San Fairy Ann CC

James West rides out with one of Kent’s biggest and most progressive clubs

- James West

San Fairy Ann CC is a club with a proud racing pedigree. Founded in 1922, the Kent-based club created a satellite team, Abellio-San Fairy Ann Racing Team five years ago. This was to stop, in the words of race team founder and race director, Dick Naylor, “haemorrhaging our best riders to race teams”.

Basking in the June sunshine at today’s cafe stop in Lenham, I chat with Geoff Wiles, former GB pro road race champion (1976) and current club president and coach. “Abellio is the knight in shining armour of the club, if you will,” says Wiles. “We wanted something fresh and exciting to build up a good team, but also to make sure there isn’t a delineation between the race team and the rest of the club.

“The strength of the club is the range of groups — there are opportunities for riders just starting out to those riding internationally and doing things they never thought they could dream of.”

Abellio RT (sponsor Abellio is a regional bus company) sits at the top of the club, in terms of performance, but is just one of 10 groups that set out today — there are 17 club run groups in total, spread across the weekend.

As we ride past frequent oast houses, a prominent feature of the Kentish countryside, I chat with 22-year-old Tom Rowing, an Abellio member who last week recorded a 19.28 10-mileTT. Rowing stresses how the racing team is just a small element of the club, which has an ethos of improvement, regardless of ability.