Cats on the prowl

As a testament to the spirit of the CATS, we give our “CATS Salute”. We’re a small but proud club. It’s all about getting out there having a go no matter what your age or division which is why we get much satisfaction from our members’ achievements. Keep up the great work in 2016, and as always …GO CATS !

2015 Gold Coast Cycling Club Annual Club Awards

Andrea ABBASSI – Club Person of the Year (for services to the club, its members and the sport). — with Andrea Rankin Abbassi.

The CATS Annual Club Awards was held last night at Nerang Cycle Centre presented by Club President, Dave Restall. Many of our club members had a good race season in 2015 but last tonight we acknowledged exceptional achievements during last year’s track and road season together with our club’s most prestigious award, the Medal of Honour for Outstanding International Achievements. Congratulations to the following 2015 Award winners:

Katrin GARFOOT – Female Elite Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Jayden COPP – Male Elite Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Laurelea MOSS – Female Masters Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Kane RICHARDS – Male Young Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Paul WILD – Masters Male Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Jenelle CROOKS – Female Young Club Rider of the Year (Road)

Jason MCGREGOR – Para-cyclist of the Year

Stephen STORER – Elite Male Club Rider of the Year (Track)

Maddie JANSSEN – Female Elite Club Rider of the Year (Track)

Martin DAVIS – Male Masters Club Rider of the Year (Track)

Jena GRIMSEY – Female Masters Club Rider of the Year (Track)

Nathan MCCALLUM – Male Young Club Rider of the Year (Track)

Andrea ABBASSI – Club Person of the Year (for services to the club, its members and the sport).

Finally, the Club’s most prestigious award, the Medal of Honour for Outstanding International Achievement (and here is a very small snippet of why):

This former Professional rider has had a superb cycling career spanning from 2007 to 2014, racing for a number of teams including (2010) Fly V Australia Pro Cycling Team, (2012) Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank, (2013) Team Saxo – Tinkoff, and (2014) Drapac Professional Cycling. But here is just a small snippet of highlights to share with you… a Grand Tour début at the 2012 Tour de France where he had a top ten placing on stage 4 where he finishing sixth; had not one but TWO stage wins in 2012 at the Tour de Taiwan. 2013 was a jammed packed year on the saddle with Milano-Sanremo, The Tour of Flandres, the Paris – Roubaix; the World Ports Classic where he finished 2nd overall in GC; in the 98th edition of the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen (Championship of Flanders) racing for Team Saxo-Tinkoff, 162 international riders lined up for the single day 192km Belgium road race where he finished 4th; not to mention a long list of racing in the USA as well.

In summary, his palmarès is long, and joining alongside fellow CATS Medal of Honour recipients, Robbie McEwen, Sara Carrigan, Ken Mitchell and Danny Clark, we award JONATHAN CANTWELL our club’s most prestigious award, the Medal of Honour for Outstanding International Achievements. Congratulations Jonathan. (Unfortunately Jonathan could not be with us last night but we’ll be catching up with Jonathan in Melbourne very soon).

As a testament to the spirit of the CATS, we give our “CATS Salute”. We’re a small but proud club. It’s all about getting out there having a go no matter what your age or division which is why we get much satisfaction from our members’ achievements. Keep up the great work in 2016, and as always …GO CATS !