SUTTON CYCLING CLUB
Sutton Sports Club of the Year
Cycling With Youth in Mind
- Sponsored by:
- De Ver Cycles (Click on the De Ver logo to shop online)
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SUTTON CYCLING CLUB Sutton Sports Club of the Year Cycling With Youth in Mind
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Welcome. Here is some information about the Club and how it began. Sutton Cycling Club was formed in 1999 by local cycling enthusiasts to provide opportunities for young people to develop their cycling skills in safety with others of the same age, under the supervision of experienced riders and coaches. Its Constitution was drawn up to ensure that the Club retained its focus on under 18's. Our adult members are graduating Junior Riders, Coaches, Parents or Club Officials. The Club is proud to be sponsored by De Ver Cycles of South London, owned and run by Maurice Burton (a former professional cyclist and British Champion). Maurice says "Cycling has been the greatest part of my life and I hope with our help it can become a significant part of yours." Click on one of the logos above to visit the De Ver website. Sutton Cycling Club has been affiliated to British Cycling, the sport's national governing body, from the outset. It has always participated in their programmes for young people, joining the latest, Go-Ride, at its inception in 2004. It is now your local Go-Ride Club, with activities on Saturday mornings in termtime at Sutton Grammar School's sports ground in Cheam. The Go-Ride programme is all about having fun on a bike, learning to ride with skill and confidence and trying mini versions of the sport, all delivered in a safe, off-road environment by trained coaches. The activities can be adapted to all levels of rider, so both newcomers and experienced riders are welcome. Find out more about Go-Ride via our Links Page. In 2006 it gained Clubmark accreditation, awarded by Sport England and the sport's own governing body, British Cycling. This recognises that the Club meets the standards set in safeguarding children, coaching, competition and equity, and is a well-run club. In 2009, it was named Sutton Sports Club of the Year (link to article) in the Sutton Sports Awards. Racing Youngsters who wish to ride in open competition are encouraged, but not pressured, to compete. In the past several Club riders have been selected for the British Cycling Olympic Talent Team (riders aged 13-16) and for regional teams and development squads. In 2005 we had two national champions in the Club colours: Joanna Rowsell, Junior Women's Pursuit, and Louise Mahé, Junior Wonen's Road Race. Three former members have gone on to represent Great Britain, with one, Joanna Rowsell, becoming World Champion. See Successful Club Riders Link for more information. The Club won the SE Development League in 2001 and 2002 (races in various cycling disciplines) and has provided most of the London Borough of Sutton cycling team for the London Youth Games for a number of years. In its 10th Birthday year, the Club initiated a series of monthly "Birthday Events" to encourage competition without pressure. Members are placed in teams of mixed age and ability and have enjoyed various styles of cycle racing, albeit all on the grass at Northey Avenue. Those not previously keen to race have been happy to join in a team event. The Club organised Town Centre races in Sutton three years in succession, and again in 2007, and has promoted races in the National Youth Circuit Series and the London Cyclo-cross League. For the last four years it has run the Sutton Primary Schools Cycling Championships. Local Links The Club enjoys close links with Sutton Council which has supported it since its early days. There is a good relationship with the Borough's Road Safety and Cycle Training Officers and with the Sports Development Team, all of whom are involved with now annual Sutton Primary School Cycling Championships. The Leisure and Recreation Department co-operated with the Club in arranging the use of Cuddington Recreation Ground as our previous venue for Go-Ride activities. The Club regularly organises "Come & Try It" sessions at local community events, such as the annual Carshalton Environmental Fair. Weekend and Weekday Programmes On Saturday mornings in termtime there are Go-Ride activities at our regular venue, Sutton Grammar School's Walch Memorial Sports Ground, 86 Northey Avenue, Cheam, SM2 7HJ. There are also opportunities to learn road bike techniques via special sessions in Overton Grange School playground. Also meeting on Saturday mornings, but starting at different locations, the Touring Group are mostly teenagers who go for strenuous mountainbike rides in the Surrey countryside. There is a Racing Academy that trains separately, generally on a Sunday morning. The Club runs some weekday sessions in addition to the normal Saturday programme. What's On In the Autumn and Spring Terms the Club hires the 1st Wallington Scout Hall, 30 Ruskin Road, Carshalton, SM5 3DE, on Thursdays for Turbo-training, (Activity Fee £1), starting at 7:30pm. There is also the opportunity for members and parents to get advice on racing - setting targets, planning training, choosing races, etc. Lead coach for these sessions is Nick Woolven, 07895 480636. In the Autumn and Spring Terms Cyclo-cross and Off-road Training is held every Wednesday at Sutton Arena, Middleton Road, Carshalton, SM5 1SL, from 7:00pm, fees to the Arena: £2.40 (U16s), £3.75 (Over 16s). Lead coach for these sessions is Gavin Cook, 07770 897865. In the Summer Term Wednesday off-road training moves to our Northey Avenue venue, and short road rides take over from Thursday turbo-training - riders meeting outside the Northey Avenue venue, (Activity Fee for Summer weekday sessions is £1), Current Committee elected at the AGM on 27th February 2010
Many thanks to our outgoing Committee Members, Youth Representative Jack Haining, and welcome to the newcomer Latdior Faal, our new Club Welfare Officer. |
