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Thursday 4 December 2014

Final rankings for LWCR 2014 and an open letter about LWCR 2015

The results from the last race have been updated and the final individual and team rankings can be seen here

Well done to Maryka Sennema (Kingston Wheelers) for winning the individual award and London Phoenix CC for the winning the team award. 

Prizes will be awarded as soon as possible, hopefully at a meeting to discuss the league's future. Anyone in the top 20 who raced 5 or more races will get a prize but there will also be prizes for best new rider, most improved rider, best 3rd Cat, Lanterne Rouge (for lowest placed rider there on the night). A list of prize winners will be posted soon. 

Regarding the league in 2015, please read below for a personal letter from me, Tabitha Rendall:

Dear League Racers and Supporters,

I have had a key role in the running of the league for the last two years but for various personal reasons feel that it may be best served by my stepping down and handing over the reins to others. I am more than happy to help in any way I can and to work with others in 2015 to help run a successful league.

In 2014 I feel the LWCR league suffered from a variety of different issues including lack of time on my part, a lack of variety in the races that were being run that could be part of the league and changes in the women's racing scene.

The London Women's Cycle Racing league was established in 2010 with the aim of helping to introduce 
London based women to racing and helping them develop their racing skills, while getting involved in healthy local competition. 

The league filled a hole in the racing scene and became so successful that it attracted women from all around London and the surrounding counties. Many riders that saw success in the league have gone on to race for pro and amateur teams and there is now a healthy and vibrant women's racing scene. 

However, this success has brought its own problems. Despite growth in the number of women only races being run, the number of women being called on to ride these races is still small, particularly in comparison to the number of men racing regularly. This results in calendar clashes which mean that some races are not well supported and often also results in relatively inexperienced racers racing against others that may be 1st Cat or Elite riders. 

This issue is being addressed by initiatives such as 3rd/4th Cat only leagues at individual circuits to help inexperienced racers develop their racing skills. However, there is now a widening gap between these 3/4 Cat races and the women's team series, for example, which is leaving a number of 2nd Cat riders with a dwindling choice of races. 

Until now the league's position with regard to categories has been to use races that were open to all categories and not to use a circuit (road or closed) more than twice but in 2014 we struggled to find races that could be used by the league which were open to all without using the same circuits over and over again. 

It is perhaps time for a rethink of the league in terms of what its purpose is in a quite different environment to 2010 and what this then means for how it is run. 

Maybe it should become a closed circuit only league, maybe it should refocus on London, maybe it should become 2/3/4 cat only, maybe it has had its time.

I sincerely hope the last of these is not the case but in order to make the league a success in 2015 I am asking for your help.

I would be happy to be part of a working group to try to find a way forwards for the league and to help anyone else that would like to be involved to understand what they would be undertaking. 

Please feel free to email me on tabnet99@yahoo.co.uk. Once I have details of a few interested parties, I will propose a date for a meeting to discuss the league's future at which we will also do the prize giving. 

Many thanks for your support of the league this year and here's hoping we can work out a way of keeping the league going. 

With best wishes, 
Tabitha 

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Last league race for 2014

The last race for the 2014 league will be this Saturday (4th October) at the Olympic Park track. 

The event can be entered online here. It's £12 to enter online and £15 on the line. 

The women's race starts 40 seconds after the men's at 12.45pm. 

We hope it will be a good turnout. 

Remember that to qualify for top 20 prizes, you need to have done 5 races. 


Wednesday 13 August 2014

Rankings after 8 races and last race

The rankings have been updated to include the latest two rounds at the Guildford Town Crits and Hog Hill. 

Maryka Sennema (Kingston Wheelers) heads the table as we head towards our final round. Clare Gillot (Les Filles RT) is in second place with Michelle Sellars (London Phoenix CC) in third. However, only two points behind is Mhairi Mackenzie, also of London Phoenix CC so the final race could see a battle for third. 

London Phoenix CC heads the team rankings with Les Filles RT in second place and Kingston Wheelers in third place. 

The last race will be at the Lee Valley Velopark on Wednesday 20th August at 7.30pm. Entry on the line is available but the organisers strongly advise entering online prior to the event if you can. You can enter online here.

Remember that to qualify top 20 prizes you need to have to done 5 races. 


Tuesday 24 June 2014

Rankings updated after 6 races

The rankings have now been updated to include the Crystal Palace race two weeks ago and the Richmond Park time trial which took place last weekend. 

Maryka Sennema (Kingson Wheelers) has an impressive lead at the top of the table with Clare Gillott (Les Filles RT) in second and Tamala McGee (London Phoenix) in third. 

In the team rankings London Phoenix have a strong lead with Les Filles RT, last year's winners, in second place. Kingston Wheelers is in third place on the strength of Maryka's racing. 

The next round is Guildford Town Crits on Wednesday 9th July. 

Tuesday 17 June 2014

LWCR 2014 - a very overdue update

Sincere apologies to all riders for the lack of an update on either News or Rankings.

The rankings have now been updated up to Round 4. John Mullineaux is currently dealing with queries from last week's Crystal Palace race so they will shortly be updated to include Round 5.

Unfortunately the original Round 5 race was cancelled so we are investigating possibilities for alternative races and will let you know as soon as we have decided on one. 

A reminder that next week's Crystal Palace race is jointly marshalled by LWCR.

Volunteers from affiliated teams or individual affiliates will be awarded points for marshalling which will be count as a counting 'race'. Marshalling points will be worked out at the end of the season as an average of your best 3 results from league events.

Marshalls will be needed from 6pm on the day and should be done by 9pm at the latest.

Tabitha Rendall will be co-ordinating marshalls so please let her know if you can help on the day by contacting us on hello@londonwomenscycleracing.com


Tuesday 15 April 2014

Round 2 - Wednesday 16th April at Hillingdon

Round 2 of the LWCR 2014 league will take place tomorrow at Hillingdon, hosted by Twickenham CC and West Thames Promotions. The race starts at 6.45pm. 

Details can be found here.

The race is part of a Wednesday evening series for which an affiliation fee normally has to be paid. The organiser has very kindly agreed to waive the affiliation fee for LWCR riders tomorrow. 

If you wish to take part in other races in the Hillingdon series, you will need to pay the affiliation fees. 

Affiliation to the LWCR league is still open so please feel free to encourage women from other clubs to join. 

Monday 17 March 2014

LWCR 2014 - Race season starts again

The LWCR 2014 league is about to kick off following on from another successful year for the league in 2013.

2014 sees much more noise being made on the women's race scene with the advent of the Women's Eastern Racing League and the South East Women's Time Trial Series, two new women's leagues for 2014. Surrey League is hosting a series of Cat 3 and 4 races for women only at Dunsfold Park as well as a three day stage race in August. Many other organisers are doing their best to run women only events where possible. Meanwhile for those who do well in leagues like the LWCR, the Women's Team Series and the British Cycling Women's Road Series continue to grow apace.

Hopefully all this activity will see new riders coming onto the racing scene and we will continue to see growth in women's racing for years to come.

The LWCR 2014 league opener is the Eagle Road Club hosted race at Hog Hill on Saturday 29th March. The season opener is always well attended and is a great opportunity to blow any winter cobwebs away. 

It is taking a bit longer than expected to finalise the whole calendar for 2014 but we will list the final calendar before the first race so that you can plan your season. 

As with last year there will be a requirement to participate in a certain number of races to qualify for a prize at the end of the season. This will be announced once we know how many races there will be. There will also be points for volunteers who help to marshall at Crystal Palace on 24th June when LWCR will be on marshalling duty.

Here's to another great season of racing...