Guildford Town Centre Races
The Guildford Town Centre Races were first promoted by Charlotteville Cycling Club in 1984 as part of Guildford Festival. The route was the same as it is today, a small circuit of North Street, Market Street and a climb of the cobbled High Street. The first race was attended by 2000 spectators. Southern Veteran-Cycle Club Ripley Section rode two laps on veteran machines. The oldest was a French Michaux velocipede of about 1868. There were also two high “Ordinaires” of about 1880 and a Singer solid-tyred safety of 1890.
The Town Centre Races were the idea of Les Smith, Mike Willimott and Stuart Campbell who promoted them for the first ten years. Since 1984 the races have been cancelled in 1995, 1999 and 2000 due to roadworks or builders’ scaffolding on the road.
Read more about this topic: Charlotteville Cycling Club
Famous quotes containing the words town, centre and/or races:
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—Frances Goodrich (1891–1984)
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—Harriot K. Hunt (1805–1875)
“Behind every individual closes organization; before him opens liberty,—the Better, the Best. The first and worse races are dead. The second and imperfect races are dying out, or remain for the maturing of the higher. In the latest race, in man, every generosity, every new perception, the love and praise he extorts from his fellows, are certificates of advance out of fate into freedom.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)