New club set up

Published 10 Mar 2009 12:30 0 Comments

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Cycling

MAIDENHEAD cycle shop, DNA Cycles, have created a new cycle racing team for the 2009 season in association with Cyclesportcoach.

The team - initially consisting of four young women aged from 17-25 - all have potential on the track and in road racing, and will be focused on young riders and women's cycle racing.

The aims of this squad are to promote cycle racing in Maidenhead and encourage women's racing in the wider area in particular.

Locally they hope to compete strongly at Reading Track League and in circuit racing at Hillingdon cycle circuit. While at National level they will compete in the Women's Omnium Track Series and the Women's Team series of road races, for which experienced guest riders will be recruited to support the youngsters.

Cassie Gledhill, 25, previously played hockey at Premier League level but transferred to cycling in 2008 and gained her second cat within the year. She is now focusing on track sprinting with the aim of qualifying for the sprint heats at National Championships.

Rohan Battison is just approaching her 21st birthday and has been riding since she was 15. Battison is a second cat road and track endurance rider who has been a junior National Champion in canoeing and kayaking in the past.

Charley Docker, 19, has been riding since a youth and is returning to cycling this year after a gap for college. She comes from a cycling family and is a natural sprinter with a powerful turn of speed

Emily Hogge at 17-years-old is young but very experienced having been brought up on the track at Reading with the Palmer Park Go Ride club. She has ridden Youth National Series and Youth & Junior National Track Championships for several years. In her final year as an under-16 she was ranked second in the National tables having won against adult women in the Hillingdon Women's Series that year. Hogge is returning to cycling after a year off for exams and is another road and track endurance rider.

The team's first junior boy is Chris Cockerton, also 17, who is very keen and has shown strongly in track training at Reading. Cockerton again has a strong family background in cycling with his uncle still racing in South Africa.

Gavin Percy, 25, hopes to begin racing this year while providing support and photography for the team. He again has a powerful uphill sprint so it will be of great interest to see what he can do.

David Butcher is a third cat rider who is also a partner in the shop and the main sponsor.

John Percy is the team manager and coach. He started racing in 1968 and has some 20 years experience after taking a break and returning to race as a veteran before becoming a coach.

The riders have been recruited from towns around Maidenhead but as yet none from within the borough so candidates of either sex aged 16-23 would be welcome and riders should approach the team manager for information on tm@dnacyclesrt.org.uk">tm@dnacyclesrt.org.uk. Older riders will be considered for membership on their experience and willingness to help with the club and team.

This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 12 Mar 09

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