News
Surrey League Prize Winnings
Thirsty? Then ask one of the club's road racers to buy you a drink because they might be quids-in. The season's come to an end and the Surrey League has totted up its ranking points. As already reported on here, the club's Steve Saunders finished second in the rankings this year. But the philosopher in you might ponder, what do points mean?
Prizes of course and Steve gets a useful haul of £281 but the club's riders collected £1,001 together, putting the club in fourth place behind the flush VC Meudon, London Dynamo and Norwood Paragon. The cash has been received and those eligible will receive a cheque in due course from the club's money man, Will Meers.
Club Awards and Silverware
You might have seen those ads on TV promising the alchemy of gold into cash but now is the time of year when sweat can be converted into shiny silver.
There is plenty of silverware up for grabs and if you have not already done so, please contact the club with your best time trial times this season. Whether you've ridden a 10 or a 100, you might find there's a trophy, especially since some are awarded to the runner-up and others are awarded for consistent riding across several distances. Some have already been touch but we don't want to miss anyone so please contact the club by the end of the week to avoid missing out as the jury can only award trophies for known performances.
Tarik Djeddour Turns Pro
Fresh from a silver medal in the duathlon world championships, Tarik Djeddour is moving on to triathlon and as a full-time professional athlete for the Optima Racing Team.
Earlier this year Tarik went on sabbatical from a top management consultancy firm, to focus on duathlon for six months. Mission accomplished, he returned to work, but as he puts it "I went back to the job as planned, only to discover that whilst the job was as I'd left it, I had fundamentally changed" and so the future's taken a new twist. For the full story, visit Tarik's blog.
Photo: Duathlon World Championships
Tarik Djeddour on his way to a silver medal in the World Duathlon Championships. Click on the photo for more images.
Webmaster
It's back to normal for the website, please send in your stories to info@kingstonwheelers.com as usual.
Stunning Silver at the World Duathlon Championships
Fantastic silver success for Tarik Djeddour. Click here to read the story.
Cyclo Cross at Hillingdon
Henry Dawson achieved his best ever London X League result on Saturday, finishing 3rd in the U14 Youth category. In a close fought race he held the lead until the penultimate lap where he condeeded to eventual winner Noah Phillips (VC Londres), Despite being in the first year of his age group he has made a successful transition to the Youth and this result follows a 2nd placing at Bike Blenheim and a Central X league win at Luton.
60 second interview: Martin O'Sullivan
How has the season gone so far?
It's been a great season where I have really exceeded my expectations, the cycling was meant to fill a void after some good success as a runner in my teens and 20’s, but after this season I feel more positive and hope to continue to improve. The other thing I have enjoyed is the camaraderie between the Wheelers at events.
Best moment this season?
The best moment by far was the improvement in my 10 mile PB. My aim was to crack 24 for 10 miles, so to get down to 21.13 was a real bonus and a brilliant excuse to persuade my wife to let me buy a disk wheel for next year, for those extra 13 seconds!
Worst moment this season?
I was thrilled to get into the Wheelers A team for the Surrey League TTT and felt that I would be ok and do my bit. Having to pull directly after Steve though was brutal. Each time I came through I was already in the red, so it was only a matter of time before I popped. It all happened so suddenly, the experience though was invaluable particularly riding with Steve, Phil and also Luke, who will I am sure achieve great things in the sport.
Describe a typical week's training:
Tuesday and Thursday – turbo session, some laps of Richmond park on Saturday, then the club run on Sunday.
Any more races coming up or what plans do you have for next year?
I think I am done for the season, so the big aim has to be to break 21 for 10 miles next season; a trip to mont ventoux is on the cards and maybe a handicap race to break me into the racing scene. I also plan to spend far too much on my bikes.
London Dynamo Hill Climb
Neighbouring club London Dynamo ran a similar event to our hill climb last Saturday, on Leith Hill but with a slightly longer course. Luke Wallis was second fastest on the day, an excellent result, just four seconds behind the winner, Chris McNamara (Team Corley - Cervélo). Also in the race was Phil Ember, who finished in 12th spot and Leona Kadir was 27th.
"Pretty pleased with the ride, 4seconds! I wanted the win really but I'm not disapointed by any means as it was quite a good field. Two second places this year on Leith hill, maybe next year I can get a win on it", says Luke.
Club Membership
If you want to join the club, you can now sign up for a full year of membership, instead of paying for a half year's membership to take you through to the end of 2009. From now on, all new joiners will get a full year of membership from the day they sign-up instead of membership that expires on 31 December. So no big changes, it's just something aimed at making the admin of membership a bit easier for Danny Conway and Dave Wylie as well as helping members to get more value, when you join you won't get, say, 11 months of membership, you will always get a full year. For more on membership, click here.
Naz Peralta does the Royal Parks Half Marathon
Not quite up there with Maryka's Ironman, but the club's Time Trial secretary Naz Peralta did complete a half-marathon for charity on Sunday. Naz ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon on closed roads through Hyde Park, St James Park, the Mall and the Embankment. In his first ever timed run, Naz achieved 1 hour 54 minutes for the 13.1 miles. Naz and his work colleagues have so far raised over £4,700 for the NSPCC, donations can still be made, click here. "Many thanks to club members who have kindly donated to a good cause. I now have some idea what it must be like to run a full marathon. I think I will start time-trialling again, running is too much like hard work."
60 second interview: Luke Wallis
How has the season gone so far?
Really good.I made the progress I wanted to and have really enjoyed it so far. Looking forward to next season already!
Best moment this season?
Hard to pick but I would say riding the Pearsons Surrey League 5-day with Stewie, Damien, Jim, Tarik, Michael. Really good racing over five days. Everyone rode really well as a team during that race. Finishing second on the last stage, came very close to winning the stage. Maybe next year. Winning the Redmon CC hillclimb, small field but it was nice to win something!
Worst moment this season?
I was involved in a crash in May and tweaked my knee a bit, which was quite sore for a few weeks. Luckily it was fine just a minor injury. I managed to get back to the bunch, finishing sixth but disappointing as I should of placed higher. Other than that it's been Ok - touch wood.
Describe a typical week's training:
At the mo, during the week it's a mix of tempo and endurance rides varying between 1- 2.30hrs. Longer rides are done on my day off or at the weekends. Over winter for me its just a case of maintaining and building on fitness until summer. Higher Intensity intervals/specific stuff gets mixed in as well and increases as the racing season aproaches. I'm training around 12 hrs a week at the moment although that will probably increase slightly over winter ready for next season. I've just had a week off due to a cold so nothing too hard just yet.
Any more races coming up or what plans do you have for next year?
Maybe one or two hillclimbs but not much else other than training rides now until next season. I did think about doing some 'cross racing but I think I need a 'rest' as I've raced quite a bit so far this year. Might start next season early with some winter series races depending on how I feel. Next year one of my goals is getting my 1st cat license and to just keep progressing and enjoying the racing along the way. Hopefully some trips abroad as well.
Ironman World Championships
Maryka Sennema completed the course in Kona, Hawaii. She picked up a foot injury along the way but still made it to the end. Her times for the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and the 26.2 mile run were 01:09:21, 05:50:51 and 04:33:54 respectively, with a total time of 11:44:27.
Congratulations to Maryka for finishing in her first attempt. As the ad slogan goes, there are some things money can buy, but you can't buy an Ironman finisher t-shirt.
60 second interview: Leona Kadir
How has the season gone so far?
Reasonably well. It is my first season so don't anything to compare it to.. I've done a bit better than I expected to.
Best moment this season?
Probably my seventh place in one of the women's team series, it was one of the only races a break got away and the course just suited me perfectly. Aside from that, Crystal Palace or riding up Ventoux.
Worst moment this season?
Not racing, the Dragon Ride was the most miserable I've ever been on a ride. 190km with a cold is not fun.
Describe a typical week's training:
A bit all over the place at the moment but mid-season off Mon, race Tues, 1.5hr tempo or longish ride Wednesday, chaingang Thursday then Fri depended if I was racing Saturday or not.
Any more races coming up or what plans do you have for next year?
Nothing now really aside from maybe one or two of the winter series at Hillingdon. Next year I want to do more time trials and just get as much experience as I can racing.
New Pastures for Saunders
Steve Saunders has been flying the club's colours on the road racing front. This season he's got 26 top-10's, 14 top-5's, seven podiums and one win. Along the way he's picked up more titles than Peter Mandelson: SCCU Road Race Champion, Surrey League TT Champion, Kingston Wheelers Hill Climb Champion and - unless one of you wins the Giro di Lombardia - the Kingston Wheelers Road Race title is his.
But now Steve is heading for new pastures, or more accurately new alpine meadows. "My teaching career takes me to the Swiss Alps for January. I have no doubt I will be riding at every opportunity, but my own competitive racing will be playing second fiddle to what really is my dream job", writes Steve on his blog. He'll be taking up a new job near Aigle, just past the eastern end of Lake Geneva.
Aigle is also home to the UCI, the sport's governing body and their offices include an indoor velodrome. Steve will face tough choices every day, whether to go mountain biking, to take in silky smooth Swiss tarmac Alpine pass or to visit the local velodrome, not to mention the chance to go cross-country skiiing and more. You'll be able to follow Steve Saunders via his blog and Twitter.
Webmaster: a personal thanks to Steve, he's been one of the most high profile riders and if we all enjoy different aspects of cycling, it's good for the club to have people representing the club at the highest level. He's been quick to send in race reports too, making my online task easier. I remember him winning his first race at Hillingdon as a fourth cat not long ago and he's risen up the ranking very fast. He'd have that elite licence if he'd done more mid-week racing, he's got most of his points from the quality races on the calendar. Racing with him in the Surrey League's Revolutions you could see he's learned so much in a short space of time. From training to tactics, diet to recovery, he's got everything covered but you'll still get banter and a smile before and after a race. Best wishes to you Steve!
Postcard from Kona
Maryka Sennema is just a few days away from the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She's out there with partner Jim Ley and has sent in this postcard.
It's now halfway between our arrival to Kona and race day, and I actually feel normal again. Jetlag from the 24-hour trip - and along with it an 11-hour timezone shift - have passed, though we still rise every day before 6.00am: early mornings are the best part of the day here. We've been surrounded by fit, fast, and bronze-bodied triathletes since we left Heathrow, sharing our flight with over a dozen other competitors judging from all the bike boxes that were unloaded at LAX. The flight to Kona was entirely filled with people sporting Ironman finisher's shirts and M-dot tattoos, and every day more arrive here to enhance any feelings of insecurity or inadequacy I might have had about this race. That girl running 6-minute miles, is she in my age group? That guy motorpacing, surely he's a pro? TT bikes outnumber every other type of bike 10-to-1. Not a minute goes by without someone running down the road past our flat, and on the highway it's one cyclist after another, all riding alone in full aero mode. Mornings at the beach are packed with people swimming the course, followed by the required breakfast at the iconic Lava Java bistro. It's all a bit overwhelming... and it's not even race week yet!
So today instead of wrestling my bike through 40mph crosswinds, running in 30 degree heat or swimming mile after mile with the tropical fish -- all of which I've done in the past few days - we took a day just to be tourists. With a rented boogie board we headed to the beach where I tried my hand at surfing with the local kids while Jim sat in the shade with his book. It was a welcome relief from the constant reminder that everyone here for this race is just as fit and ready as you are, with the speed, body and kit to prove it.
Any training I do from now on will just be to satisfy my mind and keep my body reminded that there's a race to come. I've come to know the course, I've steeled myself for the relentless heat and wind that are hallmarks of Ironman Hawaii, and I've made sure everything I can do to prepare has been done. Now it's just a waiting game until Saturday when all of us line up at the start, eyeing each other warily and wondering who will have the race of their lives and who will be reduced to a cramping shuffling mess by the finish. Needless to say, the former is the only option for me!
2009 trophy winners
You can view the clubs awards online. If you think you qualify for an award this year, or if you would like to nominate anyone, please contact Naz Peralta who will be putting the details together. Prizes will be finalised in October so that we have time for engraving.
Existing holders will be asked to return their silverware shortly. Please given them a polish before returning them.
Photo: John Bornhoft Hill Climb
Hill Climb
Pete Tadros interview from Rob Enslin on Vimeo.
Congratulations to Pete Tadros (In Gear RT) for his win on Leith Hill in the club's John Bornhoft Memorial Hill Climb. Tadros won with a course record and ahead of Chris McNamara (Team Corley Cycles) and the club's own Steve Saunders. Steve wins the club's Hill Climb Championship. Many other riders posted good times and well done to all who made it up.
The race is growing steadily each year and this year's vintage had 43 entrants. Riders faced a change in the weather with cooler temperatures and blustery conditions although the climb itself was relatively sheltered. Things were warmed up by a large and supportive crowd towards the top of the climb which helped to spur many riders on. Many thanks to all those who helped to make the event a success.
Race organiser Tim Lawn also rode. "My "cunning plan" of setting myself of first worked as I was sitting on top of the podium for nearly half an hour before Sylvain Garde went under four minutes and smashed my time by nearly 20 seconds", said Tim. Rob Leslie apparently turned in a stunning PB by five seconds off the back of three weeks secret training with Mark "The Badger" Briers.
The seeding seemed nearly spot on this year. With the exception of Sylvain Garde, the top ten were all in the last ten starters and the top three were the last three in reverse order.
"You would have heard me mention that there were only two clubs with qualifying teams (us and the Norwood Paragon), but if there had been further prizes, the Paragon would have been pushed into third place by the Wheelers "B team" of Lawn, Ember & Storms!" added Tim. [Webmaster: Tim won't mention this often but he finished ninth in the national hill climb championships on Ditchling Beacon in the 1990s]
Click here for the full results.
Gezza's Journal
Club cabbie Gezza Rosen's penned a new update to his cycling journal. He joined the club in late 200 and as he'll remind you, he's a "big boned" London cabbie but he's also got the cycling bug. He's been chronicling his conversion to cycling and has now made a new entry to his journal. You can read about his racing "up North" and why he's not been on the bike as much as he'd like and above all, his plans to move to Spain next year. Click here for more.
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