Spotlight on .... World Record Breaking!
SPOTLIGHT on….Record Breaking!
As part of our SPOTLIGHT on… series we interview our Old Vikings to hear about life after Shiplake College. We delve into what career paths they chose and what influenced them along the way.
This month we talk to Rolf Woodward (96W) about his time at Shiplake and how his life, and career led to developing one of his greatest passions for Penny Farthings!
When I first received a note in my inbox from Old Viking Rolf Woodward about a world record challenge involving a Penny-Farthing, I have to be honest, it piqued my interest. After all, it’s not every day you get to speak to someone who is taking part in a world record attempt, let alone one that involves climbing onto a large, seemingly unstable object and cycling very fast!
Penny Farthings are a sight to see. On encounter, your mind travels back in an instant to a bygone age teeming with gentlemen in tweed sporting top hats and monocles. However, when I finally got to chat with Rolf – he was anything but!
How did you first realise you had an interest or passion for Penny Farthing riding?
I started mountain biking at Shiplake, during our co-curricular afternoons and soon realised that I loved it. I was also a rower at Shiplake in the 1st VIII so developed a wider passion for sport and the discipline that it gave.
Where did this passion for cycling and sport take you in your career?
My first role was as a coach and logistics planner for Global Racing Pro Mountain Bike Team, my break into sports management. The role involved a great deal of logistics, sponsorship and racer management alongside a huge amount of travelling to world cups and world championships. This experience led to a life-changing role at the 2012 Olympics – where I was part of the event control room for both the Olympics and Para-Olympics.
How did these experiences inform you career path?
Whilst it fed my passion for sport, it also gave me an insight into my strengths and I quickly realised that I had an aptitude for IT, logistics and management and furthered my thirst for problem solving. All of these skills alongside my worth ethic have led to a career in sports management and IT.
You must get asked so often – but when did you first mount a Penny Farthing and why!
My passion for cycling took me all around the world and my competitive spirit pushed me to undertake some fairly extreme races and cycling endurance events – across the Canadian Rockies, Andies, Cape Epic in South Africa. These in some way became less challenging so I would add in a layer of additional peril by riding the route on a uni-cycle! In a way this is part of my nature, to achieve and push myself to do more, this may go back to my rowing and cycling.
Whilst I was at University, I worked in a Bicycle shop. They had a Penny Farthing hanging on the wall, part of the shop design, and when they moved location, we had to move the bike. It seemed easier to ride it around! My interest in the bike, the basic yet revolutionary nature of it, began that day and has continued ever since. Over the years I have gone from keen enthusiast to taking part in work for TV production companies and even Penny Farthing Polo. More recently however, I have been instructing people on how to ride! It’s honestly not as difficult as it looks!
Tell us about the World Record Breaking challenge you are taking part in?
The challenge takes place on 11-13 October 2024 @ Herne Hill Velodrome, Dulwich Park and London Olympic Velodrome.
We will be aiming to break five records – more details can be found here www.pennyfarthingworldrecords.com
- The fastest speed on a Penny Farthing bicycle
- The largest Penny Farthing Stack (131+ riders)
- The largest distance in one hour (solo female)
- The furthest distance in one hour (historic female team record)
- The largest number of Penny Farthing riders in a velodrome race
We would love anyone from the Shiplake College community to get involved, join in or support us! Come along on the day to support and of course if you fancy learning how to ride a Penny Farthing – find out more here www.pennyfarthingclub.com
A massive thank you to Rolf Woodward for taking the time to give us such an inspiring and interesting interview.
If you are an Old Viking and would be interested in sharing how you turned your passion into a career, or vice-versa please contact [email protected]