Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

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Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Keith » Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:47 pm

Well worth a read:

    [url=http://nicolecooke.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=130:nicoles-retirement-statement&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18]Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement[/url]
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Phil H » Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:04 pm

Clearly a lot of people reading it as it says now she's hit her bandwidth limit.

Strong stuff. Seems fair. I'm not sure how you get more support for women's road racing at the top level. The Olympic RR showed that women's racing can be just as exciting if not more than men's. To get more sponsorship it needs to be on TV but that's expensive with long road races.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Snoop Doug » Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:01 am

[quote="Phil the Pie"]I'm not sure how you get more support for women's road racing at the top level. The Olympic RR showed that women's racing can be just as exciting if not more than men's.


I agree - the women's race was very exciting Phil. Maybe in part it starts at grass roots? I was surprised by how much less interest there was at Headley Common for the women's Olympic RR on the Sunday compared to the Saturday. We went - it was great fun and my ten year old daughter can now say she saw Team GB's first medal winner doing her thing. Role modelling type stuff.

Do you think the almost total absence of ACC people at Headley on Sunday in any way reflects what the club thinks about women's cycling?
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Phil H » Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:33 am

[quote="Snoop Doug"]Do you think the almost total absence of ACC people at Headley on Sunday in any way reflects what the club thinks about women's cycling?

I'm not sure why you think that's an "ACC problem". The crowds were down from the Saturday generally. And it was raining, they only passed twice and we didn't have a TV.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Snoop Doug » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:00 am

On reflection - my earlier note wasn't as clear as it could have been. Perhaps it is not so much an ACC problem as maybe an ACC missed opportunity. All of the reasons you cite are true and exactly what I expected by way of a response, that said some of the groups who were there in smaller numbers than ACC on Saturday still showed up on the Sunday. Had ACC been there in any numbers - then maybe we could have made a big fuss about our support for women's racing?

It's a bit like the should we/should we not wear kit debate - I'm not saying there is a right or wrong answer. Looking to the future - I wonder which women's events the club might consider targeting from a support perspective?
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Amy » Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:10 pm

CTC's launching a women's racing team at the Bike Show.

[quote]As a CTC member, we wanted to let you know some exciting news that we hope will encourage more women to cycle.

Next Saturday 19 January, we are launching Team CTC, a UK-based elite women’s cycling team. The team, which will be unveiled at The London Bike Show, will take on a number of big races in 2013. Team CTC will also attend various events across the UK where you will have the opportunity to meet the riders.

CTC has supported female cyclists since our earliest days when we took up the case of Lady Harberton, who was banned for wearing 'rational dress' after she cycled to an inn* for lunch in 1899.

Over a century later, we are still campaigning to get more women on wheels. Sadly, when it comes to cycling, women are still in the minority, and it concerns us that 99% of sports sponsorship is aimed solely at men. This is why CTC, along with sponsors green energy uk, Butterworth Spengler, Madison and Merlin Cycles, has decided to champion a women’s team. We’re hoping that you too will support our efforts to inspire more women to take up cycling.

So if you are at the London Bike Show on Saturday, we would love you to join us at our stand (LB123) at 1.30pm for a glass of bubbly to celebrate the launch of Team CTC.


*The Hautboy at Ockham near Cobham, Surrey.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Roy Green » Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:56 pm

[quote="Keith"]Well worth a read:

    [url=http://nicolecooke.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=130:nicoles-retirement-statement&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18]Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement[/url]


Glad you pointed this up, Keith. She writes as well as she rides! Have just ordered her book.Let's hope Nicole decides to go into the admin. side of cycling. She'd sort out a few problems and people!
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Paul H » Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:57 pm

10 people turned up on Sunday and only one Female club member.

Maybe the female members of the club should step up to the mark and support womens cycling. Its mainly men that watch sport at the moment so TV/Sponsorship will always be directed to what they want to watch.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby George » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:19 pm

When I recently produced a cycle Training Video I decided to film GB Cycles Ladies Cycle Racing Team, they where who I preferred to watch :D
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby DavidKennett » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:21 pm

Would have watched at Headley, but no TV, saw them come along the A24 and then watched from Denbies TV screen. Good race, and as already mentioned, more exciting than Saturday. Surely if you love racing, you'd go, once in a lifetime for most.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Bridget » Fri Jan 18, 2013 12:04 am

[quote="Paul H"]10 people turned up on Sunday and only one Female club member.

Maybe the female members of the club should step up to the mark and support womens cycling.


Riina, Naomi and I watched it from the slopes of Box Hill as Riina had got tickets. :D Oh, yeah, and Iliya, Sylv and Nic were there too.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Snoop Doug » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:44 am

[quote="Paul H"]10 people turned up on Sunday and only one Female club member.

Maybe the female members of the club should step up to the mark and support womens cycling. Its mainly men that watch sport at the moment so TV/Sponsorship will always be directed to what they want to watch.


It's interesting that you choose to polarise it that way Paul - I may be wrong, I often am, and it feels quite divisive. The sport is a sport, if you always do what you've always done then you'll always get what you've always got. My feeling is that more members of the club in general should support each other regardless of their gender. And just because that's how I feel - doesn't make it right of course.

I love how David K put it - [quote]Surely if you love racing, you'd go, once in a lifetime for most.
And thanks to others who have pointed out that there were of course other places to watch too.
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Marcus » Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:24 pm

Back to NC, much rather watch her speak than LA.
Any chance of getting her for the club dinner 8)
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Re: Nicole Cooke's Retirement Statement

Postby Paul H » Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:52 pm

Doug,

I was only suggesting the organisers could be women not everybody involved as I thought this could increase participation. There are a number of women (like men) who havnt fullfilled their marshaling duties so maybe this could be their opportunity.
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