The W.G.Gray trophy is awarded to the best veteran rider on standard over 25, 50 and 100 miles (details of methodology are below). The trophy was given to the club in 1976 by Mr Gray; the first recipient of this award was Bill Griffiths.
Bill Gray did his National Service in the Royal Navy. When he came home he went to work for Harold Limbrick at one of his many businesses and joined the ‘City.’ In 1952 he took the Brecon and back record with a time of 6hrs 23mins, the Worcester and back with 2hrs 20mins the 12hr record with 237.5 miles, the 100 mile record with 4hrs 36 mins 11secs the 25 record with 1hr 2mins 13ses and the Three Cities record with 3hrs 49mins 30secs.
By 1956 he had added the 10 mile record with 24mins 15secs, the 50 mile record with 2hrs 7mins 36secs and the 30mile record to 1hr 14 mins 12secs as well as improving all of his previous times, in all holding nine club records at the same time. His record for the hillclimb on Portway stood for thirty years.
In 1953 he was club racing secretary and chairman in 1954. When he stopped racing Bill was a regular on club runs, acting as leader on many occasions and also turning out as timekeeper at club and open events until his death from cancer in 198?
He is remembered in more recent times as being the manager of Williams Cycles in Cheltenham for many years until his retirement. When Bill moved to Bishops Cleeve he went first claim to Evesham and District C.C. but always maintained his links with Gloucester.
To the winner over 25, 50 and 100 mile time trials on Standard. Club members wishing to be considered for this trophy must submit their best time at 25, 50 and 100 miles during the season and indicate their age when the times were set to establish the rider’s 1st Class Standard Time from the VTTA Standards table for each distance.
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- Calculate the difference between the Actual time and the Standard time for each of the three distances to produce a ‘plus’ or ‘minus’: Actual time minus the Standard time. (A ‘plus’ is where the Actual time is better than the Standard time.)
- Add the three differences together.
- The winner is the club member with the highest ‘Plus’ value (or lowest ‘minus’).
- For Women VTTA Standard, apply the 3rd Class Standard Time from the VTTA Standards table.
| Year | Winner | Time variance |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Daryl Stroud | 1h 21m 06s |
| 2022 | Daryl Stroud | 1h 9m 54s |
| 2021 | Daryl Stroud | 1h 13m 4s |
| 2020 | Daryl Stroud | 1h 1m 23s |
| 2019 | John Murphy | 1h 30m 4s |
| 2018 | John Murphy | |
| 2017 | Derek Dowdeswell | 1h 34m 53s |
| 2016 | John Murphy | 1h 53m 22s |
| 2015 | John Murphy | 1h 41m 59s |
| 2014 | Gerry McGarr | 1h 40m 46s |
| 2013 | Gerry McGarr | 1h 36m 18s |
| 2012 | Gerry McGarr | 1h 32m 36s |
| 2011 | Gerry McGarr | 13.213 |
| 2010 | John Murphy | 12.147 |
| 2009 | John Murphy | 6.828 |
| 2008 | John Murphy | 6.782 |
| 2007 | John Murphy | 6.296 |
| 2006 | John Murphy | 5.492 |
| 2005 | John Murphy | 4.491 |
| 2004 | John Murphy | 5.232 |
| 2003 | John Murphy | 4.065 |
| 2002 | John Murphy | 5.196 |
| 2001 | John Murphy | 4.935 |
| 2000 | John Murphy | 4.787 |
| 1999 | John Murphy | 3.769 |
| 1998 | John Murphy | 2.875 |
| 1997 | John Murphy | 3.695 |
| 1996 | Alastair Goldie | 2.12 |
| 1991 | Alastair Goldie | 1.503 |
| 1986 | Roger Llewelyn | 2.42 |
| 1984 | Ted Tedaldi | 2.256 |
| 1983 | Ted Tedaldi | 1.621 |
| 1976 | Bill Griffiths | |