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News Veteran cyclists’ haul of medals


MARDEN’SSan FairyAnnveteran cyclists have pedalled theirway to spectacular success. GeoffWiles (70), from East Peckham, took to


the saddle for the first time in 40 years, winning two gold medals and a bronze at the UCI World Masters Track Cycling Championships in the Manchester Velodrome. Team-mate Roly Cray- ford (76), from Kingswood, took two silvers. Geoff, one of the top professionals in the 1970s,


was British road race champion in 1976 and win- ner of various stages in the Milk Race. He said: “I dug the track bike out of the loft


where it had been since the ‘70s.We ‘roadies’ only had occasional forays on to the track in those days and I only made the spiders homeless because I had the opportunity to ride the Olympic track a couple of months ago.” Geoff was up against riders from the USA,


Italy, France, Venezuela, Denmark and Trinidad in the final of the scratch race for those aged 70-74 and, despite the more track-experienced opposi- tion, he won the bronze medal behind Geoff


HI-KENT, the county’s charity for people with hearing loss, will sell its wooden Christmas gifts, orna- ments, cards and puddings from the Christmas shop next to the United Reformed Church in Week Street, Maidstone. It is open from 10am to 3pm, Mondays to Satur- days, until December 13.


Geoff Wiles, who lives in East Peckham


Cooke (GB) and MichaelWilliams (USA). Roly just missed a medal with fourth place in


the 75+ category but went on to break the previ- ous age group world record for the 500m time trial, only to be beaten to the gold medal by James Kloss of the USA. Roly secured his second silver medal of the championships in the sprint, where he was once


again beaten by his nemesis, James Kloss. Roly joined San Fairy Ann as a 16-year-old in


1954 andwas crowned Kent divisional road race champion in 1981.Hesaid: “I'vemadesome great friends in the club. I intend to keep cycling as long as I amable.” Geoff claimed a gold in the final of the 40 lap


points race and another gold in the pursuit cham- pionship, over a 2km distance, where he beat Denmark’s experienced John Larsen. Also last month, SFA’s John Cockrill (23), from Maidstone, finished less than a second behind top professional rider David Millar in the Bec Open Hill Climb in Surrey, and came 21st out of 137 rid- ers in the Catford CC hill climb. Abellio-SFA time trial specialist Dean Chid- dention, from Maidstone was crowned the Kent Cycling Association (KCA)’s Best All Rounder (BAR) for 2014. San Fairy Ann is one of the oldest and the


largest cycling clubs in Kent, with more than 500 members.


Christmas shop ‘Nowhere to buy a bus ticket’


FORMER borough councillor John Horne raised concerns that there was nowhere in Maidstone to buy a national bus ticket. He told Thurnham Parish Coun-


cil that originally they were avail- able from Arriva and then a kiosk in The Mall shopping centre.


However, his recent endeavour to buy a ticket ended in failure. He told councillors: “Appar-


ently, this facility ceased at the end ofAugust.” Borough councillor Nick De


Wiggonden said he would look into the matter.


Trees face felling


TWOoaks and one ash treemay be grounded at Hayle Mill, Mill Road, Tovil. According to a conservation area application, which will be de- terminedby MaidstoneCouncil, two of the oaks are dead, while the ash has damage caused by a squirrel. Other works are also proposed.


Martin & Co (Maidstone) provides an unrivalled service to landlords, tenants, sellers, buyers and property investors alike.


Established in 2005, we are among the top agents in the area, with expert knowledge of the local market.


Whether you are thinking of selling or letting, call today for a free, no-obligation appraisal of your property.


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Martin & Co (Maidstone) 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent • ME14 1PA


01622 690290 www.maidstone-martinco.co.uk maidstone@martinco.com


Maidstone Town December 2014 3


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