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Jack Garry supplied all this material. He says "John Basell of No1 EQ Wing was very much involved in cycle racing with the Kasfareet `Exiles` Cycle Club has been sending me lots of photos and info about the keen following they had. So much so that they built their own EXILES CYCLE CLUBHOUSE and their own `workshop` nearby. The location is marked in my plan of Kas. I do recall actually standing by the roadside and watching those cyclists racing around the camp.
From the info John has given me about two of their major events, I`ve now retraced the actual routes taken around Kasfareet.
1 The Kasfareet Grand Prix of 1953 was the main Open Event-to all other cycling clubs in the zone. This race started at the rear of the NAAFI and Tennis Club and also finished there after 32 laps (40 miles)
2 The Exiles `KERMESSE` was a 30 miles massed start race- held on 14th March 1954. The race started outside the YMCA and did 12 laps to finish near the Parachute Packing Shed.
Enclosed is a copy of their programme and results John has kindly given me permission to pass on to you to include in your website.
As a footnote to this-John and some of the odd Canal Zone cyclists still meet up regularly at wwek-ends and have a couple of hours cycling along country lanes and then lunch at some pub or other ! Not bad for 75 year olds eh ? (See my Links Page for more Exiles info-Alwyn)
Kasfareet Grand Prix Route 1953
John Basell winning a stage event in the 1953 Kasfareet Grand Prix. Mrs Stibbs, wife of the Station C.O.Wing Commander Stibbs, is seated with back to Sergeants Mess compound.
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The Exiles clubhouse...constructed from old packing cases.
Exiles club members laying electric cables to the workshop to the left of this picture.
The route -incorporating part of the main camp road between the two camp gates then down to just short of the airfield then return up the road close to PSCO offices.
The mass start outside of the Y.M.C.A.
The winning team Exiles "A"-Armitage, Wheeler and Basell.
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An impromptu meet on a Sunday on the Canal Road outside Kasfareet.
For a little more insight into the Exiles Cycling Club of Kasfareet why not look on "My Links Page" and look up John Basell and Ken Lowson shown on my listing.
