SP Systems/Wightlink
Chris Weston
3 North View
Thorley
Nr. Yarmouth,
PO41 0SU
Phone: 01983 760818
Email Us
Website: http://www.mcs2001.co.uk
Club History
During 1996 Island based riders began to make an impression in National Championships up and down the U.K. On some of these trips they mooted the idea of forming an Elite Racing Team based on the Island with the intention of attracting sponsorship to assist with equipment and travel costs. With this in mind they decided to approach Chris Weston who owns and runs the Islands only Lightweight Specialists bike shop. Mobile Cycle Service. "MCS" to see if he could help.
In principle he agreed. A meeting of riders was held that summer with a view to setting up a team for the following season and a budget to run a successful team for three years was forecast and it quickly became obvious that the major expense was crossing the Solent. So they decided to approach WIGHTLINK for sponsorship in the form of travel concessions for a three-year period.
On receiving their presentation Janet Saville (Wightlink Head of Marketing) arranged a meeting with Chris Weston (Team Manager), Dawn Courage (Press Secretary), and Nic Hutchings (Team Rider) to discuss how WIGHTLINK could help, and what the team could do to help promote WightLINK. Janet put forward a plan to the board that WIGHTLINK would sponsor an Elite Cycle Racing Team for three years as part of their marketing strategy.
So on January 1st 1997 MCS/ WIGHTLINK Racing Team was born. 18 riders currently make up the present racing squad along with two Masseurs, a Press Secretary and a Manager. Riders are based throughout the South of England, some in Bath, Exeter, Frome, Cheltenham, and here on the Island. They compete throughout the year in several of Cycling’s disciplines. Road Racing, Time Trialing, Track Racing, and Mountain Biking. The major aim of the team is to allow riders to compete as a team, at as high a level as their abilities allow. While at the same time promoting the Teams Sponsors throughout the country.
One of the major events on the team’s calendar will be the I.O.W. Festival of Cycling held over the May bank holiday. All team members will be competing, in either the 2 day Road Race or in one or more of the 3 day Time Trial series, or the Criterium’s on Monday.
The MCS/WIGHTLINK sponsorship has meant that the riders can plan their season more effectively and forthcoming races include National 10 mile, 25 mile Time Trials, National Team Time Trail 100 km, National under 23 Road Race, National Senior Road Race, Wessex Divisional Road Race Championships.
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Cycling : 2 - Cycling Clubs and Associations