Johnny Bettinson

A draughtsman in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, cyclist Johnny Bettinson took up competitive cycling at the age of 15 and joined the Barrow Central Wheelers. In 1963 he won the BCF Lakeland Divisional Road Race Championship in his native Cumbria and was also second in the Tour of the Lakes stage race. The following year, Bettinson got his first taste of international riding when he was part if the six-man Great Britain team that took part in the coveted Peace Race between Warsaw-Berlin-Prague. Unfortunately, Bettinson pulled out of the race in its early stages.

Bettinson enjoyed a memorable moment in the 1965 Tour of Britian Milk Race when he won three stages and was third overall in a race won by Les West. Also in 1965, Bettinson was second overall in the Tour of Scotland and was chosen for that year´s World Championships. The following year he was third in the National Road Race Championships behind winner Arthur Metcalfe and fellow Barrow club member Mike Cowley.

Bettinson enjoyed probably his finest year in cycling in 1968 when he won another stage in the Milk Race and followed that by winning the coveted Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man ahead of Billy Bilsland. A few months later, Bettinson was in the Great Britain 100km time trial team at the Mexico Olympics that finished 11th out of 30.

Bettinson gave up cycling after the Mexico Games but made a brief comeback in 1975 before eventually retiring in 1977. He did later return to take part in the National Veterans Series in 1995 when he was in his mid-50s.