Page 6 - Issue 63_FINAL WEB normal_Neat

I will always be sad that my stroke in 2018, two weeks before my 40th birthday, means I
will never be able to compete in this growing subset of immense female talent. What I
am grateful for, however, is being lucky to be able to witness the growing popularity of
tandem racing. For many, the tandem results are the ones which you overlook on the
results board, but us long wheelbasers are having a whale of a time – and we are now
beginning to see the same levels of competition that females were experiencing only
around two years ago. We are nearly there! I couldn’t help but notice there were more
tandem riders than female riders in this year’s VTTA National 25 Championship, and this
was the first event where I’ve actually felt proper competitive nerves since my stroke. It
was so exciting and a reminder of why we do what we do. Being on a tandem also
means you want to channel these nerves even more so you don’t let the team down – I
know I put in far more effort than I ever did as a solo rider, and Ian Greenstreet, my
tandem partner, often races with an average heartrate similar to that of 30 years ago. I
long to see tandems get the same amount of credibility in events as solo riders, and I
know there are some propositions in both the CTT AGM and likely the VTTA AGM to help
make this a reality.
So, as you dust down your winter hack and wrap insulating material around your water
bottle this winter, you could perhaps break out of your comfort zone and try something
new – you won’t regret it. I make no secret about the joy of tandem riding, but there are
track records to be had, trikes to be mastered and, for the massively adventurous, there
are even tandem trike standards to attain (just make sure you have a friend to record
your first turn roundabout attempt as YouTube fame certainly beckons).
I wish all members a very peaceful New Year period, and I encourage as many of you as
possible to come along to the annual awards ceremony (which precedes the AGM) on 25
January – you will be amazed by some of the performances you witness.

MEMBER’S REMINDERS

Paid for Life Members are reminded
that they must subscribe £6 p.a. to
continue to receive The Veteran
magazine.
All Individual and Joint Members are
also reminded that they must rejoin, if
not already done so.
All membership and subscription
payments can be made either via the
online membership system or through
your group treasurer.

If you do not make these payments
th
before 28 February 2020 you will not
receive your March magazine.

6