Page 76 - Tropic Magazine Issue 17

TROPIC • SPORT

Racing ahead

AWARD-WINNING
A new committee at Cairns
Cycling Club has elevated the
organisation to new heights.

It’s been a big 12 months at the Cairns
Cycling Club. After electing a new
committee in early 2018, led by Richie
Bates and James Mort, the club has
racked up a series of milestones
in terms of new membership and
achievement. To top it all off, the club
was recently awarded Club Of The Year
by its state body, Cycling Queensland.
Competitive cycling has a long history
in Cairns. The very first Cairns Cycling
Club was established in 1894. By 1928,
the Cairns Cycling Club was considered president Richie Bates. Juniors go for a spin at a Wednesday track night.
one of the richest in the state, worth In 1959, the cycling community was
£500. In 1932, the Cairns Ladies Cycling gifted a parcel of land at Manunda,
Club was established, the first of its which was named after its donor, Smith on ensuring that a full racing calendar
type in Queensland. “Cairns has always Park. Cairns Cycling Club is still housed around Cairns and occasionally also on
had a strong connection with cycling there today. That same year, the two the Tablelands would be maintained
- bike racing was one of our earliest dominant clubs - the Cairns Ladies and well executed and that amenities
participatory sports and conducted at Cycling Club and the pro men’s Trinity would be improved. Capacity of the
historic venues like Norman Park (now Wheelers - amalgamated and became club would be developed with training
Munro Martin Parklands)”, says club of more coaches and commissaires
the current incarnation, Cairns Cycling (referees) and communications with
Club. “At its core, cycling has always members and the broader community
been a family sport where all members would be improved.
could compete, and dynasties of cycling As a result, membership grew 12% with
bloodlines were created,” Bates said. a 50% increase in junior membership -
“Jim Larcombe, who was a boy at the mostly girls! Participation in road races
time of the amalgamation, still races increased by 40%. Recently, Olympian
with us today, as do his son and his Sara Carrigan trained up half a dozen
granddaughters.” new club coaches, and extra training
Last year, the club faced a serious nights at Smith Park were introduced,
challenge. With a State Government allowing cyclists to train away from
grant to resurface the old track, the traffic in a welcoming and safe
The club races every Wednesday night at club’s home track had been out of environment.
Smith Park. action much longer than anticipated, The 2018 committee has just been
and membership and participation re-elected and is currently working
on track and road was declining. New hard on securing the future of its
legislation also made it harder to criterium (short circuit) racing with the
obtain racing permits which affected development of a closed-road circuit.
the club’s racing calendar. The new This year’s race calendar includes some
committee developed a comprehensive exciting new road courses in Cairns and
strategy to tackle this. They focused on the Tablelands and more track racing
and social events have been added to the
club calendar. In May, the club will be
part of the Great Barrier Reef Masters
Games, and is looking forward to the
Tour of the Tropics in August. The club’s
annual Cup on Wheels carnival will be
held in October this year.
Indeed, the wheels are in motion for
Joan Ware in 1952, taken after she won another big 12 months ahead.
two state titles on the track. Joan was
a member of the Cairns Ladies Cycling Course commentator and author of our
Club which merged into the Cairns road race reports Alan Jones (left) and club
Cycling Club in 1959. president and commissaire Richie Bates. MORE: cairnscyclingclub.com.au

76 • Tropic • Issue 17