NEWS: Bournemouth Re-union planned for October

Words from Rob Dyer

2020 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Bournemouth Cycle Speedway Club and sadly Covid has put paid to a large scale celebration nevertheless, with the kind co-operation of the Poole club, all former Viscounts riders and friends are invited to ‘touch elbows’ at Poole’s Harbourside Park track on the afternoon of Sunday 4th October.

The date coincides with the Poole club’s staging of their prestigious Veteran Laurels meeting which will bring together many ‘senior’ riders from around the country to do battle on track.

Several of the Bournemouth clubs’ ‘Founding Fathers’ are still in touch and keep a watching brief on developments within the sport and one of them, former rider / manager Mike Pretty, was looking forward to the get together with his usual enthusiasm as he said,

“Where have those 60 years gone? It almost seems like yesterday when we staged our first official meeting at Iford Lane in June 1960. The guys put a lot of effort into getting the club off the ground and our progress over the years, including our time as a tarmac outpost, saw national recognition and an immense feeling of pride and togetherness amongst our members.

Despite the Viscounts cessation in 1984, many of the riders have kept in touch and in 2010 we had a hugely successful Reunion for the 50th Anniversary and would love to have done something similar this year, however we are where we are and need to thank all our friends at Poole for allowing us to assemble at Baiter on 4th October.

If anyone with Bournemouth CSC connections is free on the Sunday afternoon please do pop along and say hello to former club mates…. from a socially acceptable distance, of course. It will be great to catch up.”

Image of 1973 Bournemouth team. Back row (I to r) Brian Dominey, the late Derek Knight, Mike Pretty, Pete Ross, Malcolm Blackman. Front row (l to r) Colin Sutton, Dave Gravell, Chris Hockey, Alwyn Dominey.