Hereward League Team Winners 2025

2025: A year in Fenland Clarion

Fenland Clarion are based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, with just over 150 members and would have to be described as an all-round cycling club.

With four well supported Club Runs every Sunday the general club riding side of the Club is in rude health with rides at different speeds and distances to suit most levels. They meet year-round at Helpston just Northwest of the city. 

In April, 14 members, wives and friends spent a week riding in the sunshine in Mallorca, based out of the Pollensa Parc hotel in the North of the Island. Covering as much as 400 miles during the week, taking in the climbs of Sa Calobra, Formentor and some of the monastery climbs too. Fenland are planning on doing it again in 2026 and we welcome any other Clarion members to join us. 

Over 75 riders took part in club rides during the year and in August a group met up with members from Nottingham and Dronfield and hosts Tuxford on their annual 100- mile ride. 

In the Spring there was a four-day Youth Hostelling trip in Yorkshire Dales with rides out from the Grinton hostel. Eight members took in all the big climbs in the area including Buttertubs, Tan Hill, the Stang and Park Rash. Two intrepid Fenlanders set about the London-Edinburgh- London Audax this year and like many others were disappointed when the event was aborted due to high winds and rain from Storm Floris. Chris Shaw and Malc Jacklin both got as far Malton in Yorkshire before being holed up and then turned around after the event was called off. Chris and Malc headed back with fellow Clarion riders Dave Shaw, Corinna Keith and Rob Reeves from Tuxford. 

In the Summer six riders flew to Montpellier and rode eight days through the Cevennes and Ardeche in France in the Summer covering 510 miles and around 12,800m of climbing before eventually flying back from Lyon.  

Racing

On the racing side, the section once again promoted their season long and popular Bluebell 10 mile TT Series on a revised two lap country lane course. With a new meeting place and parking facilities the events saw a 50% improvement in participation numbers. The races are run on a Handicap basis and the overall winner is often a new rider and 2025 was no different. It was great to see 12 year-old Youth rider John Robinson take the honours. The Club TT Championship was opened up this year to include a Road Bike competition, run alongside the main competition. Winner of the TT Champs was Chris Cummings while Simon Pitchford stuck to his road bike to win the re-purposed Kevin Preston Shield. The TT Championship is points based on Club events (not counting the Bluebell TT’s and  the midweek Hereward League events. 

The Hereward League: Fenland once again won the Team Championship for this inter-club series between themselves, Bourne Wheelers, Spalding CC and Peterborough CC.

The club's lady riders enjoyed some good TT racing in 2025 topped off with not one but two Club records in the Northants and District 15 mile event in June. First Georgina Jennings (53.18) Annette Wyld (47.37) and Tonya Smith (39.44) broke the existing 44 year-old record with 2 hours 20 minutes 39 seconds and then when Lindsay Clarke finished (38.39) the record was lowered to 2 hours 6 minutes 0 seconds. 

Go Ride Youth programme

Fenland also have a Go Ride Youth programme that runs throughout the year (there are some breaks for the holidays) at the Embankment athletics track near the city centre. Numbers have been running at 15 or so youngsters per session, with young riders from 6 through to 18 taking part. As riders get to 12 years-old they are encouraged to take part in the club TT's and other racing events. Numerous young riders have graduated through Fenland's ranks, none more so than 17 year-old Evander Wishart, who this season (and next) has been full-time with the AGR development team/programme and is eyeing a Pro contract in the future. Also coming through is Theo Wan, who will be in his last season as a youth rider, albeit with the Beeston CC team. Theo rides road/circuit, track and cyclo-cross and this season has had a 2nd place in the National Trophy CX already. Meanwhile 17 year-old Harry Tozer switched from Fenland to Lee Valley Youth Racing Team taking part in National level races on the road and track with some overseas racing trips with his best result of 6th place overall in the Assen Youth Tour in the Netherlands.