You could be forgiven for thinking something along the lines of "�a history of Team Verducci UK, surely there can't be much to tell? After all it was only formed in 1999 if their letter heading is anything to go by". Well, in one respect you would be quite right. The name Team Verducci UK has only been around since 1999, however, the club has evolved through the years in both name and technology, but there has always been one common theme amongst its athletes, and that is one of team spirit. It would be wrong of me to say that the club has never been without its own fair share of internal disputes, far from it in fact. And ironically it would be a club dispute that eventually led to the birth of one of, if not the, most successful clubs in the history of British roller speed skating.
Back in the mid 1950's when distances were measured in yards and miles; quick release wheels only happened when your cup and cone bearings fell apart; you could only win three British Championships in any one year (the same went for World Championships come to think of it); and the term "quads" was only used when you tensed and showed off certain leg muscles, there existed a roller speed club that had already established itself as one of the top clubs in the country. That club was the Birmingham Roller Speed Club, consisting of international skaters such as Leo Eason, Patricia Harris, Dennis Stafford and Les Woodley. All young and eager stars of an age where technical ability counted for everything, and who throughout their careers would win medal after medal and championship after championship. However, one thing still eluded British skaters as a competing nation, and that was a post-war World Champion.
Towards the end of that decade competitiveness existed not only between clubs, but between skaters within a single club, especially where there existed a number of people all with outstanding abilities. Each one was striving to be the best. This competitiveness would make Great Britain one of the top nations in the world at that time, second only perhaps to the ever dominant Italians. But with the success of a nation there was a downside. Emotions within the Birmingham club often ran high. These ensuing arguments and general high feelings would inevitably have to run themselves to a conclusion, and the result was that in October 1958 (the start of the 1959 season) a breakaway club would be formed from the now well established Birmingham Roller Speed Club. One of the main instigators of this split was Les Woodley, who together with his wife, Barbara (Bobby), set out to form a second Birmingham based team that could rival and maybe better their former club mates.
From the outset these 'renegades' wanted to be different. Their first application to the Roller Speed Committee (the governing faction of roller speed skating in Great Britain that formed part of the National Skating Association) was to have their new club registered under the name of "The Mad Hatters". The Mad Hatters was in fact a nickname given to a group of people who got together socially, most of whom belonged to the Birmingham club. However, this application was rejected as the suggested name was deemed too derogatory, and a more 'appropriate' name had to be sought. After much deliberation another name was eventually chosen, and so came into being the great-great grandfather of Team Verducci UK, the Midland Roller Speed Club.
A livery was chosen for the club, a predominantly black racing strip with three hoops across the chest, white-red-white, and it wasn't long before the Midland club started out on their own trail of success. Within twelve months of forming, the club had an individual British Champion in Les Woodley when in 1960 he won the oldest of all Championships, the 1 Mile Benetfink Cup, first contested in 1894. He had first won this event back in 1958 skating for the Birmingham club, but between the years 1960 and 1964 the Championship truly belonged to him, winning it five successive times, a feat that would not be equaled until more than 30 years later. Whilst Woodley was winning the Mile, Midland RSC's other hero, Danny Kelly, was winning the 5 Mile. Taking the title outright in 1963 and '64, Kelly also crossed the finish line first in the two following years, '65 and '66 only to find out on each occasion that he had been disqualified. Even the junior skaters were getting in on the act with young Jimmy Moyden winning the 1962 Junior Boys � Mile Championship. Between them Woodley and Kelly shared the Senior Men's � Mile Championship, Kelly winning it in '62 and '65 and Woodley taking top honours in '61, '63 and '64. At the same time the club held sway over all comers in the team events. Midland won the 3 Mile 4 Man Relay Championship in '59, '60, '61, '63 and '64. The team consisted of Woodley, Kelly, Ricky May and Ray Roberts in all victories except for '61, when former Birmingham RSC member and British 5 Mile Champion, Graham Stead, stood in for Roberts.
Not only were they impressive on the domestic scene, but internationally as well. Between 1960 and 1962 Midland RSC dedicated itself to breaking world record after world record. Both Les and Bobby Woodley held numerous individual world records along with fellow team mate, Leon Goodchild. Both Les Woodley's track time for 30,000 metres and Goodchild's track time for 50,000 metres are still recognised to this day as British Records. In fact, Goodchild's time of 1 hour 41 minutes and one tenth of a second set on 12th June 1960 is the oldest standing British Record to date. Meanwhile, Danny Kelly and 20 year old Ricky May were breaking numerous two man relay world records. They really were the golden days of skating for the Midland club. By the time Woodley retired he had won no fewer than 12 British titles, a feat recognized in the Guinness Book of Records for nearly 20 years. However, at World Championships it was Kelly who outshone his partner.
Les Woodley had already taken World Championship medals by winning one silver and two bronze between 1953 and 1956 with a further bronze medal to his credit at his last World Championships in 1962. Wife Bobby also got in on the act with her World Championship bronze in 1960 but it was Kelly who would go one better. At his first World Championship event in Finale Ligure, Italy, 1958, it was said that the then 19 year old Kelly crossed the finish line in second place minus his race shirt, such was the "tactics" of the Italians in those days. At the same Championships Kelly would add a second silver medal and a bronze to his name. 1959 did not herald a World Championship event, and the circumstances surrounding the 1960 Championships cut short any chance Kelly had of taking a title that year. Kelly had already taken a third silver medal of his career in the 10,000 metres, when in the 5,000 metres international team mate Leo Eason was declassified from first place to second. The ensuing protestations by the British team management resulted in the withdrawal of British athletes from further competition. By way of a continuing protest about mismanagement within the World Championships organisation Britain also refused to send a team to this major event in 1961 and in 1962 the highest position Kelly would finish was sixth. However, 1963 was to be a year that would see all of his skating dreams come true.
In the 1963 1000 metres knock-out final Kelly was alongside British team mate Leo Eason, who had already taken gold in the 10,000 metres. Unselfishly Eason made the winning of this event a forgone conclusion for Kelly. However, it is a little known fact that to reach the final Kelly had to eliminate Italian sprint hero, Guardigli, in the semi-finals. And so Kelly took his Championship, nothing more than he so richly deserved.
Despite continuing success domestically, Woodley retired from international competition in 1962 and finally hung his boots up in 1964. Kelly went on to skate in just one more World Championship event after his triumph in France. It was 1965 and the Worlds had come to Wetteren, Belgium. Soon to be club mate and reigning 5 Mile British Champion Ricky May had taken a silver medal in the 5,000 metres but Kelly's performances were mediocre by his previous standards, finishing a lowly 20th in the 1000 metres knock-out, the event he had won just two years earlier. His disqualification in the 1966 British 5 Mile Championship was the final insult. Like Woodley before him, Kelly called it a day. Both Kelly and Woodley had been ideal role models and their success had paved the way for the future successes of the up and coming youngsters. Between them they had dominated the speedskating scene for some 10 years or more. They truly were a remarkable duo.
At that time the only local indoor training facility available to the Midland club was the Embassy Rink in Walford Road, Sparkhill, a small suburb of Birmingham just a couple of miles from the City Centre. This facility had to be shared with the Birmingham club, and as Birmingham were far more established, it was they who held sway over the training times. Then in 1965, the city announced that it was to have a second roller rink. The entertainment and leisure company Mecca were going to transform its already established Mecca Ballroom in Springhill, another Birmingham suburb, into a brand new roller skating facility that would be known as the Mecca Olympic. Midland RSC seized the opportunity, and through negotiation made the new rink their home base. With the rink came the first name change to the club. In 1966, to associate itself with the rink, Midland RSC became formally known as Midland Olympic RSC. The club even gave itself a coat of arms and a motto - "Sport Before Speed". With Kelly and Woodley now gone the sole role of coach was left up to another of the founder members, Ray Roberts. Ray's wife Pat also had a vested interest in Midland Olympic as she had been Club Secretary since the club had been formed. Roberts was also quick to spot talent and one of those "up and coming youngsters" he would coach was John Fry.
In March 1967, at just turned 18, John Fry won the � Mile Championship of Great Britain becoming the youngest ever British Champion. The same year he was awarded the coveted George Lord Trophy for his performances in the National Championships. Inevitably the more established skaters looked on it as a fluke. This "fluke" would dominate British roller skating in an illustrious career that would span three decades.
By 1968 it was apparent that Fry was going to be a force to be reckoned with, but that year the World Championships were held in Vicenza, Italy and when the British Team was announced Fry's name was not amongst them. The selectors had decided to take Eason over Fry for his experience. Also in that team was another youngster on his first ever trip as a full international. From Alexandra Palace RSC, Mick McGeough, who over the next 20 years would become Fry's main rival in domestic competition. Between them they would amass no less than 35 individual British titles. Being excluded spurred Fry on even more, and by taking the � Mile Championship for the second time in 1969 the youngster ensured that his name would be on the team sheet for the World Championships in Argentina later that year. In his first ever World Championships Fry would finish 4th in the 500 metres time trial. At the same event, Alexandra Palace's John Folley won the 10,000 metres World Championship and took silver in the 20,000 metres. Despite Folley's remarkable achievement the 1960's truly belonged to the skaters of the Midland Olympic Roller Speed Club.
The dawn of a new decade did not herald a major international competition and it would be nearly two years on from the Argentinian World Championships before we would see another one. 1971 saw the first European Championships since '67 and Midland Olympic once again had a vested interest in the national team. Future member Geoff Mattock joined Fry on a road circuit in Wetteren, Belgium. By now Guiseppe Cantarella of Italy had already won six World titles and was already well on his way to becoming a sprint legend. He was once again favourite to win the "blue ribband" event, the 500 metres time trial. However, he hadn't reckoned on either Fry or Folley. Fry won the event, Folley took second. In the 1000 metres knock-out Folley was first and in the 10,000 metres two man relay Fry and Folley together notched up a third gold medal making it a triple success for Britain. Mattock took bronze in the 10,000 metres and was just edged into fourth place in the 20,000 metres, missing out on a medal by inches. For their golden achievements at these Championships Fry and Folley were jointly awarded the Vandervell Trophy. It was the most coveted trophy to be awarded by the National Skating Association of Great Britain as it was awarded to the person or persons across all skating disciplines, both ice and roller, for outstanding achievements gained in the previous year's competitions.
1972 and with the retirement of club stalwart Ray Roberts some years earlier, Fry had effectively become the coach for the club, a role he has continued to maintain till this day. His wife, Ruth, also got in on the act and took over from Pat Roberts as Club Secretary. It was also the year that the Roller Speed Committee decided in their wisdom not to hold any British Championships as it was thought that the distinct lack of entries did not warrant the inclusion of such a major event in the domestic calendar. This was the first and last year since the war that the British Championships were not held. The year was also barren in as much as there were no World or European Championships. However, there was one international event, and that was in Inzell, West Germany. West Germany was also hosting the Olympic Games in 1972 and Inzell was used to showcase the sport. It also pitched Fry and Cantarella together again in a flat out sprint, only this time the event would be held on an ultra smooth 400 metre flat track, and not a rough road circuit as had been the case at the previous year's European Championships. Just like Fry's first British Championship win in '67, his victory in the '71 European Championships over Cantarella was deemed a fluke. In Inzell, however, "the fluke" proved again to be more than a match for "the legend". Fry won the 500 metres time trial as Cantarella could only look on in disbelief. That one event sealed a friendship and respect between these two athletes that would last the duration of both their skating careers.
In 1973, another Midland Olympic youngster made his mark on the international scene, John Mullane. Mullane, and soon to be club member Gerrard Bissett, were in their first European Championships in Grenoble, France, and would finish 7th and 8th respectively in the 1000 metres knock-out. Mullane's time would break the British Record for that distance, a record that still stands today, nearly 30 years on from the event.
The following year Fry and Mattock would place third in the European Championship 2 Man Relay at San Benedetto. It was Mattock's last outing as an international, but it was already becoming apparent that the successful domestic partnership of Fry and Mullane was one that could be used to great effect on the international scene. The British quartet of Fry, Mullane, McGeough and Southern Roller Speed Club's Patrick Feetham would prove a major international force to be reckoned with during the 1970's, but none more so perhaps than Midland Olympic's Fry.
It was also a time when it was becoming very apparent that the roller skating boom of the previous years was on the wane. Rinks in England were no longer making profits, and like most businesses that did not make money, one by one they closed. As these rinks closed new venues had to be found, and more and more the sport ventured outdoors. The most prominent venue that would emerge was a seldom used 227 metre cycle track in Enfield, London, known as Tatem Park. The only indoor facility used was an exhibition hall at the Granby Halls, Leicester. Both the Midland Olympic and Birmingham clubs used this venue for training and race events.
The closing of the Mecca Olympic Rink in Birmingham heralded the dawn of a new era for the Midland Olympic club. Its members got together and decided that a change of name was needed. The club now had skaters such as Steve Collins, the only British skater to ever win a Belgian National Championship, and John Toy. Toy was also a former World Record holder over 10,000 metres and lived in Birmingham whereas recent Birmingham RSC defectees, Geoff Mattock and Len Law lived in Leicester and former Southern RSC skaters Gerrard Bissett and twin sister Kathleen both resided in London. It was agreed that whilst the club's roots were firmly planted in the city of Birmingham, if there was to be a change in name it should encompass a more global association, and so in 1974 the Mercia Roller Speed Club was born.
Mercia was an ancient name for the central area of Britain that encompassed the Midlands and surrounding counties long before they were ever established. The change of name also saw the first change in club colours. The skating jersey was proposed by Mattock, a variation of the then Peugeot Cycling Club colours. The Peugeot design was a series of black and white checks across the breast of a mainly white body, whereas the Mercia colours would be orange and white checks over a blue body. The orange white and blue of Mercia would continue to be a force throughout the skating world for the next ten years.
In 1975 John Toy won the Northern and Midland Counties Championship, Mercia welcomed its newest, and oldest member, 53 year old Cliff Stafford, and the World Championships, the first in six years, were held in two different countries. The track championships were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina whilst the road championships were held in Sesto San Giovani, a suburb of Milan, Italy. This was the first time the World Championships had been held since Argentina '69, and once again Britain was to feature heavily.
Fry had already taken silver in the 500 metres time trial, with Cantarella having taken the gold, and was sitting in prime position to take victory in the 20,000 metres later that evening, when exiting the last bend ahead of Italians Fregosi and Ferrari, Fry skated over a drain in the road which upended the skater putting paid to any chance of a medal.
The following day in the 1000 metres knock-out Fry drew Cantarella in an early round. Whenever these two had met head to head in a knock-out, the event had always been played out as a "cat and mouse", Fry believing he could always beat the Italian. This time British Team Manager, Bob Halford, advised Fry to go for the time and ensure himself of a place in the next round. By doing so it meant that he would not meet Canatarella again until the final. Reluctantly, Fry took his advice, but it worked. The Italian just pipped Fry to the line but Fry's time progressed him to the next round. Halford was right, and the two great rivals met once more in the final.
The final of a knock-out competition was always the best of three. There was also a ruling that stated whoever came out of the last bend in first place got to choose which side of the track they would skate to the finish. A white line down the centre of the track divided the two athletes on their approach to the finish line. Exiting the last bend and neck and neck, Fry skated over the same drain in the road that had ended his chances in the 20,000 metres the previous day. Once again Fry fell. Cantarella chose his lane and crossed the finish line first. It was first blood to Italy. Cantarella then went back for Fry and together they walked the finish straight. Fry was now well and truly battered and bruised but still had two more attempts to beat the Italian. However, the Referee decided that by walking down the same lane as Cantarella, Fry had made an infringement on the rules and the remaining two rounds of the final were not run. Despite protests the decision was upheld and Cantarella was awarded gold, with Fry the silver. Being a true sportsman, even Canatrella wanted to run the remaining rounds of the final but the decision stood. It is said that on the podium Cantarella couldn't hide his disgust, and after the awarding of his medal and winners jersey he threw his "rainbow shirt" into the crowd, presumably feeling it to be a hollow victory.
The following day Fry would manage a bronze in the 10,000 metres, just one tenth of a second separating first and third. He would leave the championships with his two silver medals, a bronze and a gold achieved in the 20,000 metres two man relay, partnered by Mick McGeough. Fry would never take another medal at a World Championships, but arguably his most dominant performance at a major international would not come for another three years.
Internationally 1976 was identical to 1970 in as much as there were no World or European Championships, and in fact there would be no more World's until 1978. By now Southern RSC's Patrick Feetham had also joined the fold and with Fry and Mullane, Mercia were indeed an indominatable force.
In 1978, much to the amazement of pretty much everybody, John Toy again won the Northern and Midland Counties Championship and Mercia won its seventh British Relay title (five of them as Midland). With Fry, Feetham, Toy and Law (standing in for an injured Mullane) the quartet went on to break the British Record in the process. That year the European Championships were held in La Roche, France. The British skaters were on fire, and once again it was Fry's flames that burned the hottest. Both Fry and Mullane won gold. Fry took victory in the time trial whilst Mullane won the 5,000 metres. Fry also led McGeough out to take gold in the 10,000 metres. Then in the knock-outs an incident between Fry and Cantarella put paid to any more medals. The two skaters clashed on the final bend and the result was that Fry was disqualified. It seemed that everybody except the Referee saw Cantarella as the offender, and again protests were heard. In most people's eyes the incident was so blatant, and the decision so biased that Tony Wordsworth, the British Team Manager, withdrew the team from the competition. With all four skaters in the last eight, Britain was odds on to get a medal of some description. Other nations followed suit and soon it farcically left just the Italian skaters to contest the final rounds. With Fry, Mullane and McGeough all having taken gold medals, the knock-out competition was set up for occasional team member Tom Bartlett to win. Bartlett remains convinced that the gold would have been his, but acknowledges the efforts of Fry stating that the Midlander could have been victorious in any distance he chose. For their efforts and achievements the entire British Team were awarded the Vandervell Trophy, making it a second time for Fry.
By now Mullane was working for a successful business man, Derek Morris, head of Morris-Vulcan Group. On a recent trip to America Morris had seen something that caught his eye, and it was a craze that was sweeping the nation. Skateboarding. Unheard of in Britain, Morris brought back one of the first skateboards and started to produce his own model, the "Vulcan-Flyer". Production of this skateboard included wheels made of a relatively new material, polyurethane, which were supplied to Morris-Vulvan by an American company, Belair. These wheels were used in America on skateboards and hockey skates, but at this time speed skate wheels were primarily made of plastic or wood, as they had been for the past 100 years or so. Mullane was curious to see how these new skateboard wheels performed on his roller skates, and obtaining a few sets he and Fry decided to try them out at one particular training session. The test was simple. Both skaters held on to each others arm and free rolled down the hill at the Mallory Park motor racing circuit in Leicestershire. Mullane had on the new urethane wheels whilst Fry used the familiar plastic wheels. The difference in roll beggared belief but the true test had to really be under race conditions.
Mullane had managed to get hold of a third set of these wheels and he, Fry and Feetham were on their way to an international meeting at Sint Lenaart's in Belgium. Feetham was unaware of the new wheels, but on the ferry both Fry and Mullane divulged their "secret" and told Feetham that he had to use these new wheels for the forthcoming international. Feetham took one look at the wheels and laughed. Grabbing one he squeezed together the lip of one of these 50mm diameter green wheels and said that there was no way he was going to use these. They were simply too soft and he was certain that with his weight he could never push these wheels around a race track. Feetham wanted to use his old, familiar, rock hard platic wheels. However, Fry and Mullane insisted that he try them, and reluctantly he had to agree. What followed was to revolutionise the sport as we know it. At the international event all three Mercia men swept the competition aside and it soon became apparent that these wheels were going to give someone a major advantage. With the Belgian European Championships just around the corner, those club members in with a shout of being on the national team were very excited indeed. The British Team for 1979 consisted of three members of Mercia, Mullane, Fry and Feetham who all joined the rest of the British squad for regular training sessions at the Zandvoorde track in preparation for the European Championships.
By now Mullane had managed to gather enough sets of these green Belair wheels so that each member of the British team was fully prepared. The road championships were held first in Leuven and it was decided that the wheels were not yet to make an appearance. The team only managed to obtain a medal in the relay but the British contingent still played their cards close to their chests. And it worked.
At the track championships Fry was unsuccessful in his attempt to retain his European sprint title. He managed bronze in the 500 metres knock-out and at one point was disqualified from the whole championships for an incident involving yet another Italian, Cortalesse, which resulted in the Italian having to be stretchered off the circuit. However, it was the first time that video had been extensively used during a major championships, and after playing back the footage it was apparent that Fry had reacted under extreme provocation. The penalty was reduced to a disqualification from the race, but Fry was now free to skate the remainder of the championships. McGeough retained his 10,000 metres title with Birmingham RSC's Jerry McGrath taking the silver, and Mercia's Feetham, already a bronze medallist at World Championships went on to win the 20,000 metres, despite actually crossing the line in third place. His win was the result of the two Italians, De Persio and Cruciani, ahead of him being disqualified. In the final individual event, the 5000 metres, defending champion John Mullane ironically had to withdraw due to injury. Fry eventually won the event just inches ahead of a fast finishing, and albeit much battered, Cortalesse. Belair was soon packaging these wheels for use on speed skates, and it wasn't long before the other nations realised the benefits of polyurethane. Urethane wheels had been around for some time, but the lip on the Belair wheels, coupled with the metal core, gave a distinct advantage. This was to be the last time Britain was seen as a collective force to be reckoned with, and the last time to date Britain would win any individual gold medals at senior level.
By now Mercia had become the club to be associated with. It appeared that everybody wanted to skate for the club. At its height Mercia was represented by top skaters from Britain's two top cities, Birmingham and London, as well as the new city of Milton Keynes. World silver medallist and 39 times British Champion, Chloe Ronaldson came on board, as did current international and soon to be European silver medallist Darren Cobley along with former internationals and British Champions Roy Lawrence and Lyn Coles. Even other lesser known skaters such as Tony Oulds and Steven Swain wanted to be part of the action, each of them eventually winning National gold medals with the Midland's based club. Domestically the club was flourishing. However, by the start of the 1980's medals of any colour at major international events were becoming more and more of a rarity. Not only for members of the Mercia club but for Britain in general.
Britain played host to the 1980 European Road Championships at Southampton, but by now the urethane wheel advantage had all but disappeared and it was becoming evident that the "lesser" nations were beginning to catch up. Not only that but the British team made possibly one of their biggest blunders at a major championships. Having used the Southampton circuit since 1978, British skaters had always used plastic wheels on there when it came to competitions. Believing that by sticking with a wheel that they were familiar with would benefit the team, the Brits favoured plastic to urethane. How wrong they were. Belgium and Italy were now skating urethane and wiped up at these championships. Britain decided to make the switch late into the competition, but by now it was way too late, and the only achievement they would obtain was a silver medal in the mens relay.
New Zealand in 1980 was the last time Feetham represented his country, and the Belgian World Championships of 1981 effectively saw the end of Mullane's international career. True to form the bad boy of skating went out with a bang, dropping his shorts to the Zandvoorde crowd after an autication with one of their skaters. (He did reprise his international role at the 1985 European Championships, but he wasn't a patch on his former self). By 1982 Lyn Coles had effectively hung her skates up, and in 1983 Darren Cobley decided that he would be better off skating for a London club and so joined Alexandra Palace.
During the 1982 season Fry became involved with a project team that wanted to set up an adventure park that catered for wheeled activities within the centre of Birmingham. He put forward a proposal that stated if a purpose built roller skating track could be built on the site he would bring a major international competition to the venue within two years, and so the proposal was agreed. The Birmingham Wheels Adventure Park was the brain child of Bernard Mouzer, an official of the Probationary Service. Fry obtained plans for a purpose built roller skating track, based upon the dimensions of those for the track at Mar del Plata in Argentina, and construction began towards the end of 1983. By then Mercia had gone back to consisting of just a handful of members. Fry was still winning domestic titles, and his son John Junior was in his first year of competition. John Toy was ever present, and rank outsider Paul Turner won the Northern and Midland Counties Championship, ahead of former club member John Mullane, now skating for Northampton. Mercia even had two of its members representing Great Britain in the senior ladies division, Sharon Tongue and Alison Hartley. Both also achieved gold in 1983 in the 4 woman 3000 metres British Championship Relay, alongside Chloe Ronaldson and former Belgian skater and wife of Steve Collins, Anita. The four also broke the British Record, and with Collins'a addition to the team brought a truly international flavour to the club.
By mid 1984 the smooth 200 metre banked asphalt track had been built, although the centre and perimeter had yet to be landscaped. Despite this, Fry suggested to the then Roller Speed Committee that the venue be used for the 1984 British Championships. It was, and Fry, back together with his old team mate John Mullane, rolled back the years and between them took four out of five of the national titles, winning two each with Fry finishing second in the fifth and final event, the 20,000 metres. By August '84 the landscaping had finished and Fry brought to it that year's Junior European Championships. He had brought a major international event to the track, just like he had promised. Britain also had some success with Herne Bay's Ashley Harlow and Milton Keynes Lisa Smith both being crowned Junior European Champions on home soil. It was the first purpose built banked track in the whole of Great Britain and would become the nucleus of future generations of Birmingham based speed skaters.
At just 16, club member Alison Hartley, from Milton Keynes represented her country at senior level in the 1983 European Championships in Cremona, Italy. A year later she would take silver and bronze in the 1984 European Championships in Vienna, Austria, and would finish a whisker away from a bronze medal at the World Championships in Bogota, Colombia. Also at the '84 European Championships John Fry would finish second in the overall track rankings and take his final international gold medal. At 35, and carrying an injury from a fall in an earlier event, he was one third of the British Relay team that won the 1984 European Road Relay title, along with former club mate Darren Cobley, and Herne Bay's Rohan Harlow.
Throughout the 1984 season the Mercia club had got together and discussed the proposal of changing the name of the club yet again. It was now ten years since the change of name from Midland Olympic to Mercia, and a further name change had mixed views from the membership. The reason for the proposal was that with the advent of the new banked track at the Birmingham Wheels Adventure Park the club wanted to be closely associated with the facility and effectively make it their home base. Other clubs associated with the Adventure Park were already beginning to be formed. You had the Birmingham Wheels BMX Club and the Birmingham Wheels Karting Club and it was therefore seen as necessary by some members to change the name to Birmingham Wheels Roller Speed Club. Those against argued that the club would now be associated with one particular city as opposed to an area of the country such as the name Mercia suggested and as had been the case for the past 25 years. At the club's Annual General Meeting arguments and counter arguments were put forward regarding the change of name and a vote taken. The result was the turning of another page in the club's already eventful history, and so on October 1st 1984 Mercia RSC was no more and the Birmingham Wheels Roller Speed Club was officially recognised by the Roller Speed Committee. With it came a change of club colours. Gone were the instantly recognisable orange and white checks, and in came the green and yellow livery of the Birmingham Wheels Adventure Park and some old familiar faces.
The Wheels club was experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Former Birmingham RSC skaters and brothers Cliff and Dennis Stafford had joined Mercia back in 1975 and 1980 respectively, and Cliff had been "elected" as Club Chairman, despite his retirement from competition in 1982. Dennis had witnessed first hand the then 19 year old Danny Kelly's efforts back in the 1958 World Championships, having been part of the national team then, and had always kept his hand in at racing. As more and more veterans races were added to the domestic calendar so we witnessed more and more "come backs". Alongside Dennis, John Toy was still competing, as was Len Law occasionally, but out of the woodwork appeared two names that nobody expected to see. In 1985 both Danny Kelly, former World Champion and Leon Goodchild former World Record holder, got their skates on once again some twenty years after walking away from the sport, and began once more to feel the adrenalin rush of standing on the start line waiting for the gun to go. However, Kelly's return was short lived. In 1987 an accident during training left him with a broken collar bone, and when he did it again, this time on the opposite side soon after he was medically advised to call it a day for fear of his breast bone collapsing should he do it a further time. All those years of skating at the highest level and he had never broken a bone in his life. Now in his late 40's the dangers of what might be if he continued made his mind up for him. For a second time Kelly walked away from the sport, this time for good.
During the 1985 season there was nearly another European gold medal on the cards when the British relay team, the defending champions and again consisting of Fry crossed the finish line first ahead of Italy in the '85 European Championships in Cassano d'Adda, Italy. The British trio celebrated another triumph only to have the race made void due to the fact that the teams had completed one extra lap. Despite protests the final result stood. Despite this, Alison Hartley still managed silver in the track 3000 metres and bronze in the road 1500 metres, as well as a further two bronze medals in the relay events.
The 1985 World Championships in Colorado Springs again teamed up Fry and Feetham, the Londoner having now taken over the mantle of National Team Manager. Birmingham Wheels's Chloe Ronaldson was also present as chaperone to the ladies team. Fry was the only British man to make a final, but by his own standards his performances were looked on as mediocre. However, one Wheels club member did not come away empty handed. Again, Alison Hartley, now barely 18, took a bronze medal home along with her two team mates Lisa Smith and Herne Bay's Lisa Burgess, when they finished third in the ladies relay.
Joining the Wheels club in 1986 was Herne Bay's Ian Ashby. The junior and senior international and former British Champion had come to Birmingham from the south looking for work. That year he would win the British 300 metres time trial championship and by 1987 he had made the British team for the first time in four years. At the European Championships in Ostende, Belgium he would be alongside his coach and club mate John Fry, but whereas Ashby would contest the road championships, Fry would only contest the track. Alison Hartley was also called upon again, and despite skating as a duo in the ladies 3-man relay, she and team mate Lisa Smith would remarkably achieve a bronze medal. This would be Hartley's last medal in international competition.
Later that year was the World Championships in Grenoble, France. Fry was selected for the national team for his 19th consecutive year. In 1986 he had entered the Guinness Book of Records by having won more individual national roller speed skating titles than any other man at that time. Eighteen in total, and a record that would stand for ten years. Looking around him he saw a changed sport. Technology had moved on, and so had the people. Long gone were rivals Cantarella and McGeough, and now other stars were beginning to emerge. Italian sprinters like Galliazzo and the American Muse brothers were the new heroes. Domestically North London's Tony Marriott was emerging as the one to beat. At 38, Fry was still achieveing personal best times for distances such as 500 metres, the distance he had come to achieve so much at, but now these times would not even give him a top 15 finish. Seven times World Champion Bobby Kaiser of the USA would regularly call Fry at his home to discuss training methods and concerns he had with his performance. Fry would sit and talk for hours on end trying to convince the American that all would be well. Despite all of this Fry recognised that his own chances of ever winning that elusive world title had all but now vanished. Before these Championships Fry had decided Grenoble would be his swansong. As Fry walked away from those Championships it was the end of a sporting career of arguably the country's most successful speed skater to date, and for Britain, the end of an era.
Also in 1987, Fry Junior was beginning to make a mark on the domestic scene. He had taken a gold medal in the British Championships alongside his father and club mates Ian Ashby and Chris Ampaduh in the relay, and by becoming the first person ever to win the prestigious Clarke Trophy and Invitiation Five Mile in the same year, the youngster was looking for a place on the National Team. However, it was not to be and he would be denied the opportunity of being one half of the first father and son duo ever to compete at a major international event.
By 1988 Fry Senior was now concentrating on coaching the Wheels club. Emerging were a group of youngsters who only twelve months earlier could not effectively stand up on a pair of skates. Simon Davis, Andrew Lyndon and Rob Shemsan were sweeping all before them in their respective categories. Fry Junior and Chris Ampaduh had already been skating together for some time, but by the end of 1988 the group of youngsters had formed a bond that was made extremely difficult for anybody on the outside to break into. Their unselfishness towards one another meant that the club would go from strength to strength, and in fact would win the 5,000 metres 4 Man British Relay title on no less than five occasions throughout the late '80's and early '90's and the Chambers Team Trophy on three occasions. They did not care who won as long as they wore yellow and green. Individually, only one man stood in their way, Tony Marriott. The North London youngster would become the nemesis of Fry Junior and despite the efforts of the Birmingham bunch would more often than not take the gold medal.
Also in 1988 Fry Junior got his first call up for the British team. With Alison Hartley expecting her first child he was the only member of the Wheels club to represent his country that year. At his first European Championships in Gujan Mestras, France, he would have a mixed bag of results on the road circuit, and due to inexperience possibly caused the team to miss out on a medal in the relay. On the first day of racing on the track he fell and suffered a cut to the head that required stitches. Diagnosed with concussion, team manager John Davis refused to race Fry the following day due to his injuries. However, Davis stated that on the third and final day he would race Fry in the 1,500 metres and review his form with the possibility of racing him in the relay. Fry finished fifth in the event and was duly awarded a place on the track relay team next to Marriott and Sean McGeough (son of Mick McGeough).
The ensuing relay was packed with incident. With the French taking an early lead and being a half lap up by the half way stage and closely tailed by the Italians, the Brits were contesting the lower places. Then on a changeover Galliazzo of the Italian team took a heavy fall that effectively put them out of the competition. By now the German and Belgian teams had begun to reel in the French, with Britain just about hanging on to their shirt tails. The inexperienced trio then made a mistake and missed a changeover. Whereas Fry was initially on to finish, the missed changeover meant that that task would now fall to McGeough. As the Germans and Belgians approached the French the closing of the gap had taken its toll and both teams suddenly ran out of steam. With the gap now down to just a few metres the British youngsters closed in on the French and now it was a two horse race. The British spectators suddenly found their voices, and none more so than former international Fry Senior. As Britain caught the French team he shouted to the youngsters to go straight around them, hoping to demoralise the home nation. However, with former World Champion Frank Peyron on to finish for the French the odds were heavily stacked against Fry and his team mates taking gold. Then with one lap to go McGeough led out with Peyron sitting tight behind him. Approaching the finish line everybody expected the former World Champion to sprint past the British youngster, but for whatever reason, the Frenchman didn't move, one suspects he didn't realise it was the last lap and as McGeough crossed the finish line the young trio threw their arms aloft and proclaimed victory. Yet another European gold, albeit a fortunate one, was coming back to Birmingham.
Despite this the Wheels club struggled to maintain consistent form domestically in the senior mens division. They would take medals galore in individual events, but gold always seemed just that bit too far away. In the 90's only Fry Junior and Ashby would be crowned Senior British Men's Champions, and on the horizon was something that would change the face of roller speed skating across the world forever. In-lines.
Again it was Fry Senior who seized the initiative. At the 1991 World Championships in Zandvoorde, Belgium, a chance sighting of USA's Doug Glass skating around the smooth 200 metre banked track on in-lines led to a conversation that Fry realised spelt doom for traditional roller skates. Glass told Fry that back in America traditional roller skates, or "quads" as he termed them, were becoming a thing of the past. In-lines were the new thing. Not only were they faster, but the single edge of the wheels meant that you could turn sharper corners. By the end of the year Fry Senior had got in-line skates for the whole of the Birmingham Wheels club who would mix their skate training between in-lines and quads. In 1992 despite in-lines having been allowed in World Championships the Roller Speed Committee could not see the writing on the wall and still did not allow them to be used in domestic competitions. In October of that year some of Britain's top skaters took part in an unsanctioned event, the Humber Marathon. Fry Junior decided that he would use his in-lines despite all others using their traditional skates. Fry won the event by over 26 minutes, a minute a mile faster than the rest of the group. However, it would take until 1993 until the Roller Speed Committee sanctioned in-lines for the British Championships, and then only in the Marathon.
In '92 helped by team mates Davis and the up and coming Chris Stafford (son of Club Chairman Cliff Stafford), Fry Junior took the 5,000 metres British championship just inches ahead of Northanpton's Errol Spence. It would be Fry's only individual British title. By 1993 Davis, Lyndon and Shemsan had all quit, having never really realising their true potential. Ian Ashby would win the coveted 300 metres British time trial championship in '94 for the third and final time, becoming the first person to win the event on in-lines.
In the mid 90's both Fry and Ashby were regulars on the National Team. Fry Junior went on to compete as an international at World and European Championships for the next seven years. In that time he would have top ten finishes in the world, top five in Europe and obtain a British Record in the 1994 World Championship Marathon, just 19 seconds behind the eventual winner and new World Record holder Derek Parra of the USA. But the achievement of winning another international medal never materialised. Both he and club mate Ashby retired from international competition in 1995 after the World Championships in Perth, Australia.
The domestic successes of the club in those days came from elsewhere. Alison Hartley won a further 9 British titles between 1990 and 1994, and after a six year absence was rewarded a place on the National Team in 1993 at the European Championships in Valence d'Argen, France. Now a mother, and finding it difficult to find the form she had when she last made the team back in 1987, Hartley still showed her true class and ability to race. Crossing the line in third place the whole British team were jubilant with her performance. However, the judges had spotted an infringement during the race and Hartley was subsequently disqualified. Time was moving on and despite being selected for the World Championships in Colorado Springs that year Hartley declined the invitation and never put her skates on internationally again.
The Wheels junior skaters were also keeping the green and yellow colours on the podium. In the junior girls Donna Watts and Jeanette Mullane, (daughter of former Eurpoean Champion, John) were winning Junior British titles, as were John Davies, Nicholas Palfrey and Kevin Wood in the junior boys. However, only Wood would go on to represent his country at the 1993 Junior European Championships in Valence d'Agen. Shortly after, all of these youngsters had moved on, failing to carry on and impress at senior level. But all was not lost as that task fell to Chris Stafford.
Stafford had been a member of the Wheels club since 1987 and made the National Team in 1994 and '95 alongside club mates Ashby and Fry Junior. When they retired from international competition Stafford found himself the lone Birmingham Wheels skater in the British camp. As Fry had a nemesis by way of North London RSC's Tony Marriott, Stafford had his own in the form of Derby Rollerspeed's Sutton Atkins.
Back in 1993 John Fry Senior had taken over the role of National Team Manager and Coach and by the end of 1994 he was the Chairman of the British Federation of Roller Skating - Roller Speed. Tensions had always existed between Stafford and Atkins and shortly after the 1996 World Championships inevitably the pair came to blows at low key domestic event. Little love was ever lost between the two competitors and this time the altercation left the BFRS, headed by Stafford's coach, little alternative other than to administer a ban to the two skaters. This meant that the two internationals would miss out on the 1997 British Championships. Atkins fared worse as it also meant he had to miss out on the World Games that were being held in Lahti, Finland that he had qualified for at the '96 World Championships in Padua, Italy.
That year Fry Senior also struck a deal with Raymond Weil the international watch manufacturer and in September '97 with a budget nearing �100,000 brought the first major international event in 13 years, a marathon, to the British shores. The event attracted elite skaters such as French internationals Arnauld Gicquel (eventual winner and World Champion), Pascal Briand and Belgian internationals Renaat Demeter and Davy Willems. Raymond Weil even entered his own international team, W1, consisting of Stafford, his British team mate Craig Arnold and Willems. BFRS also entered a British international team, a member of which was former junior international and British record holder, Mark Simnor, who would also become a member of the Wheels club within two years.
By the time the 1997 World Championships came around in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Stafford was the only British representative to attend. Former club mate Fry Junior intended to attend these championships as a spectator but was asked to travel with Stafford in an administrative capacity, which he gladly accepted. Unfortunately, a bout of chicken pox put paid to Stafford ever doing anything remotely useful in these championships.
At the start of the year Stafford had sought sponsorship from various sources and struck a deal with American company Kryptonics. This meant Stafford had to effectively break away from the Birmingham Wheels club, although he was still closely associated with it, being trained by club coach John Fry Senior. Stafford's association with Kryptonics would last just two seasons, and by the end of 1998 Fry Senior had had talks with the former American international and soon to be President of Verducci USA, Doug Glass. Verducci were a relatively new skate equipment manufacturer who had close links with muliti-national sportswear company, Fila, and had on their books multiple World Champions Chad Hedrick and Derek Downing, amongst others. Glass had been responsible for introducing the Birmingham Wheels club to in-lines nearly ten years earlier and Fry Junior had competed against the American throughout the late '80's and early '90's. Through his own promotions company, Make It Big (MIB), Fry Senior became a recognised dealer for Verducci USA. Glass granted Fry permission to use the Verducci name for a registered club in Great Britain, and so in January 1999 Team Fila Verducci UK was born.
Initially, the team consisted of just three skaters. Current international Stafford, up and coming youngster Vincent Henry and British Masters Champion Derrick Ritchie. Former Northern and Midland Counties Champion, Ritchie, had raced for both Mercia and Birmingham Wheels and now found himself one of the founder members of a "sponsored" team that sported a racing suit in keeping with the times. The Verducci colours were primarily black with a big "V" across the chest interspersed with the World Championship "rainbow" colours.
During the '98 season Fry Senior resumed his role as National Team Manager and Stafford achieved his highest position to date at a World Championships, 13th in the 1,500 metres. Again, Stafford had a collection of medals domestically. He was victorious in a number of club events, but a gold in an individual British Championship still eluded him.
1999 was also a tumultuous year for the sport. Fry Senior resigned from the Federation of In-line Speed Skating (FISS - formerly BFRS) committee, having overseen the sport for the past six years, and Fry Junior had agreed with the new FISS Committee to take over as joint National Team Manager along with former international Mark Tooke. Brian Wood, former secretary and member of the Birmingham Wheels club, now took on the role of FISS Chairman. Things were looking very good indeed for the sport. Fry Junior took his first team away to South Africa and then in early May was responsible for overseeing the National Team at the Europa Cup in Zemst, Belgium. However, the following week it was soon evident that all was not well within the sport when Sutton Atkins petitioned the National Squad to state that they had no confidence in Fry Junior's managerial style, stating that it was too dictatorial. The FISS Committee were split and during the ensuing discussions Fry Junior tended his resignation. Soon afterwards Brian Wood also resigned from his position as Chairman declaring his disappointment at some committee members who had backed the National Squad without having first informed him of the issue. Despite these difficulties within the national governing body the club maintained its focus and Team Fila Verducci UK continued with its winning ways.
At the 1999 club AGM it was agreed that whilst Team Fila Verducci UK was now the recognised team for the former Birmingham Wheels club members, Birmingham Wheels as a roller speed club should not cease to exist. From the point of view that the association with the name Birmingham could still prove to be beneficial, not least of all by way of using the track at the Wheels Adventure Park, it was unanimously agreed that the club continue to be registered with FISS. Each subsequent member of Verducci would automatically be a member of Birmingham Wheels RSC, although nobody actually raced for the registered club. It was suggested that Team Fila Verducci UK might be the elite arm of Birmingham Wheels that new club members aspired to. However, this suggestion did not materalise and so each new member effectively raced for the American sponsored team.
By the end of the year Stafford had clinched his first Senior National title, the Marathon. It had been 12 years of intensive training and now at the age of 27 the resident Leicester man had come of age. Derrick Ritchie was now British Masters Champion and Fry Junior had decided that after his fall from grace in May he would try his hand again at domestic competition and embarked on a winter training program that would hopefully stand him in good stead for the following year. Newcomers to the club included Alexandra Geen from the Essex based club Belotti UK and Carolyn Bright from Leicester's Roxa sponsored Ratae club. Both would benefit from the strength of Stafford and the coaching of Fry Senior.
The year 2000 did not only witness the dawn of a new millenium, but also a return to the domestic glory days of a club that was effectively now over 40 years old. Stafford would win the Indoor Series outright and go on to win the 1500 metres Indoor British Championship. He would take three more titles that year. Geen and Bright would also win Senior National Championsips whilst Lisa Bedford would be victorious at Cadet level. Bedford's retun to the sport after a twelve month sabbatical saw the teenager compete with renewed vigour to beat her main rival, Sally Wood, for the first time in major competition. However, the surprise of the bunch was Vincent Henry. He came from literally nowhere to win the Cadet Boys 1000 metres National Indoor title, beating young stars such as North London's A.J.Burton and Derby's Kirk Hardy in the process. By the end of the year he had proved this to be no fluke. Outdoors he would be given a "dead heat" decision for first place in the 500 metres along with Derby's Gavin Winter, and would take gold in the 1500 metres in what was possibly one of the closest and most exciting finishes ever seen at the Palmer Park Stadium, Reading. In fourth place off the last bend Verducci's Henry sprinted down the long finish straight and at the line it was four abreast. It took a judges decision to decide the winner, and when the announcement came it was Henry who got the vote. Despite all of this the Birmingham youngster would save his best performance till last. The 2000 Junior � Marathon Championships were held at the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in West London. Henry, not being well known for his distance capabilities had managed to stay with the main field for some time. Sensing this danger the Derby contingent, outnumbering Henry four to one, made life extremely difficult with their spoiling tactics for the Birmingham youngster. Undeterred, and with the bit between his teeth Henry hung on till the finish. His sprint up the final hill took him clear of Derby's Gavin Winter, and Henry was proclaimed Junior British Champion for the fourth time that year.
2000 also heralded the changing of the club colours once again. Gone was the predominantly black racing strip, and in came the patterned red-black-white colours that were seen so often throughout that year on the number one spot. Coincidentally, these were the colours chosen by a bunch of rebels way back in 1958 when they wanted to set themselves higher than all those around them.
By the time National Team selection came around, the Senior Team that would represent Great Britain at the 2000 European Championships in Latina, Italy, consisted of no less than four members of Team Fila Verducci UK, one half of the country's representatives. Stafford, Geen and Bright were all expected selections, but the surprise addition was Fry Junior, who despite not having taken a National title had proved to be consistent throughout the season. Not only was he awarded a place on the National Team but because of his experience was also bestowed the honour of Team Captain. By the time of the European Championships the turmoil of the last few months had all but disappeared and the group performed as expected with Stafford obtaining the highest position of 7th in the 5000 metres road event. Not to be outdone, Bedford and Henry were also selected for national representation and attended the 2000 Junior European Championships held in Jaszberezny, Hungary.
At the Annual Awards Evening held by FISS, Chris Stafford was given the highest accolade within the sport. He was not only awarded the George Lord Memorial Trophy for his achievements domestically, but was voted Speed Skater of The Year for 2000 by the FISS membership.
The icing on the cake for the club came early in 2001 when the Birmingham City Sports Advisory Council recognised the team's successes in 2000 and awarded them the City's Team Award for oustanding achievements. Stafford was runner up in the individual awards, beating people such as 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis, and multiple 2000 Sydney Paralympic gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson. To complete the evening both Bedford and Henry were also nominated for awards in the Junior section.
With 2001 now well and truly upon us, Team Fila Verducci UK has once more undergone yet another change, albeit a subtle one. Verducci USA's involvement with Fila has all but expired. In fact Fila now have their own sponsored team that competes in regular international competitions. Due to this disassociation, the Birmingham based club decided it should now be formally known as Team Verducci UK. With it comes a new livery of green, black and white, whilst maintaining the same design as the red and black livery of the previous year. And so we are up to date. Selection for the 2001 European and World Championships has been undertaken, with Stafford, Geen, Bedford, Henry and Fry Junior (reprising his role of Team Captain) all being chosen to represent their nation yet again and Bright has since retired from international competition, now acting as chaperone to the Junior National Team.
In an age where we now have so many sponsored teams around us - Rollerblade, Salomon, Fila, Hyper, Univ� and so on, all of whom are understandably trying to attract the elite skaters with lucrative deals - Team Verducci UK prides itself on its background and its ability to create rather than buy athletes that are willing to reach the top. Throughout its (effectively) 40 year history the team has moved with the times. It has been instrumental in most, if not all, of the major changes that have taken place within the sport, both nationally and internationally over the past four decades. Despite all of the highs and lows that are attributed to this sport Team Verducci UK still maintain that sense of kinship with each and every one of its members, both past and present. It is a kinship that extends from World Champions, World Record Holders and some of the country's greatest names within the sport, right down to the child who is starting out and taking his or her first unbalanced steps on a pair of skates. That is the family that is Team Verducci UK!
John C. Fry, Secretary, Team Verducci UK