Thank you for all rouleurs who participated in the last week Christmas ride and SPR quarterly breakfast. It was great to see such a great turn out. We also thank everyone who participated in the SPR yearly award. Here is a summary of the 2014 Awards:

Ride Leaders of the Year

All ride leaders deserve a massive amount of credit for sacrificing their own rides to keep the rides safe, and for imparting knowledge onto the future fast group riders.

Top three nominations are:

• Shane White
• Carol Dowse
• Jordan Brock

Other nominated leaders are:

• John Kitching
• Shaw Goh
• Graham Hoskins
• Murray Bruce
• Mark de Castro

Most Improved Rider

Loads of improvement across the board especially a demonstrated progression through the various spr groups throughout the year.

Special mention was made of:

• Anke Hoskins
• Laurensia Rosana
• Sarah Smith
• Greg Murray
• Francine Watts
• Carlos De Oliveira
• Katheryn Dines
• Liam Walker
• Craig James
• Janice Graham

But this year’s winner is Ben Jackson. He bought a bicycle last year. He started riding and training. Now he races in C grade.

Most Improved Racer

Lots of great results in racing this year and an ever increasing SPR presence at the full calendar of events. A terrific selection of improved racers this year with special mentions going to…

• Sarah Smith
• Amanda Nabi
• Craig James
• Meghan Thomas
• Anke Hoskins

This year’s winner is Amanda Nabi…She has broken through into the highest level of domestic racing this year (NRS), first racing as an individual. Because of her strong performances, she is now with a Racing Team.

Club Participation of the Year

It’s the people involved that make this club what it is, and it is the collective effort that sees us grow and succeed This year’s winner of the Club Participation of the Year is Leigh Outschoorn.  Some of the comments we received via the nomination process included:

• what an amazing job she has done this year, organising women’s beginner groups,  setting up mentors and rallying people to begin racing. She has changed the face of women’s cycling at the club in 12 months
• She has done heaps socially, in particular within SPR chicks. She is a great driving force behind the social side of things, in particular engaging women to really get into the sport.

MTB Dirt Bike Award

There weren’t a huge number of nominations for this award. Noted nominations were…

• Nigel Adcock
• Dave Hind

The winner this year is Nigel Adcock. He completed his 3rd Cape to Cape Epic this year. He went for an 8 day race through South Africa’s Western Cape which is one of the most gruelling in the world…it has been described as the ‘Tour de France of mountain biking”. He also wrote the longest blog post of the year describing the event!

Good Samaritans

This Award is dedicated for those people who lend their hands when other rouleurs are in difficulties such as a couple of  accidents in this calendar year. Nominees for this category included…

• Andrew Ballam
• Nicky Hennessey
• Carol Dowse
• Peter Mah
• Shaw Goh
• Michael Bonner
• Jordan Brock
• Heiko and Suzie
• Cathi Dixon
• Vicky
• Kelly Ten Bokkel Brackstone

The winner is Kelly Ten Bokkel Brackstone. It was her fantastic organisation of the crash site that involved Brett Robson and Nick Hennessey.

Volunteers of the Year

Again there were a range of nominations but some stood out…

• Heiko and Suzie
• Shaw Goh

The winner is Heiko and Suzie for the supports on various events even if they ride or race.

Most Inspirational Rider

We received many nominations for this award but the top contenders are:

• Meghan Thomas
• Nicky Hennessey
• Ben Madsen

The winner is Ben Madsen. He is humble with his achievements to date:

• 14th of his age category at Amy’s Grand Fondo and  qualified for 2014 UCI Amateur Road World Championships taking place in Slovenia
• He had 2nd place in his age category at his first Ironman Mandurah 70.3. He was also 16 of the gender rank and overall category at 20th place. He also completed all legs (swimming, riding and running) in 4h06m39s.

 King/Queen of the Mountain

The top nomination received were:

• Michael Bonner
• Brian Sing
• Laurensia Rosana

The winners are

• Michael Bonner for King of the Mountain

One of comments we received, which sums it all:

If I can hold Michael Bonner’s rear wheel on every climb, I will be a very happy man!

• Laurensia Rosana for Queen of the Mountain

One of the comments received:

The moment that really stood out for me was a VO2 session. Tom Barratt directed us on the efforts required and we all took off. Laurensia is usually a little better on the hills then myself (back in the day mid 2013 anyway), however this time she absolutely flew up the hills giving all the boys a solid run for their efforts! And dropping me (I think the only other girl there that morning)! I was very impressed and could see how her dedication and training had paid off. A well earned QOM in my books.

 

Club Champion Award

This award goes to Jonathan Bolton.

We are really proud to have him as part of the SPR. His achievement to-date is outstanding. To mention few:

• 1st place at Yanchep Crit – December 2014
• 1st place at Renae’s  Crit – February 2014
• 2014 Subaru National Series – Tour of Tasmania (9th position on Stage 2, 18th on Stage 5 and 27th on Stage 6)

Best dressed

This goes to Marcel Rubig, who worn a full Santa Claus outfit.

Here are some picture taken last week: