Wilf Waters

A fine all-round cyclist, Wilf Waters was capable of racing on the track, the road, and on grass. Like his older brother Reg, Waters was a member of the South London Road Club. Having finished third behind Reg Harris in the national quarter-mile championship and second to Tommy Godwin in the London Area NCU 5-mile grass championship, he had some notable successes in the 1948 Olympic year. These included winning a 60-lap Madison race at Coventry with Dave Ricketts, in which they beat off strong Dutch and Danish opposition and, also at Coventry, Waters beat Reg Harris into third place in a 5-mile scratch race,

Waters, Ricketts, Alan Geldard and Tommy Godwin had just 10 days to prepare together before the team pursuit at the 1948 Olympics. Their preparations were thrown into further disarray when manager Bill Bailey walked out on the eve of the Games, over star rider Reg Harris’s refusal to train with the rest of the squad. The replacement coach, Harry Ryan, a former Olympic tandem gold medalist, knew nothing about pursuit riding, and this meant the British four had to work out a strategy for themselves, and it took them to a bronze medal.

In 1950 Waters lost to Alan Bannister in final of the NCU 1000 yards sprint championship, but did win the half-mile Scottish Grass Championship at the Edinburgh Highland Games. It was one of the last major honours of his career.