West Lothian Clarion 2011 Events

We've got a varied selection of events this year - from short hill climbs to all night rides and sportives and lots of racing in between.

The Easter Meet will be the highlight of the year with loads of different activities.

Stick the dates in your diary and plan your year of cycling! Support the organisers and try to enter and volunteer where possible.

There's also a spread of National Clarion (NC) events to enter too. They're a great opportunity to take part in historic championships, whether you're there for the atmosphere or challenging for a podium place. Each of the trophies have a story to tell with winners dating back to the 1930's in some cases. West Lothian already have some winner's from the past two seasons with Steve McCaw and Julie Dominguez picking up silverware in 2010

Most of the NC events are south of the border but our section is hosting the hill climb champs at Easter

2011 OPEN EVENTS

1.Rad Tour: Seven Castles of West Lothian
13th March 9.30am - Linlithgow Palace
The club's 100Km Reliability Trial
(Organiser Graham Foster and Rob Hemesley)

2. EASTER MEET (STIRLING)
22-25TH APRIL
The 116th annual meeting of all the Clarion sections from across the UK. A celebration of cycling with loads of things to do and see. Including a sportive, hill climb, kids races, social rides, walking tours, a ceilidh and buffet and the champions banquet

3. Open Hill Climb (Location Stirling)
Easter Saturday 23rd April
(Organiser Tom Beattie)

4. Go Ride Grass Track races (Location Bridge of Allen)
Easter Saturday 23rd April
(Organiser Matthew Ball and Simon Fagan)

5. Gateway to the Highlands Sportive
Easter Sunday 24rd April
(Organisers Grant Craven, Michelle Gregory, Neil Fraser)

6. Open 10TT (Location Cambusbarron)
Sunday 5th June
(Organiser Tobias Bauer)

7. Audax 3 Glens Explorer (Location Linlithgow)
Sunday 25th September
(Organiser Neil Fraser)

8. Open Hill Climb (Location Kingscavil)
Sunday 16th October
(Organiser Angus Gallie)

CLUB CONFINED EVENTS

CLUB 10 TT Series
(Organiser Steven Fraser)
A 10 race series every thursday on the following dates:

TT1:12th May
TT2: 19th May
TT3: 26th May
TT4: 2nd June
TT5: 9th June

++4 week break to accommodate local and school holidays +++
Training rides are planned to replace the TT series during the break

TT6: 21st July
TT7: 28th July
TT8: 4th August
TT9: 11th August
TT10: 18th August

1. 2-UP TT Champs
Thursday 16th June
(Organiser Steven Fraser)

2. Night time ride
The destination of our annual nocturnal ride is still to be decided
18-19 June
(Organiser Paul Hammond)

3. Hill climb and Freewheel Champs
Saturday10th September
(Organiser David Dourley)

4. President's Ride
29th October
(Organiser - the president)

5. Best Allrounder Championship
This prestigeous trophy is awarded to the rider with the fastest average speed in an Open 10TT, 25TT, 50 TT and a Sportive over 100KM

6. Tour de Trossachs Trophy
Awarded to the fastest West Lothian finisher in this end of season time trial

6. Club member of the year

NATIONAL CLARION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hill Climb Champs
23rd April - Stirling

10TT Champs
Part of Bridlington CC race (V415)
June 25th
Enter via the CTT at least 2 weeks before
http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/

25 TT Champs
August 6th
Fenland Clarion - Sawtrey Near Peterborough
Enter via the CTT at least 2 weeks before
http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/

50TT Champs
Nottingham
May 29th
Enter via the CTT at least 2 weeks before
http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/

TBA
Track, Cyclo cross and road

TROPHIES AWARDED AT THE 2011 EASTER MEET and still to be contested
1. The British Workers Sports Association Trophy for the highest (aggregate) mileage cycled to the Meet.
2. The Brian Braithwaite Memorial Award is a photographic competition held at the annual Meet.
3. The Neil Duckworth Memorial Trophy goes to the Section with the most members attending the annual Meet.

"Boots" to new member David Wards

Fourtyone year old, life long cyclist, David Wards joined up last week.

David says "I started competing in the occasional triathlon when I was 18, but always preferred the bike leg and as a result have been riding time trials for nearly 20 years now. I enjoy time trials from the point of view, that although I'll never win, I can challenge myself against my PBs and the guys around my level."

David rides an Airborne Thunderbolt in the Winter and a Kiron Scandium in the summer. For TTs he uses a Dalkiia frame and also owns a Cube MTB for some off road fun.

"I like to try new things to keep cycling fresh, in 2009 I built my first set of wheels from scratch and in 2010 I tried an XC event and did a coupled of training sessions on the track at Manchester. As for 2011, I plan for more TTs and myself and some friends hope to take part in 10 Under the Ben in May."

Welcome to the Clarion David

Welcome to the Clarion Stuart

Stuart Bird from Broxburn joined up last year and was brave enough to take part in his first race at the club's hill climb up Kingscavil.

Welcome to the club Stuart

New club kit order

The first kit order of 2011 will shortly be sent to Endura for manufacturing.

The club secretary, Matthew Ball, will email the Excel spreadsheet to each club member individually in the next week or so.

To submit your order

1. Fill out the spreadsheet with the appropriate details. The spreadsheet will calculate the cost for you.

2. Save and email the saved document to clarionkitorder@hotmail.co.uk

3. Post a cheque (Payable to “WEST LOTHIAN CLARION“) for the amount to
David Dourley,
8A Whitemoss Road,
Kirknewton,
EH27 8AF

4. Wait for the post on the forum when the kit arrives:

http://westlothianclarion.yuku.com/topic/1661/Club-Kit-Order

Only orders accompanied with a cheque for the full amount will be processed to Endura.

Get your order in before 24/1/11.

Delivery times are know to vary, but we will try to get a firm date when we place the order.

You can see what is available at the links below

Custom clothing part of website:
http://www.endura.co.uk/Dept.aspx?dept_id=134

And the catalogue:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27387573/Endura-Custom-10

Meet new member Paul Hosie

Paul from Armadale joined up last September and was out, regularly, on the Saturday runs before the bad weather came along.

He has sent in this fabulous photo which shows him wearing the Clarion jersey in Las Vegas, lets hope it brought him luck at the card table!

You can get to know your fellow clarion riders buy clicking on the link below and visiting our members' gallery

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wlclarion/sets/72157615318457126/with/5120918945/

Graeme joins up

Graeme Horne started cycling in the late 70's with the CTC in Edinburgh. He wasn't into competing at first but within the year he had started racing with the Edinburgh Road Club and enjoyed some success as a member of Scottish National BAR team champions at both Schoolboy and junior levels.

As he got older, along came college, cars, girls and drink so the bike was relegated to the garage, although never to far from reach. Greame says "A variety of other hobbies and interests took over for about 20 years while the family grew up,  until I then again joined the CTC for both the cycling and the social activities associated with cycling."

"Having completed a few sportives and Audax events over the past few years and having moved back, due to work, into the Falkirk area, I stumbled upon the West Lothian Clarion. I've been out on several Saturday runs and managed to hang on to the Active group, truth be told when I get home on Saturday lunch time I feel like Tommy Simpson, except I'm calling for someone to 'Help me off the Bike'!"

"My first experience of the Clarion is that they are a great group of people with a good team spirit. I have said that I will never race again 'cos it hurts to much' but there is still a spark in there and I seem to be developing a fettish for Carbon."

"I currently ride a Giant OCR but still haven't got used to this compact frame nonsense, give me an old fashioned diamond framed, safety bicycle any day. The workhorse of the fleet is a Dawes Galaxy touring bike and there is a 30 year old Holdsworth fixie in shed that still sees daylight from time to time. I did have a mid life crisis a few years ago and I purchased a Windcheetah 3 wheeled recumbent!"

"The only thing left to say is 'Please be gentle with me'"

Welcome to the club Graeme

Big group out for first ride of 2011

Sixteen riders got together for a short 30 miler to South Queensferry on the 2nd January. The temperature was well below freezing, but that didn't stop the cheery bunch riding East for the scheduled coffee stop under the Forth Railway Bridge.

Andy and Mandy Weaving (who haven't been seen since last Spring) joined the bunch on a their tandem as the group passed through Linlithgow, Winchburgh and Kirkliston.

The previously snow bound riders were pleased to stop for sustenance at the very well appointed Rail Bistro before making the return journey back to Linlithow.

It was good to see such a big group out on a busy cycling day, other riders were waved at through out the trip.

Find out more about our club runs here: http://www.westlothianclarion.co.uk/clubruns.html