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| Jonny Croston, first recipient of the Geoff Whiteley New Years Day 5 Mile Trophy, presented by George Masson . Tim Moss looks on. |
A new trophy was presented to the club recently by Geoff Whitley to go to the fastest ride in the New Years day 5 mile time trial.
First winner of the trophy to be known as the Geoff Whitley New Years Day 5 mile trophy is Jonny Croston who recorded 15:15 over the tough course.
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| Geoff Whitley at home with the Trophy |
Geoff, who is battling with poor health at the moment, is a long time member of “The Calder”. He said that he donated the trophy because he’s been to loads of New Years Day 5s and there never was a trophy”. It was also because of his association with Calder Clarion, the very many good times and the friends he has met over the years since being in the club. He said he would have loved to present the trophy to the winner but has asked club President, George Masson, on his behalf, to present it.
At the club dinner and awards George Masson had this to say of Geoff:
I have known Geoff since I joined the Calder in 1965. Geoff Whiteley joined the club as a very promising junior in 1962. In the early days he spent most weekends cycling to youth hostels or on club runs. He started racing in his second year with the club in 1963.His fastest 10mile TT was 25.54 on the Heath Common – Pontefract course and he also did a 1.11.46 25 mile TT on the Heath Common to Doncaster course. In that year he completed a 50 mile TT in atrocious conditions with a 2.32.01 when most of the field ‘packed’ as Peter Milsom and Jimmy Blankley will testify. Geoff’s effort was good enough for 1st place and he became Calder junior champion 1963, he still has the medal from that memorable day.
During the infamously bitterly cold and snowbound winter of 1963 he rode cyclo cross and is very proud of 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 John 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 time trial times. A 10ml 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 and 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.
Later in 1964, when riding a Calder 10 TT on the Heath – Pontefract course Geoff was in collision with a motorbike. The result was a dislocated ankle and badly torn ligaments which put paid to 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 he recorded 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 for the Yorkshire Cycling Federation. His last race was the 1994 New Years day 5 mile TT at Thornes park.