Club Background

The original Halifax Road Racing Club was formed in 1942 by a group of riders who wanted to compete in massed start road racing on the open roads, something which was prohibited at the time by the National Cycling Union and the Road Times Trial Council, the sport's two controlling bodies. The Union promoted track and circuit racing on closed circuits and the Council organised time trials on the open road.
Percy Stallard of the Wolverhampton Club promoted a massed start race from Llangollen to Wolverhampton on Sunday June 2nd 1942 and Halifax RRC was one of a strong nucleus of clubs wishing to compete in this type of racing. . Prominent amongst the early members were Keith Swaby from Pye Nest and Johnny Lobb from Ovenden, but probably the best racing member at that time was Eric Law from All Souls.

Incidentally all the clubs and riders who competed in this type of racing had been banned for life from competing in track and circuit racing by the NCU and were also banned from competing in time trials by the RTTC.

On Sunday November 14th 1942, twenty two men and two women met at Sherebrook Lodge Hotel, Buxton and as a result of this meeting the British League of Racing Cyclists (BLRC) was formed. Keith Swaby was one of the twenty four people present at this historic meeting.

From this beginning until the club's demise in the early fifties, the Halifax RRC was one of the strongest in Yorkshire. Top riders at this time were C Le Bourgeous, G Cowper, E Longbottom, G Binns, E Law, K Swaby and D Shields. The club also had a very strong junior team in B Broadbent, J Bates, A Clare, D Watling and D Whitely.

In 1943 the 'League' promoted the first ever British National Road Race Championship, starting and finishing in Harrogate. This history-making race was won by Ernie Clements of the Wrekin RCC and one of the finishers was George Jowett of the Halifax RRC

Eric Law rode in the Brighton-to-Glasgow six stage race. This race was the forerunner of the Daily Express 'Tour-of-Britain' which eventually became the Milk Race.

The highlights of the club's early days were probably 1948 when Brian Broadbent won the Yorkshire Junior Road Race Championship and twelve months later Alan Clare repeated the success with S Bates taking second place. D Watling and D Whitely backed up the first two to secure the team prize.

By the early fifties most of the top riders had joined other clubs and Halifax RRC was disbanded.

In 1980 the Halifax Racing Club was re-formed in the same way as in 1942, to cater for some riders whose needs were not being met by their present clubs.

Ex-professional road race champion Danny Horton headed the senior team along with former international riders Tim Broadhead, Paul Milnes and Steve Thomas. The club was instantly successful culminating in Horton winning the Yorkshire Divisional Championship. 1981 produced a high number of road race wins, but 1982 was probably the best year the club has enjoyed so far. After winning numerous road races in the early part of the year Danny Horton decided to have a crack at the Elite British Best All Rounder Time Trial Competition. After riding two '50s', one hundred and one twelve hour Danny finished third behind the winner Ian Cammish and along the way won the National Twelve Hour Championship beating Cammish into second place. Not bad eh? for a novice time triallist.

In the late 80's and through the 1990's the club riders, following Danny's example, have concentrated on time trialling, particularly distance events and to date in the National Twelve hour competition Halifax RC riders have won one gold medal, three silver and two bronze individual medals. Also in 1998 the club won the team award.

Halifax RC is actively looking for new talent to nurture, so any young riders willing to give it their best shot are very welcome to come along and talk to us.