It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of popular former member Chris Batch. Chris was involved in an accident in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex on February 21 and died in Brighton hospital less than a week later having never regained consciousness.
Chris was a regular rider with Norwood Paragon after his return to cycling in the early 2000s. He had initially raced as a junior and was unbeaten at Crystal Palace. A crit circuit known for some extremely tough racing. He got supported by Croydon bike shop Geoffrey Butlers and the club linked to the shop, the 34th Nomads.
He later went on to become a first cat rider as a senior and won the Divisional championships on the Frant circuit in East Sussex. He also won a stage race in Majorca during his amateur racing career.
When Chris got back into cycling he initially rode with Redhill CC but then became a regular on the Paragon club runs and at our TTs. Many of us benefited from his support and renwoned endurance on longer club runs.
His job as a train driver with long shifts gave him the opportunity to get long rides in all over the country on his days off, which he put good to effect in various Audax rides including the epic Paris-Brest-Paris event in France.
Chris loved to tour on his bike and did many adventurous cycle tours all over Europe and in more exotic places like Vietnam. He helped on various cycle tours and led several ‘raids’ across the Pyrenees, an area he particularly loved.
Above all Chris was friendly and enthusiastic whose booming voice and cheeky sense of humour will be sorely missed. Many of us had great trips and adventures with him and the roads and cafes of Surrey and Sussex will be quieter, sadder places without him.
RIP Chris.
