Penzance Wheelers - a recollection by Jim Payne

IN THE BEGINNING…………………!

Recollection by Jim Payne

In early 1979 I saw track racing on TV and mentioned to my wife that I used to race at Herne Hill and still missed the bike, having switched over to commercial diving since moving to Cornwall. I brought a second-hand Harry Quinn and quickly discovered that Cornwall was not a velodrome but had ‘lumpy bits’. Via Neil James and Mike Norris I joined Kernow CC in 1980.

Over the next year or so from buying tubs in Penwith Cycles (51 Causewayhead at the time) and Geoff’s Bikes, found out that there was a number of Penzance and St Just based riders who were interested in club cycling and racing. The only clubs in Cornwall at that time were Kernow CC, St. Austell Wheelers and Camel Valley CC. The distance to KCC’s clubhouse (Pool) especially during the winter, had deterred many younger riders and I sensed a keenness to start up a club ‘closer to home’.

During 1981/82 there was about a dozen of us riding together and in late 1982 we met in Penzance British Legion to form the first club committee. I was the Chairman and designed the first club jersey, modelled on the USA Blue/Red/White national jersey (same design today).

I applied to register the club with the BCF and RTTC (Governing bodies in 1983) and the club became ‘official’ on 16th March 1983. Before club kit was available we all wore trade jerseys with most being TI Raleigh, Renault/Gitane, Peugeot. Bikes were steel Harry Quinn, Argos, and Holdsworth. Later Colnago, Vitus, Tomassini, Concorde, CIOCC with loads of chrome; Campagnolo of course. No helmets, clips and straps.

The BCF records showed that there was a Penzance Cricket & Cycling Club in 1906, Penzance CC 1909-1928, Paul CC 1928, First & Last CC 1928, and a Penzance CC affiliated to the National Cyclists Union in 1934. Geoff Littler said there had been a Penzance Cycling Club in the 1950’s but it appears to be just a group of friends with no official status with BCF. Penzance Wheelers was in line with Manchester Wheelers who were top dogs in those days.

Later in 1983, Mike Tonkin and Chris Thompson joined PZW along with Scott Thompson and Darren Rundell (who were schoolboys at the time). Mike Norris defected from Kernow in 1984 and Keith Stockham joined later the same year. Our top junior riders were Andy Nicholls (Tragically killed a few years later on the S18) and Dave Roynon.

The club was geared towards racing with schoolboys/juniors/seniors and vets split between ‘roadies’ and ‘testers’. We had our own 10 mile and 5 mile TT course approved by the RTTC starting and finishing at Praa Sands Golf club (10) or Marazion layby (5) using the Marazion by pass.

PZW riders competed in a full range of club events from the February ‘Reliability 50’ through to the November Hillclimb (Kelynack Hill) and PZW Christmas 10. Sunday club runs were pretty large affairs and riders met at St Johns Hall then later at The Star Inn Crowlas. There was a good social side with the PZW Awards Night in December usually held upstairs at the Wharf side Meadery. (Guest of honour Barry Hoban…’entertainment’ Danny Deakin et al!)

Riders had to travel ‘upcountry ’to road races and we tried hard to help them by channelling club funds and any sponsorship monies (!) towards helping our upcoming junior riders defray costs.

To enable our riders to experience road racing I ran the first PZW ‘Mounts Bay Pursuit’ in April 1985: the event was won by Graham Clegg.

Sponsored clubs were all the rage in the late 80’s and PZW were sponsored by Ricci-Basso-Vauxhall necessitating two changes of club kit. (We all looked like rejects from Histor as Ricci had some deal with Stephen Roche at the time). Another sponsor (another change of kit) when Jason Ball was working at Blewett & Pender and Atlantic Aqua Sports. Another change of kit when the club decided to end any ‘sponsorship’.

Brian Martin took over from me as Chairman in 1985 due to my work commitments, then Chris Thompson and Matt Southam.