It’s been a while since we’ve had a regular social get together, so starting this Friday we’re introducing Pub Night! This week 6th May we’ll be gathering at The Fruiterers Arms in Rodmersham from 7.30. 13th May The Three Sisters Otterham Quay Lane, Rainham. Please let Rob Kennison if you have a favourite pub in the local area, and he’ll add it to the schedule.

Phil Booth returned once again to Northern France to take on the Paris Roubaix Challenge, ridden over the cobbles of the Hell of the North the on the same day as the Paris Roubaix Femmes Race.

Battling over 19 sectors of fearsome cobble stones, including the three five star sectors of Trouee d’Arenberg, Mons en Pevele and Carrefour de l’arbre, Phil completed his 150km event in six hours.

Having suffered mechanical issues and punctures in previous years, some requiring novel solutions to fix his bike, Phil is pleased to report he suffered no mishaps this year.

Mike Stanley opened his open TT season with a new personal best over 25 miles.

Competing in the KCA event held on a warm but deceptively blustery Hamstreet bypass Mike came home in 1:03:10.

Mike had warmed up earlier in the week in the Gravesend CC evening Club 10, despite having some issues out on the Isle of Grain course Mike completed the event in 27:17.

Well done Mike!

Phil Booth took on the Amstel Gold Toerversie, the sportive version of the Dutch spring classic based in Valkenburg in the south of country and taken on by over 30,000 participants.

Having previously ridden the 165km event in warm spring sunshine, this year Phil took one of the different routes heading north around Maastricht and faced very different weather conditions; with the temperature little more than a few degrees above freezing he faced several hailstorms and rain, strong winds, with only odd breaks of sunny and dry weather.

11 climbs were included this year, including the one cobbled climb, the most difficult and well know climb is the Cauberg which is the final climb and with a gradient of 13% one which reduces many participants to walking, however Phil successfully took on all of the climbs, and completed the event in a little over 5 hours, good going given the poor weather.

Phil goes again next Saturday in the Paris Roubaix Challenge in northern France.

Father and son duo Rob and Tom Kennison took the ferry across the channel to take part in the Gent Wevelgem sportive which tackles 220km of the spring classic route.

Passing by many sites associated with the Ieper Salient of the Western Front of World War I, the Kennisons took on gravel roads, and several cobbled climbs, including the Kemmelberg with its gradients close to 20%.

Rob and Tom finished in a strong time of 8 hours.

Well done both!

Matt Nunn opened his road racing season at the GFTL Kent League Circuit Race at the Gravesend cyclopark.

Racing with other third category riders in blustery conditions Matt finished a creditable 26th, leading his bunch home.

Matt’s main season goal is an ironman triathlon but we will watch his other races with interest.

Fourteen Velo riders met to ride routes of 100km or 100 miles in memory of Neil Ord who died earlier in the year.

Tackling the hills along the North Downs all of the participants were raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Thank you to all those who donated.

A wet and windy Ardingly Showground greeted three mighty Medway Velo riders as they closed the cyclocross season at the London League CX Team Champs.

On Sunday 13 February Rob Kennison, Michael Stanley and Sally Smith teamed up to showcase the red, white and green at the fun event. 

Hosted by Crawley Wheelers the 50 min lap race involved a staggered start with strongest rider taking grid one, next grid 2 and so on with each wave starting 45secs apart.

Rob started in the first grid and got off to a flyer as the rain lashed down. He finished lap 1 in the top ten but a series of spills in the sand school resulted in him take 26th overall.

Michael took grid 2 starting strong and improving throughout. A few offs in the sand saw him drop a few places but he finished with a smile on his face in 102nd.

Sally was 3rd and final rider off for the team and had a good tussle with a few riders. Despite a few slips and scoots she managed to stay upright to finish a few places behind Michael in 107th (8th lady & 2nd Vet lady).

Overall a fun event enjoyed by all. Thanks to Crawley Wheelers.

Rob Kennison  rode the HSBC British Cycling National Cyclocross Championships at the South of England Showground in Sussex on Saturday 8 January.

The course was very muddy with some difficult cambered sections and a huge wall of a run up. 

Rob started 82nd on the grid but made a good start and managed to slide his way past others through the mud, and ride a little further than some “had to run” sections.
He managed to complete the whole 4 lap, 13km race without incident and managed a satisfying 21st place in his age category. 

Afterwards Rob said: “I have never ridden such a challenging course in such difficult conditions, the mud was both slippery and sticky at the same time! Big thanks to Matt Nunn who was my pit man keeping my bikes clean and offering invaluable vocal advice.”