C. A. RHODES MEMORIAL AWARD
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and Sheffrec Cycling Club
RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD - 1970 TO 1979
Won the British Best All Rounder Competition with a record average speed of 25.958 m.p.h., won the National 12 hours T.T. Championship with 279.4 miles and established 50 miles Competition Record of 1 hour, 43 mins. 46 secs.
John Watson entered the sport in 1966 and quickly proved himself a top-class rider in both time trials and road races. In 1967 he won the National 100 miles T.T. Championship, in 1968 he represented Great Britain in the Mexico Olympic Games, in 1969 he represented his country in the World Cycling Championships and also won the National 12 hours T.T. Championship with a record 281.8 miles.
His 1970 B.B.A.R. winning margin was an exceptional 0.8 m.p.h. and he also excelled in recording fastest-of-the-year performances of 1.43.46, 3.53.58, and 279.4 miles at the three qualifying distances. His 50 miles in 1.43.46 beat the existing record by 3 mins. 52 secs. a post war record margin.
His outstanding achievements have brought great honour to him, to his club Clifton C.C., and to the County.
Won the 1970 R.T.T.C. National Hill Climb Championship and thus established a record in becoming the first competitor to win the hill climb title on four occasions.
His record in the Championship is unsurpassed and outstanding to a degree, in that in addition to occupying first place in 1963, 1965, 1969 and 1970, he also attained a minor placing in each of the 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1968 events, amassing a total of eight individual Championship medallions in an eight year period.
His example served to encourage his team-mates to give of their best, resulting in his club team – Huddersfield Star Wheelers – winning six champion team titles in the Hill Climb Championships of 1964, 1965 and 1967 to 1970 inclusive.
His achievements have enhanced the prestige of the county and added further laurels to the many successes enjoyed by Yorkshire riders since the inception of the Championship in 1944.
Following a highly successful racing career with Barnsley R.C. he became a founder member of Birdwell Wheelers C.C. in 1949. He served as Club Secretary for next eighteen years and has been Club President since 1967.
Jim Carr is noted in South Yorkshire as a prolific event organiser, with a total of over 100 promotions already to his credit, including the fantastic figure of twenty four 12-hour events and thirty-three 100 mile events, and National Championships at these distances.
He has served on the committee of North Midlands D.C. of R.T.T.C. for almost 30 years, has been a R.T.T.C. National Councillor, and for many years has officiated as a timekeeper, handicapper and B.C.F. Commissaire. For the past 10 years he has also acted as local organiser for the R.O.S.P.A. Child Cycling Proficiency Scheme.
His contribution to Yorkshire cycling is immeasurable and outstanding to the greatest degree, and is deserving of the highest possible praise.
In 1973 Ian White won both the R.T.T.C. National 50 miles and 100 miles T.T. Championships in 1.53.53 and 3.59.59 respectively, becoming only the sixth rider in the past 30 years to take the two titles in the same year.
He entered the sport in 1963 and by 1965 was noted as a specialist at the shorter distance time trials. However he suffered a serious accident in December 1966, sustaining a broken knee, and was unable to ride again until late in 1969.
He returned to peak form in 1970 and achieved a time of 1.47.34 in that year’s Clifton C.C. Open 50 and finished in 12th place in the B.B.A.R.
In 1972 he secured 3rd and 2nd placings respectively in the National 50 miles and 100 miles T.T. Championships; he was also a member of the Yorkshire team which took 2nd place in the National 100 kms. T.T.T. Championship.
Successful in 1973 in several road races, time trials and team time trials; rode the fastest ‘50’ of the year (1.50.30) and achieved an excellent third placing against international opposition in the ‘Chrono Madeleinois’ 50 km. time trial in France.
Ian White has shown great courage and determination in overcoming the handicap of his knee injury, and his Championship victories have brought great honour to himself, to his club Clifton C.C. and to the County of Yorkshire.
As a professional cyclist competing on the Continent against the cream of Europe’s riders he had an outstanding season in 1974. His successes included a stage win and first place in the ‘Hot Spot Sprint’ series in the Tour de France, first place in the classic Ghent – Wevelgem road race and first place in the Paris – Bourge road race. In all he won twelve star studded road events during the year.
He entered competitive cycling in 1955 at the age of 15 and over the years showed rapid improvement and great adaptability, winning the National Pursuit Championship in 1960 and 1961, and also in the latter year, the National 50 miles Time Trial Championship. Later that year he became domiciled in Belgium to seek the necessary experience towards fulfilling his ambition of becoming a first rank professional. During 1962 and 1963, still as an amateur, he won 34 Continental events and competed in the 1963 Tour de l’Avenir; after which event he turned professional and in October of that year signed a contract with the Mercier team.
Since that date his ambition has been truly realised. He has competed in eight Tour’s de France, winning seven stages on various occasions. He has shone in six-day events and has been automatic choice for the British Team in World Professional Championships.
As one of the most accomplished and versatile riders Great Britain has ever produced, his achievements have brought great and lasting honour both to himself and to the County of Yorkshire.
An outstanding professional cyclist and a member of the Bantel team, he won eighteen professional road races in 1975 and finished the season as winner of the Prestige Pernod U.K. Trophy (based on placings in selected events), 60 points ahead of the runner-up.
Born in Middlesbrough, he entered competitive cycling as a schoolboy in 1963, and in that year won the Tees-side Division Schoolboys R.R. Championship. A highly successful amateur career followed, marked by stage wins in the 1968 and 1969 Tours of Britain, riding for the England and Great Britain teams respectively. In his four years (1966 – 1969) as a senior amateur, he recorded no less than 50 road race performances.
He turned professional early in 1970 and celebrated the year by winning seven events, including the London – Holyhead R.R. (265 miles) and represented Britain in that year’s World Pro. R.R. Championship (an honour he also achieved in 1972). Six wins followed in 1971, he won 22 events in 1972 (a pro. record still unbeaten), 13 events in 1973 and 10 events in 1974.
Although the National Championship has eluded him to date, he is regarded as one of the leading figures of the British professional class, and is famed for his devastating sprint finishes. His successes reflect great credit both on himself and the county of his birth.
In recognition of having attained a consistently high level of performance in time trials covering many years of competition, and rendering a valuable contribution within the sport by administration and organisation.
From modest beginnings in the late 1950s he showed his potential in 1959 and then proceeded to establish his prowess over the next 18 years at all distances from 25 miles to 12 hours, gaining many honours with Competition Records, National Championships and high placings in the British Best All Rounder Competition, which included first place, second place, third place twice, and a place in the ‘top twelve’ in the final tables eleven times in 13 years.
Michael has made a great contribution to the success of his club Rockingham C.C. in becoming B.B.A.R. team winners on three occasions and National Championship Team Champions three times also.
Moreover, during this period involving racing and training concentration he has organised and promoted his Club’s Open 25 miles event for 13 years and has also served on the R.T.T.C. District Committee for 17 years.
By his sustained performances he is held in high esteem, and his achievements over the years have brought great honour both to himself and to the County of Yorkshire.
1970 - Edward John Watson
1971 - Granville Sydney
1972 - Jim Carr
1973 - Ian White
1974 - Barry Hoban
1976 - Michael McNamara
An outstanding servant of Yorkshire cycling as an administrator and organiser.
Born at Garforth and living most of his life in the Leeds district, he originally joined the Cyclists’ Touring Club in 1934 but then became a member of Leeds Wheelers in 1935 until that club disbanded in 1958, when he became a Private Member of the National Cyclists’ Union. He served as club secretary from 1938 and then as a delegate to the N.C.U. and the Road Time Trials Council except for War Service in the Army. Appointed N.C.U. Central Treasurer in 1949, he held the post until amalgamation into the British Cycling Federation in 1959.
He was elected N.C.U. Centre Chairman in 1953 until 1959, and then became B.C.F. Division Chairman until his retirement in 1976. He has been a National Councillor of the B.C.F. from 1963 to date.
He was Chairman of West Riding Track League from 1952 to 1959 and has assisted the C.T.C. York Rally as Track Advisor from the late 1950s to date. He was a member of the R.T.T.C. District Committee from 1953 to 1958.
His service reflects utmost credit on himself and has been of inestimable value to cycling in Yorkshire.
In 1978 won the four R.T.T.C. Women’s National Championships at 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles respectively bringing her a total of Championship victories since 1958 to 57, and completed 20 successive victories in the Women’s British Best All Rounder Competition, despite a serious setback during the previous close season.
In November 1977, whilst riding her cycle, she was involved in a collision with a carelessly driven motor car and suffered compound fractures of the right leg, a fractured scapula, head injuries necessitating 56 stitches, and multiple bruising. She was discharged from hospital after three weeks – a tribute to her superb physical condition – but was not able to commence training until the following March.
Her determination, at the age of 40, to overcome the effects of her injuries and maintain her position as the dominant force in women’s time trial sport is an outstanding example of true Yorkshire grit and courage. Her triumph over adversity does her great credit.
An accomplished rider in time trials and road racing and an outstanding contributor to the reputation and success of Yorkshire cycling. He commenced cycling in 1932, joining the Cyclists’ Touring Club and the Youth Hostels Association. He entered competitive cycling in 1934 at the age of eighteen. He won first handicap in his first event and in his fourth event he won his Club’s 12 hours with 218 miles. He was his club’s champion for 1935, 1936 and 1937. He won the Teesside C.A. 12- hours in 1939 with 244 miles, and was unbeaten at 12 hours for seven years afterwards. In 1942 he was a founder member of the British League of Racing Cyclists and won his first road race. In 1944 he won the B.L.R.C. Championship 100 in 4 hrs. 27 mins. 11 secs., only 62 seconds outside the record after a 3 minutes delay. He was the second man to beat 250 miles in 12 hours. Many of his victories were by large margins.
In 1950 he retired from racing to concentrate on the cycle business he established in 1938. He has supplied British cyclists with the best goods from all over the world, sponsored a team of professionals, given much practical help to amateurs and encouraged the English Schools Cycling Association with annual awards covering every aspect of cycling. He introduced cycle racing as a feature of the Harrogate Anglo-French Week and promoted the idea of an International Cycling Festival at Harrogate.
By his ability and industry he has made Harrogate and Yorkshire known all over the world as a cycling centre and brought great benefits to Yorkshire Cycling.
1977 - W.G. (Bill) Priestley
1978 - Beryl Burton OBE
1979 - Ron Kitching
1975 - Sid Barras