Geoff Whiteley
I have known Geoff since I joined the Calder in 1965. He joined, as a junior in 1962. He spent most weekends going on club runs or hostelling by bike. He started racing in 1963.His fastest 10 mile time of 25.54 was achieved on the Pontefract course in August after racing most of the season. His best 25 was 1-11-46 on the Heath Common to Doncaster course. His best 50 was the Calder Championships held in atrocious conditions when most of the field packed, as Peter Milsom and Jimmy Blankley can testify. Geoff’s time of 2.30.01 was good enough to win him the 1963 Calder junior championship . Geoff still has his winners medal.
During the winter he rode cyclocross and he is very proud of two Yorkshire cyclocross association certificates he received that season. One was for placing 2nd Junior to well known cyclocross champion John Norfolk. The other certificate was for a third place in a race also won by Norfolk at Rothwell Park in November 1963. Geoff also finished in the top 10 of the Low Laithes cyclocross that winter.
In 1964 he improved his personal bests in all time trial distances. His best 10 being 24-09 the date was 29/7/1964 on the Pontefract course which he won. His 25ml time 1-1-32 was on the Brough Howden course when Mike McNamara did a 57-22. He was overheard saying who was that guy from Calder who did a great ride for being so young. His 30ml time was 1-16-07 in the Farsley and District event. Alan Creaser won it in 1-11-37. Geoff’s 50ml time was 2-10-43 in the Nunbrook Wheelers event on the Borough course v153. He rode most of club 10s in 1964 and the week after his personal best 10 when riding again in the event he was in collision with a motorbike and dislocated his ankle and badly torn ligaments so that put paid to cycling for a long time. He came back to the club to race in 1983 and rode most of the season his fastest 10 was 25-54 on the Ackworth course his 25ml was 1-11-46 in our 25ml club championship. These were some of the times he was capable of. He did his share of marshalling and pushing off over the years for the club and even marshalled at a lot of Yorkshire Cycling Federation events when we have been asked as a club to provide them. His last race was our new years day Thornes park 5ml in 1994 .
Recently he has become very ill and he said to me that the doctors have more or less given up on him. He was back in hospital early last week to get a new battery fitted to his pace maker and he wanted to donate a cup to the club for annual competition because of his association and the good times and the friends he has met over the years since being in the Calder. The cup is to be called the Geoff Whiteley New Years Day Five Mile Time Trial Trophy the reason for that is he has attended most of the new years day events since we started them and there never was a prize presented for the winner. He wanted it to go the fastest Calder rider only and he would have loved to have presented it to the winner. Instead he has asked me on his behalf to present it to the winner. Jonny Croston was the first winner of the trophy.
George Mason. 18th Feb 2012.