Guest Blog: The Wightlink-LCM Systems Race Team
Thanks to Jack Elton-Walters, one of my team mates from the Isle of Wight, who has put together this fantastic post to mark the launch of the new Wightlink-LCM Systems Cycle Race Team; which I unfortunately was not able to attend as I am mid-term at university at present.
The team is a group of young, enthusiastic riders, who are looking forward to an exciting 2013 with some fantastic local support...
What is now the Wightlink-LCM Systems Cycle Race Team has
had several names and quite a few personnel changes, but with the founders and
key members remaining throughout. Started in 1995 and believed to be the single
longest continuous sponsorship deal with Wightlink, the team was at its
previous prime in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but is undergoing
a rejuvenation with new riders, new sponsors, new kit and renewed big
ambitions.
The 2013 Season
Targets and events are varied this year depending on each
team member’s race category and personal goals, but all will be done with the
greater good of the team in mind. Early in the season will see Kev Foster and
myself – the team’s only remaining 4th category riders – visiting
Pompey Track on a regular basis to get more race experience and capture those
all important points.
Beyond this, we have Matt Tibbutt entering the
ever-gruelling PERFS and the rest of the team gearing up for an assault on the
higher category races at Pompey Track and beyond. The key medium term aim for
many of our riders – notably Sam, Jimmer and Team Captain James – is to get
established in the Surrey League road races, in particular the Easter Three
Day.
The team has a breadth of experience and there are wide
ranging strengths to our riders. To give an idea, here’s a run down of some key
members:
Simon Ambrosini – Ambro – a long-term member is an
excellent time triallist and great super domestique: he’ll be putting these
skills to good use for himself and the team. Jimmer is a very strong rider and
will look to carry James to the finish of the Surrey League races, where James
can unleash his powerful sprint. Another great sprinter is Sam, who this year
will ride as key lead-out man for James, and look to collect results of his own
along the way. Tim – this blog’s host – is a strong and canny climber, thanks
in no small part to his years of mountain biking, and he’ll no doubt favour the
hillier road races, and of course those day long breakaways. He will also make
a great pace setter for other riders, a skill the team will use to gain
results.
The Sponsors
LCM Systems are a Newport, Isle of Wight, based firm
specialising in load cell technologies. Serving markets from yachting to
aerospace to oil and gas, providing lifting and loading solutions, they are
growing well despite doom and gloom elsewhere in the economy. Wanting to better
publicise their brand and get involved with something that offered dynamic
advertising, LCM Systems jumped at the chance to be the team’s new headline
sponsor.
Wightlink are an integral part of Island life and we are
very pleased to welcome them on board as a key sponsor for the eighteenth year
in a row. They provide the team with a transport lifeline, without which we wouldn't be able to get over to England to race.
JA Dempsey Civil Engineering is a well known company that
carries out essential works all across the Island. Whether that’s the smallest
pothole or a huge infrastructure project, they've got it covered. They got
involved with the team by funding the off-the-bike clothing, a move that allows
them to have their logo seen all round the South of England as we travel to and
from races.
Rapanui, Isle of Wight based eco fashion brand and Isle
of Wight Business of the Year, delivered the off-the-bike clothing that JA
Dempsey kindly funded. Bringing ethically produced jackets and organic cotton
polo shirts – all custom branded for the team – Rapanui were glad to get
involved with the team’s renewed ambitions.
The Team Launch
The most exciting part of the new launch was undoubtedly
the new kit, which was supplied to us by Primal, who are experts in top quality
performance cycle wear. Thanks to the funding from LCM Systems, we were able to
get a full set of jerseys, bib shorts, a winter jacket and a skinsuit for every
team rider; all of which is made by cyclists for cyclists meaning the kit is
race fit and made from material that wicks moisture away. I myself took care of
the aesthetic appearance of the kit. As is evident, I took inspiration from some
of the pro teams we all strive to emulate but also worked to best use the brand
colours of our sponsors and incorporate the bold yellow block colour that has
always been present in the team’s kit, whilst modernising the look. I was very
pleased with the end results, and so far have only heard positive feedback on
the design… fingers crossed it continues that way!
All in all the team is set for a great year and some
great results, I just can’t wait to get racing.
Please show your support for the team and give them a follow on Twitter: @WightlinkRT and on Facebook: WightlinkRT.
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