The Surrey League

Members are lucky to have the best road races in the UK with the Surrey League on their doorstep. To do a Surrey League race, it's best to enter in advance and unlike other road races, you enter the League's races via your club's Surrey League representative, in our case Graham Sheridan. So to make sure you can ride their events, Graham Sheridan explains how to enter a race:

The Surrey League runs races every year but in fact, it's the member clubs who put on the races. So for example, this club is a member club and in return organises two races each year for the League. The races are run under British Cycling (BC) rules, so to take part you'll need a BC racing licence, either buy one from BC for the year if you plan race a few times, or you can buy a licence on the day if you just want to try a race.

You can join the League as an individual, and again if you plan to race a few times, this is cheaper. With Surrey League membership, you'll get reduced race entry fees and if you win points - even finishing a race earns you one point - you will get money back at the end of the season. You'll get a membership card and Surrey League licence. Remember, a Surrey League licence isn't enough, you must have a BC racing licence first.

How To Enter A Race
1. Plan ahead and get entries to me early, all you need to do is send me a quick covering note and a cheque for each race, no BC entry form needed. The Surrey League rule states that entries should reach the league 'not later than 21 days prior to the event'; so I will need to see them four weeks before you ride, to allow me to collate the entries and send them ahead of the deadline. I can often get you in a little later, but you are not guaranteed a ride.

2. Send me a separate cheque (for £12, payable to the Surrey Cycle Racing League) for each race if you can, as this means I don't have to fill in an entry form for a race in three months time with just one name on it. Write the date of the race and category etc on the back of the cheque.

3. Clubs are only entitled to two riders per race - if there is a less than full field 21 days prior to the race then all riders who have been entered at that point will get in.

4. If the field is full, entries are allocated to each rider in the order of their appearance on the entry form - I put people on the entry form in the order they apply to me - the later you leave it, the lower down on the form you will be.

5. There are a dozen riders registered for the Surrey League sending me entries, so keep in touch by email and the forum so you know who is doing what. Melanie Prince has 800 riders to look after, chopping and changing is to be avoided.

6. If you don't show up, you lose Surrey League points, and your entry is not transferable. If you are not signed on 20 minutes before the race is due to start, you may lose your entry.

7. There are no rider limits, and therefore no need to pre-enter for daytime races at Goodwood, MOD Chertsey, Hillingdon etc... You can't pre-enter for handicaps, Eelmore or Goodwood Tuesday evening races either.

For more information about the Surrey League, visit the Surrey League website