History

TADLEY TIME TRIAL 1981 (NOT COTTRELL COPSE)

I hope this little story will show you what the Crowthorne Motto meant in my day, as it should do to you all today.

At this meeting two of the Dads rode and gave their all. Ron Walters Bultaco jammed in fourth gear, did he retire?, OH NO!!!. Bike on side ,cover off gear box, gear moved into second, cover back on and away he went, and he still won an award.

Derek Stalker with hair and beard blowing in the wind came through with cheers from the boys, which resulted in great handfuls of throttle.

The boys, juniors, Stefan Walters, Russ Elliott, Matt Cauldwell, Steve Tocock, and T. Thompson. Eight laps and each lap taking fourteen minutes and did they go, Stefan just flew. Russ was going great but cambers caught him out, Matt and Steve rode well. Finally T. Thompson and this was only his second trial finished like the rest "brill".

The Inters, John Potter, Tom Bedford, Danny and Shane Stalker, Graham Birkett, Rob Allen, Phil Shirley, all rode their hearts out, taking eight minutes a lap (the novice men took fourteen minutes a lap). This caused quite a stir with the men and spectators as they had never seen Crowthorne riders before.

Now the best part of the day, the expert men. We had all come to watch them. DICK KEEP came to say that he would like four of the "Crows" to ride with the experts. WOW!!! remember these men were the cream of the country.

It was eighteen laps, ten sections, a total of forty miles, yes forty miles!!!.The four were Danny Shane John Graham who was on the buzz bomb (UK Fantic). With all the parents at sections ready to help, all you heard was cheers of encouragement all the way. After ten laps not even Geoff Chandler (Time and Observation Champion) had caught them. In fact it took him until lap sixteen to do that. Graham was the fourth fastest time, incredible for a thirteen year old on a Fantic 80,with a time of two hours forty minutes, nine minutes more than Champion Chandlers winning time. Shane had a copy book ride in fact b he made some of the expert men look rather poor, twelve years old, I am lost for words. Danny was going smoothly, when disaster struck, the box started to play up but he battled on. John was very smooth and fast and really looked good, but then *-*-*- chain came off which I am afraid through John for a few laps. Even so HE BEAT MOST OF THE EXPERT MEN ON OBSERVATION.

I must say thank you, to all the families and friends who went into sections and helped.

WHAT A TEAM THANK YOU LADS

Alan Birkett