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The 2010 season looks like being as exciting and competitive as any yet. However before we turn to the new season let us celebrate once again the achievements of last year. The club champions were BMC UK RT, but Finchley RT and Cambridge CC were both within 15 points of them after a hard-fought season-long competition.

The changes made at the AGM mean that winning races and placing riders on the podium are better rewarded in the club competition than they have been before. Even more significant than this is the shift in the way points are awarded in National B races: as long as riders are in the BC points they will get full ERRL points in the order in which they come home among ERRL riders.

With these changes the 2010 ERRL champion club will need to be competitive at the highest levels of our racing. The new Orbea-For Goodness Shakes team is going to be even harder to beat than it was in last year's incarnation as BMC UK RT. Despite this the Finchley RT in particular looks to have strengthened its roster and can perhaps give the Orbea team a run for its money.

Never mind - this competition has never gone to the form book so far. Let's get to the racing and see who can start racking up some points with their results on the road.

The traditional season opener is The Crest Spring Road Race on 7 March. This is now less than four weeks away with entries closing this Sunday 14 February. As always there is no EOL for the Crest RR - if you want to take part you have to get your entry in before the weekend.

Remember lots of riders' preparations have been disrupted by the weather, so this year's edition promises to be as unpredictable as ever: and there's still time to find your race legs at the Hog Hill Winter Series.

This is going to be an exciting start to an exciting season. And it's less than four weeks away now. . .

A very lively and well-attended meeting on 19th November decided on the following changes to ERRL rules:

Clause 7 banning the League from holding two Regional races on the same day was deleted. As the League expands it now has the confidence that the risk of damaging conflicts can be controlled by the committee and the Regional Competition Administrator.

Clause 11 on field selection was amended. The management committee may permit an organiser to disregard any rule of field selection where it resolves that it is in the interests of the League to do so.

Clause 18 permitting private membership of the League was deleted.

Clause 12 restricting selection of riders for National A and B events was replaced with a statement that these were now completely open. ERRL riders no longer receive any preference at all in E123 races.

Clause 14 now awards points in the Club Competition to riders from ERRL clubs in the order in which they finish disregarding places gained by non-ERRL riders. The first ERRL rider to finish will gain 15 points, the second 12 and so on in accordance with Band 4 of the Licence scales, except that riders finishing outside the BC points altogether will not receive ERRL Club points.

It was decided to appoint to the Committee a League Competition Officer in order to

- liaise with the BC Regional Competition Administrator regarding the classification and scheduling of League Events

- facilitate a balanced and competitive League calendar by co-ordinating the League Events among club organisers before the Eastern Region date-fixing meeting

- consider strategies and/or propose rule amendments to support and improve the quality and quantity of ERRL events.

Four new clubs were welcomed to the League:

London Phoenix Hainault RC Team Orbea For Goodness Shakes (formerly BMC) Inverse Racing

All the new clubs confirmed that they had the resources to promote an additional road race for the League in 2010, some with assistance from existing League members.

The results of the elections to the committee and officers were:

Madam Chairman - Joan Potts Secretary - Philip Whitehorn Treasurer - Ann Illingworth Website Manager - Chris Brooking League Competition Officer - Hugo Robins Simon Bateson Roy Godbeer Eric Gowland Richard Whitehorn

Prizes were presented to the winners of the League's competitions.

Various other matters relating to road-racing in our region were then discussed under any other business.

For the first time in its 46 year history, the Last Chance Points Grabber (27th September 2009) run by Hertfordshire Wheelers has a full field on the provisional start sheet, 2 weeks before the closing date. Check the club's website for the accepted list to date: herts-wheelers.org. Entries are still being accepted.

I'm pleased to announce that we'll be hosting the official blog of David McLean, as he spends a second season racing in France. Based in Nice last year (catch up here), and will be racing for ASPTT Mulhouse in the Alsace region this season (press release). Dave's blog is here: mclean.errl.org.uk - I hope to get some better window dressing, but in the mean time - comment away!

The first annual ride in memory of Chris will be on Sunday, 11th January 2009. The ride will depart at 11.00 from Club Woodham, Barons Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5XQ. Depending on who participates, the ride may be split into groups with perhaps a group only covering a short distance. From Club Woodham, everyone will travel to & stop at the place where the tragic event happened. We will observe a minutes silence & lay a floral tribute, anyone not cycling is welcome to join us. After the ride, all are welcome to return to Club Woodham where refreshments will be available. Alan Rosner is happy to answer any questions in this thread on the forum.