team plaudits. Meanwhile Nova Raiders’ Ed Middleton once again carved his name on the Overall 2-Up Trophy but this time with new partner Nick Long.
The second new trophy of the afternoon was kindly donated by Nova Raiders, with Newport Shropshire CC’s Team Pink comprising Rosemary Homer, Sarah Roberts, Dawn Cook and Tina Tomkinson winning the Women’s 4-Up Trophy by 17 seconds, whilst Wrekinsport Team A containing Rich Smith, Chris Halford, Tomos Hales and Allan Henderson lifted The John Farr 4-Up Trophy for the first time. The ceremony ended with the presentation of The Top Club Award to Nova Raiders, a Trophy they have made their own in recent years.
