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

Result: Hill climb, Dean Hill 17th February 2019

A record low of just 6 riders faced the team keeper for this morning's ascent of Dean Hill despite the reasonable conditions.

Here's the result:

1. Justin Menhenett, Sotonia CC 2 mins 26 secs
2. Patryk Rucki, Sotonia CC 2.52
3. Jon Legg, Sotonia CC 2.55
4. Cameron Taylor, Sotonia CC 3.03
5. David Barnes, Come & Try 3.14
6. Greg Mead, Come & Try 3.17

Thanks to Jon Chapman for organising and the timekeepers, Dave Crocker, Martin Napier and Ian Stewart marshal, Graham  Harman and pusher off Gawain Young turning out to give the 'Magnificent Sextet' a ride.

Here's each of the riders making their starting efforts: https://youtu.be/Ob_BmOfhTF4

by Julian Gee

Time to get social

The Sotonia Annual Dinner and prize giving will take place in the evening on Friday 1st February at Totton Football Club. Timing is 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start.

We are hoping this will be a really fun event, with a different venue and a different format to previous years.

Tickets are £12 per person. Only Sotonia members can buy tickets, buy please feel free to get an additional ticket for a partner or friend even if they aren't a member. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Daniel Lloyd is well known as a presenter on the Global Cycling Network (GCN) YouTube channel as well as being a cycling commentator. He finished second in the 2007 and 2009 British National Road Race Championships, and will be presenting the prizes and doing a Q&A session, as well as being available for general mingling and photos.

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sotonia-cc-annual-dinner-tickets-54667115815

by Julian Gee

2019 Founders Day - back to our roots

The venue for the 2019 Founders Day run on Sunday 6th January is The Mill Arms at Dunbridge (Barley Hill, Dunbridge, Romsey SO51 0LF).

This traditional first Sunday of the year get together has been held to celebrate the founding of the club in 1967 and there is an open invitation to all club members and their families to meet for a lunchtime get together. Many will ride out to the pub, or call in on their way back from the club run or just drive out if you prefer - the choice, as they say, is yours!

The Mill Arms was a traditional venue for Founders Day and was used extensively in the 1970's for that purpose as you can see below, so it is good to go back to the club's roots by making it the venue again in 2019.

No need to book, just get the date in your diary and turn up on the day!

Where to find The Mill Arms

by Julian Gee

Traditional pre-Christmas American Supper.

It's Christmas, so it's back...

From Martin Napier: I have booked Room 1 at The Valley Park. Community Association from 8pm until 10pm, on Tuesday 18th December, for our traditional Pre-Christmas Sotonia Cyclists' American Supper.

You should know the form by now - bring along a selection of food &/or drinks, & we share all that is 'on-the-table' (or tables hopefully !)

We can & will prepare hot drinks in the kitchen, you just need to bring along savoury or sweet food items !

(No need to dress up as 'posh' as in the retro picture!)

All are welcome !!!

by Julian Gee

Results: Autumn Hill Climb Sunday 18th November 2018

It was bright, fine day for the new date for the postponed hillclimb of Dean Hill, which was moved from its original October date due to inclement weather.

However, despite the ideal conditions only 11 riders faced the timekeeper and times were slower than normal, but the fight for the podium positions was tight with Brook Elgie, coming out as top climber on the day:

1. Brook Elgie, Sotonia CC , 2 minutes 32 seconds
2. Cameron Taylor, Sotonia CC, 2.37
3. Stefan Freson, Salisbury Road & Mountain CC, 2.38
4. Phil Godfrey, Sotonia CC, 2.39
5. Red Walters, Sotonia CC, 2.42
6. Paul Edmonds, Come & Try it, 2.46
7. Jon Legg, Sotonia CC, 2.55
8. James Peckham, Sotonia CC, 2.57
9. Patryk Rucki, Sotonia CC, 3.00
10. Gordon Squire, Come & Try it, 3.05
11. Mark Kibblewhite, Salisbury Road & Mountain CC, 3.43

by Julian Gee

Action from our interclub time trial with New Forest CC

A write-up of the event and full results can be found here

https://youtu.be/dEgqbDQENZw

by Julian Gee