Geoff Whiteley has died aged 66 on Thursday Friday 3rd August after a long battle with poor health
Geoff joined Calder Clarion as a promising junior in 1962.
In the early days he spent most weekends cycle youth hostelling and club runs. He started racing in 1963. His fastest 10 mile TT was 25.54 on the Heath Common – Pontefract course. He did a 1.11.46 25 mile TT on the Heath Common to Doncaster course. He rode a 50 mile TT in atrocious conditions with 2.32.01 when most of the field ‘packed’ as Peter Milsom and Jimmy Blankley will testify. Geoff’s effort won the event and he became Calder junior champion.
During the infamously bitterly cold, snowbound winter of 1963 he rode cyclo cross and was very proud of his Yorkshire cyclo-cross association certificates he received for finishing 2nd to top junior of that time, John Norfolk and for a 3rd place, again behind Norfolk at Rothwell Park. He also finished in the first 10 in the Low Laiths cross event that winter.
In 1964 he improved all his personal best times. A 10 mile of 24.09 on the Heath-Pontefract course which he won; his 1.1.32 25 mile tt was on the Brough Howden course when Rockingham CC’s legendary Mike Macnamara, who won with 57.22, was overheard saying “who was that young guy from Calder?”. It was a great ride.
After a 30 mile tt in the Farsley & District event in 1.16.07 , won by the late, great Alan Creaser of Hull Thursday RC in 1.11.37, Geoff went on to record 2.10.43 in the NunbrookWheelers 50 mile tt on the famous ‘Boro’ V153.
Unfortunately a collision with a motorbike later in 1964 riding in a Calder 10 resulted in a dislocated ankle and badly torn ligaments which ended his cycling for a long time. Geoff came back in 1983 and rode most of the season. His fastest 10 was 25.54 on the Ackworth course and a 1.11.46 in the club 25 championship. Geoff has done his share of marshalling and pushing off over the years for the club and also Yorkshire Cycling Federation.
His last race was the 1994 New Years day 5 mile TT at Thornes Park.
Recently Geoff donated a new trophy for the for the fastest ride in the New Years Day 5 mile TT won for the first time by Jonny Croston. Geoff said that the reason he gave the trophy to Calder Clarion was because there never was a trophy and he wanted to acknowledgement the many good times he’d had and the friends he made over the years since being in the club.
Geoff worked for many years for Appleyards Car Sales and Service as Customer Liason Manager.He leaves a wife, Janet and two sons.
Geoff’s funeral is at 11:20 am on Tuesday 14th August at Kettlethorpe Crematorium and afterwards at Criggleston Club.