C. A. RHODES MEMORIAL AWARD
Website supported by Otley Cycle Club
and Sheffrec Cycling Club
RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD - 1980 TO 1989
1980 - Otley Cycle Club
As an outstanding junior rider he soon became noted in road races. In 1966 he was fourth in the National Amateur Championship and he became the youngest ever finisher in the Tour of Britain, at 19 years of age.
In 1967 he represented Great Britain in the Tour de l’Avenir, the Peace Race and the World Championships. He also won the West Yorkshire Division Championship in 1968 and 1969.
As a professional from 1970 to 1979, he rode in three World Championships, finished the Tour of Switzerland three times and won several English stage races. He also won the National Road Race Championship in 1971 and was third in 1975.
In 1979 he became Coaching Secretary of the BCF West Yorkshire Division, instructing younger riders, and also serves on the Division Racing Committee.
Danny marked his return to amateur sport in , following his re-instatement, by winning the West Yorkshire Division Senior Road Race Championship. He then produced time trial performances at 25 miles (51m 35s), 50 miles (1h 49m 55s), 100 miles (3h 54m 33s) and 12 hours (264.9 miles) which won the Yorkshire Best All Rounder competition and gained fifth place in the national BAR competition.
By his consistent performances, always displaying strength of character, Danny Horton has brought great credit to Yorkshire cycling.
1981 - Daniel Arthur Horton
Achieved outstanding success at national and international level in 1982.
In his first season in 1976 and as a schoolboy member of Rutland CC he took second place in the National Schoolboys Circuit Race Championship. In 1978 and 1979 he won the BCF North Midlands Division Junior Road Race Championship; he also gained national recognition by representing Great Britain in the World Junior Team Pursuit Championship in Argentina. As a senior in 1980 he again achieved international honours, riding in the Great Britain pursuit team at the Olympic Games in Moscow. He also showed his versatility by winning the RTTC National Hill Climb Championship.
In 1982 Malcolm joined South Yorkshire RC and riding in the Great Britain team he took third place in the Sealink International Road Race and won the hot spot sprint series in the Tour of Britain Milk Race. He was a member of the England team which won the 100km team time trial at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and he collected a second gold medal there with a brilliant win the Road race Championship.
Malcolm Elliott has brought great honour to himself and to Yorkshire by his achievements, at the age of 21 years.
1982 - John Malcolm Elliott
Attained first place in the Women’s British Best All Rounder Competition for the twenty-fifth consecutive year, an accomplishment which in unlikely ever to be equalled.
During her career to date Beryl has won seven World Championships and over seventy National Championships; she has also established new competition records at various time trial distances on forty-nine occasions.
The present Award is the fourth made to Beryl Burton since 1961, sure proof of her outstanding ability and of her dominance of women’s cycling sport over the years. Her 1983 success sets the seal on a truly meritorious career, which has brought great honour to herself and to the county of her birth.
Although born in Scotland, Bob Carmichael-Riddell and his late wife Margaret settled in Leeds in 1941 and joined the Cyclists’ Touring Club simultaneously. They toured extensively together on a tandem throughout the next forty-one years, in every county of the British Isles, throughout Europe and also in the USA.
Bob was the Section Secretary and Runs Secretary for the Leeds Section of the CTC from 1941 to 1945, being instrumental in keeping the section going during the war and in extending this after the war. In 1945 he was elected to represent Yorkshire on the National Council of the CTC and has remained so ever since, serving on most of the CTC standing committees.
He was the chief organiser of the British Cycle Tourist Competition from 1951 to 1980. He was a founder member of the York Rally and, but for a short break for business reasons, has remained Chairman of its organising committee to the present time.
In 1953 Bob organised the celebration for the 75th anniversary of the CTC, which was founded in Harrogate in 1878, and in 1978 when the CTC attained its centenary he was Chairman of the committee which organised the extensive programme of events, including a round Britain non-stop relay ride.
Bob Carmichael-Riddell’s contribution to Yorkshire cycling, touring cycling in particular, is of the highest order and his efforts over a period of more than forty years more than justifies this Award.
1984 - Robert Grant Moray Carmichael-Riddell
Edwin Longthorpe first joined the Yorkshire Cycling Federation in 1948. He undertook to be Secretary in 1952, at a time of difficulty in Federation affairs, and continued until 1970.
He was elected to the Road Time Trials Council Yorkshire District committee in 1952 and was Chairman from 1955 to 1971. Again, when a candidate of the necessary calibre was otherwise unavailable, he filled the breach as Secretary and continued in that office until 1976. Elected as a National Councillor from 1955 to 1975, he declined nomination to the national committee because of his Yorkshire commitments but was a member of the Appeals Panel from 1958 to 1981.
Edwin’s promotions include the National Championship 12 Hours in 1960 and 1965 and the “Andy Wilson Memorial 50” from 1956 to 1975; he was also a National Cycling Proficiency Scheme instructor from 1969 to 1976.
From the inception of the C.A.Rhodes Memorial Award in 1961 he has served as a Trustee and as Clerk until his retirement in 1984.
The true measure of the man is not the mere recital of his offices, but the supreme quality of his work as an administrator and organiser for Yorkshire cycling, which has inspired in everyone.
1985 - Edwin Longthorpe
Paul Curran became a member of the Stockton Wheelers CC in 1976, when aged 14 years, and remained with the club until joining the Manchester Wheelers in 1984. As a junior he was third in the RTTC Junior Best All Rounder on two occasions and was also second in the Junior National pursuit Championship on the track.
Over a period of eight years Paul has won eight national championships, won a total of forty-eight open time trials, won forty-five first category road races and sixty-five track races.
Paul’s greatest achievements, leading to this Award, were in 1986 when he won the road race individual gold medal and was also a member of the time trial team which also won the gold medal at the Commonwealth games in Edinburgh. During the season he was also first in the Star Trophy season long competition in selected classic road events, was first in the Circuit des Mines stage race in France, second in the Tour of Limbourg, first in the Lincoln Grand prix, first in the Manchester to Rhyl event and in addition had ten other first category wins and two timed trial wins.
It is felt that more cycling honours have yet to be attained by Paul Curran over years to come; Yorkshire is as proud to have him represent her as he is proud to be a Yorkshireman.
1986 - Paul Curran
As a member of the Memorial Court of Trustees from its inception in 1961, Tom Anderton was ineligible for consideration for the annual award, an award for which he would, without doubt, have been a most worthy candidate. In recognition of this, The Court of Trustees has agreed that this citation be duly inscribed in his memory.
Tom Anderton, by the breadth of his contribution to the sport of cycling had few, if any, equals, either in his native county of Yorkshire, or the country as a whole. Cool, dignified, and formidable in debate, he carried the respect of all who came into contact with him.
Starting his cycling career in 1929 with the Cyclists’ Touring Club, he soon teamed up with Cyril Hepplestone and Jack Fancourt, producing a section of riders who were respected throughout the land, and which formed the basis of the subsequently all powerful Yorkshire Road Club massed start team.
1986 - Thomas Anderton (Posthumous Award)
Winner of the RTTC Women’s Best All Rounder Competition in 1987.
Born on 25th January 1945 into a cycling family, being the niece of 1930’s Yorkshire star Eddie Larkin, Margaret commenced riding at eleven years of age, then joined South Elmsall Social CC in 1961. Her racing performances quickly improved and aged 19 she gained second place in the Women’s National Championship 100 miles and third place in the British Best All Rounder Competition. This was followed a year later with second place in the National Championship 50 miles, riding for Birdwell Wheelers. Transferring to Morley CC, she gained eleven championship, record and Best All Rounder team awards. Following retirement to raise a family she returned to the sport in 1982, leading Barnsley RC to fifteen national team awards to date.
1987 was to be Margaret’s year. July saw her gain third place in the National Championship 10 miles, a 4-15-44 100 mile time followed, together with a Scottish women’s 50 mile record of 2-5-06 and second fastest in the National Championship 100 miles. The season culminated in a glorious weekend in September when on Saturday afternoon she recorded 1-56-11 for 50 miles, then the following morning became the second fastest woman 25 miler in history with a time of 54-00.
These rides made sure that, at the age of 42, she became the Women’s British Best All Rounder for 1987, with an average speed of 26.687mph, thus bringing great honour to Yorkshire cycling.
1987 - Margaret Allen
In recognition of her success in short distance time trials, track pursuit and road racing at home and abroad.
Lisa commenced cycling in 1984 and always a member of Ravensthorpe CC. She started time trialling in 1985, won the National Junior RTTC 10 Miles Championship, then taking the senior 10 miles title in 1987 and 1988. On the track she was second in the Ladies 3000m National Pursuit Championship in both 1986 and 1987.
Her greatest triumphs have come in road racing. In 1985 she was second in the National Road Race Championship, winning in 1986, 1987 and 1988, along with the WCRA Road Championships. She also won the Jo Bruton Road race Series in 1985 and 1986.
Her international career began in 1985, coming 30th in the World Road Race Championship, improving to 20th in 1986 and 5th in 1987. At home she took second place in the 1985 Egg Race Series, winning outright the following year. Abroad she has ridden twice in the Tour of Texas and the Giro Femenin and in 1988 came third in the Tour de L’Aude and competed in the Tour of Italy and the Japan Road Race, being highest placed British rider.
In the Olympic Games at Seoul in 1988 she finished eleventh, in the same time as the winner in a massed sprint.
This Award is made not only as a tribute to Lisa’s achievements, but in recognition of her dedication and sporting conduct, which has earned the admiration of Yorkshire’s cyclists.
1988 - Lisa Brambani
In recognition and by virtue of her achieving world class status as a racing cyclist and international coach and performing many administrative duties locally and nationally.
As a member of Featherstone RC, her racing career commenced in the late 1950s. Valerie won ten National Track Titles on both hard and grass tracks and was Ladies National Road Race Champion in 1964; she also represented Great Britain in the World Championships during the period 1960 to 1964 in the road race and track sprint events. Valerie has held seventeen British records on the track, including tandem and motor paced records.
Valerie has been a coach at division and club level for approximately 19 years, an International Senior Coach for 16 years and Ladies National Coach for 8½ years; she was also Director of Coaching and Administration for the Yorkshire and Humberside Cycling Centre of Excellence for four years. Valerie has been a Great Britain team manager for 13 years and she managed the first ever ladies team at the 1984 Olympics.
This Award is made not only as a tribute to Valerie’s achievements, but also in recognition of her dedicated conduct and fine sportsmanship, which has earned her the admiration of Yorkshire’s cyclists.
1989 - Valerie Margaret Rushworth
Tom’s involvement in the sport of cycling was as varied as it was intense. He was as prominent in the massed start world as he was in time trialling. His list of promotions is endless, from being Frank Slemmen’s assistant at the 1948 Olympic Games Road Race, to staging his own club’s Victory 50, for which he donated the silver trophy.
As an administrator he was feared by many. He held numerous offices, but he was happiest and perhaps most effective, when free to debate from the floor. At his best few, if any, could match Tom’s powers of persuasion when putting his case.
As a timekeeper of national standing, he was second to none, and over a period of nearly fifty years his remorseless attention to detail must have caused the downfall of many an aspiring competitor.
He was a life member of the Yorkshire Road Club, of which he was secretary at the time of his death. Few have aspired to achieve so much and even fewer have attained the level of perfection that was Tom’s.
Has made an outstanding contribution to Yorkshire cycling, both in the promotional and administrative fields, for many years.
Events promoted by the club including time trials ranging from hill climbs to 12 hours, and road races have figured regularly in the Yorkshire calendar. The main event, the 12 hour time trial is the only one at that distance in the county and since its inception in 1967 has grown in stature and prestige to now rank amongst the foremost in the country. The club’s 50 miles time trials have played a prominent part towards the success of the Harrogate Festival of Cycling each year. The club’s reputation and experience were recognised officially in 1972 and 1980, when the club was entrusted with the promotion of the R.T.T.C. Men’s National Championships at 12 hours and 25 miles respectively.
Individual members to whom cycling sport is greatly indebted include George Baxter, President of the Yorkshire Cycling Federation and promoter of the Federation Open 100 miles time trial, since 1970 in both cases; John Churchman promoter of the 12 hour event from 1970 to date and Keith Webb, since 1976 the Hon. Secretary of Yorkshire District R.T.T.C., an official timekeeper, handicapper and course measurer and a prolific event organiser.
The members of the Otley Cycle Club have proved themselves a credit to the club, and the club itself an outstanding asset to Yorkshire cycling.
1983 - Beryl Burton OBE