Medway Velo is saddened to hear of the passing of former member Dick Wallis.

A strong time triallist for the club for many years, Dick achieved many club records across solo, tandem and team categories, including the 24 hour distance record of 436 miles which still stands.

Dick’s son Antony, also a former velo, has become a successful racing cyclist, and the club offers it sympathy and thoughts to him, and the family.

2023 saw the welcome return of the annual club party and prize presentation event, where cups are distributed and a good time had by all.

Trek-Lidl pro Elynor Backstedt was the special guest, and was interviewed by host, Andy Hawes as well as distributing the various prizes to the winners.

Winners of awards were as follows:

10 mile men: Matt Nunn

10 mile women, and club events (women): Sally Smith

15 mile: Aiga Kolosova

50 mile: Mike Stanley

Hill climb: Tom Patrick

Club Events (men): Jon Graciano

Team time trial: Mike Stanley and Jon Graciano

Road racing cups: Katie Painter

Sportive rider award: Bill Stacey

Club Person of the year: Rachel Hartridge

Over £400 was raised for Cancer Research in the raffle and the club is grateful for donations from the following businesses; AC Performance Bike Fit, Freedom Fitness, Chopra and Associates, Hannah Smyth Lashes, Rodmersham Coffee Shop, Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway, and Jade Barton Personal Trainer.

The club wishes to express their thanks to Charlie Bruce who organised the event, Andy Hawes for hosting, and Rachel Hartridge and Sally Smith for organising the raffle, and thanks to all who attended.

The annual KCA reliability ride, a test of rider and machine against the weather conditions, saw seven velos out to win points for the club, defending their third place from the previous year, in a ride in which cycling clubs compete against each other based on the number of riders in their respective club(s).

Phil Booth, returning from a bout of not having had enough time to ride his bike, opted for the shorter 50km distance. Whilst two groups set out to tackle to full length 100 mile route, one containing Rachel Hartridge, Simon Tucker, and Dave Croud started in Hunton, whilst Sally Smith, Mike Stanley, and Rob Kennison started at Potters Corner on the A20.

All of the riders contended with spells, of rain, heavy rain, and downpours, alongside breaks in the weather that saw rainbow’s across the Weald of Kent, and all seven finished within the time limits set out by the organisers.

Well done to all those who rode, and thank you to the KCA for putting on the event.

Velo’s Tom Patrick concluded his hill climb season for the club by taking 13th on the Ditchling Beacon Hill climb, organised by Sussex Nomads.

Racing in the passing rain from storm Babet, Tom completed the mile long closed road climb in 5:14.6, good enough for 13th place out of 69 finishers, although a good number of riders opted to DNS because of the weather.

Well done Tom and thank you for repping the velo colours, and thanks to Sussex Nomads for putting the event on.

A busy weekend of the final Kentish time trials and hill climbs off the year saw a velo victory, with the hill climbers also in action.

First up was Aiga Kolosova, racing in the VTTA 15 time trial held on the Hamstreet by pass. Despite being only one of her first time trials Aiga claimed a victory as the winner of ladies category in time of exactly 39 minutes, this also breaking the club record for the distance formerly held by Sally Smith.

Many thanks to Bob Giles and his team of helpers, including MVC member David Mackey, for putting on the event.

Three velos travelled to West Kent to compete in the Catford Hill Climb, one of the longest running events in cycling, held on the short but steep York’s Hill Climb.

Tom Patrick lead the velo’s home with a time of 2:12, with Mike Stanley and Jon Graciano starting a minute apart, Mike recording 3:02 and Jon 3:05.

The Catford event traditionally forms a double header with the Bec CC event held on Titsey Lane held in the afternoon of the same day, and Tom went for both events, coming in with a time of 2:11.7.

Thank you to the Catford and Bec clubs for putting on their events, and well done to all of the velo’s repping the red, white, and green.

Photos courtesy of Simon Tucker and Phil Booth.

Velo’s Katie Painter claimed enough points for her second category licence by taking fifth at the West Thames Autumn Crits held at the Hillingdon Cycling Circuit.

Racing over the tight closed road circuit, the 50 minute race came down to a sprint and Katie claimed fifth place the E123 race won by Rebecca Clowes.

Well done Katie on another excellent performance, and thank you to the organisers an volunteers at Hillingdon.

The late season Wigmore CC hill climb saw a number of velos taking on Hollingbourne Hill, with new member Tom Patrick taking the Medway Towns trophy.

Faced with the course of just under one mile Tom covered the course in an impressive time of 3:34.1, good enough to be the fastest rider from the various Medway Towns based cycling clubs (although sadly only the two main clubs were represented this year).

Second fastest for the velo was Mike Stanley who came home in 4:19.7 with Jon Graciano hot on his heels with 4:21.1 and Matt Nunn not far behind with 4:32.6.

In the ladies category Aiga Kolosova started well, but unfortunately was a DNF.

Overall winner of the race was Joshua Allen of Elevate RT in a time of 3:01.6.

Thank you to Robert Philbrook and his team of volunteers from the Wigmore for putting on the event.

In Hertfordshire Katie Painter continued her impressive season of road racing by taking 10th in the Hitchin Nomads 2/3/4 race. Entering the final lap in a group of 21 riders the race was destined to end in a bunch sprint, and Katie held her place well.

Well done to all those who repped the velo colours this weekend, and thank you to the organisers and marshals.

(photos courtesy of James Bell and Andy Hawes)

The club is saddened to hear of the death of long standing member Ray Brogan.

Although Ray suffered a stroke a few years ago he remained a member of the club, and his good humour was a feature of the clubs annual trip to the Gent six day, as well as club AGMs and events. A long time racer Ray had also been the chair of the British Cyclo Cross Association prior to its merger with British Cycling.

Described by other members as a pleasure to talk to, and one of life’s nice guys, Ray will be sadly missed by the club, and we send our condolences to his wife Kath.

Velo’s Katie Painter continued her strong vein of form by taking second place in the Maria Thompson Memorial Road Race held on the Norwood Hill circuit in Surrey.

Despite racing with second category women Katie took second place in the 50 mile road race, which included over 700 metres of climbing, building on her strong finish the previous week.

Well done Katie, and thank you to Kingston Wheelers for organising the event.

Velo’s Katie Painter, claimed an excellent 11th place at the National B Leigh Day Women’s GP race which was open to elite through to third category racers, and held at the Bovingdon Bomber circuit.

With the race being run on the smooth an grippy 1km circuit the finale came down to a bunch sprint that was won by Georgia Lancaster of Brother UK.

Well done Katie for a fantastic performance and thank you to the organisers for putting on the event.