TRICYCLE

Published Date: 16 October 2008
GORDON Brennan, the former cycling correspondent for the Lancaster Guardian, has died. His successor Bob Muir writes:
It is with great sadness that I have report the death of one of the stalwarts of Lancaster Cycling Club, Gordon Brennan, last Thursday after a long illness and just a couple of days after his 79th birthday.

Newer recruits to cycling locally may only know of Gordon as the President of Lancaster CC but his cycling connections go back far further and he is known nationally to a wide circle.

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Gordon has been President of the LCC since 1970 but he was a member for many years before that. When he eased back from active involvement in the running of the club a few years ago, he was accorded the title of honorary life president.

Gordon was also heavily involved with the British Cycling Federation and in the 1950s he was the first chairman of the old Lakeland section which was the forerunner of the Lakes and Lancs Division.

He was Federation vice-chairman from 1970 until 1980 and chairman in 1981. He was awarded the Federation's highest honour, the Gold Badge, in 1982 for services to cycling.

From 1965 until 1982 he was the BCF representative on the International Touring Alliance (AIT) the international body governing cycle touring and ran the BCF Touring Office at Stonewell, Lancaster.

Gordon was also involved in the organisation of the Federation's annual dinner when it was held in Blackpool.

Beside all the official duties he held Gordon still found time for competitive cycling but his forte was tricycle racing.

He was contemporary with David Duffield (latterly of Eurosport TV fame) and for a while they alternately held Road Record Association records.

In 1959, Gordon set the Liverpool to Edinburgh Tricycle Record with 10hrs 54min to beat the current record by 38 minutes. He was the first and only member of the club to hold a National RRA record.

He is still the club tricycle record holder at 10, 50, 100 miles and 12 hours; the only one missing is the 25-mile mark which was taken in 1967 by Derek Wilman.

He covered 10 miles in 25:33 in 1995 and his longest record is 220.00miles for 12 hours in 1956. Also, in 1995, the year after he retired, he rode all 22 of Lancaster CC's evening 10s on Caton Road - a feat that has not been equalled since and possibly not before for a good many years.

In the 1970s he was a leading light in the famous Morecambe Weekends where I first met him.

The now defunct 'International Cycle Sport' magazine reported at the time: "The Supremo on the Prom is Gordon Brennan, of that there is no doubt, his word is law.

"I have thought once or twice while watching him fetch out the tail enders in the Devils that if they could give him horns and a tail he would even look the part as his tall figure dominates the proceedings.

"He commands the respect of all the riders to the extent that there is little or no wrangling about decisions taken on the line and heaven only knows I've seen some men talk their way into fifth or sixth places over the years but never at Morecambe."

Latterly Gordon was remembered for his leading of LCC club-runs and in particular his annual Presidents Run which he lead until well into the 1990s.

He also organised the club's annual Tourist trial, alternating with Kent Valley RC's Derek Tunstall, and the famous Freewheel Competitions.
Gordon was also the local cycling correspondent for the Lancaster Guardian for many years under the pen-name of 'Miler' until he handed the reins to me in 2003.

Gordon's achievement in the world of cycling could go on for many pages and these are but a few. Many people have expressed their admiration of Gordon over the last week.

These included Tony Sweeney, the President of Lune RCC, who said: "It never ever bothered Gordon what club you were in or what form of cycle sport you took part in, if you rode a bike you were a cyclist and that was alright by him. I don't think we shall ever see his like again."

Many great people are remembered by quotes and one of Gordon's, which he oft repeated when chairing club meetings, is "it's your club".

Lancaster Cycling Club will always be Gordon's club and I am proud to have been his club-mate.