PBP 2011 - Deirdre Hula

Newsletter - 2011 Archive

BC Randonneurs
Cycling Club

PBP 2011 - Deirdre Hula
by Eric Fergusson

OK, here's the story. While in France Bob LePage (Deirdre Arscott's Bob) had a wheel failure - wrecked rim. Not wanting to waste the hub Bob removed the spokes. He did this at one of the regular late afternoon wine and cheese sessions at our hotel - example. People were wondering if anything useful could be done with the useless rim. That's when Deirdre picked it up and demonstrated that she's not just another ultra distance cyclist with six PBPs to her credit. (It soon became seven.) She has other talents:

(Click any image to get to the Deirdre Hula Photo Pages, then follow instructions.)

People have been wondering where Deirdre stands on the multiple PBP lists. So maybe this is a good opportunity to update the situation following PBP 2011. Deirdre has now done more PBPs than any other Canadian. (Sadly Brian Leier from Manitoba, who had also previously done six, could not make it to PBP 2011.)

As for multiple finishes for women, none of the three women who had completed seven PBPs before 2011 finished in 2011. (Only one tried.) However, three of the four women who had previously done six PBPs, finished in 2011. Here's what the new women's "recidivists" list is going to look like:

1979  1983  1987  1991  1995  1999  2003                7  LACROIX Annick            FR  F  62  1940  VE   Cyclotouristes Berruyers - Bourges
      1983  1987  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007          7  CHENET-BARBOTIN Annie     FR  F  46  1960  VE   Union Sportive Vendômoise
      1983  1987  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007          7  SIMPSON Sheila            GB  F  62  1944  VE   PEAK AUDAX
      1983  1987  1991  1995  1999  2003        2011    7  CHABIRAND Nicole          FR  F  61  1946  TM   Rand. Cyclos de l'Anjou - Angers
            1987  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007  2011    7  ARSCOTT Deirdre           CA  F  56  1954  VE   BRITISH COLUMBIA RAND VANCOUVER
            1987  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007  2011    7  PÉRAN Claudine            FR  F  51  1959  VE   Amicale Cyclo Pontivyenne - Pontivy
            
            1987  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007          6  LOCHU Paulette            FR  F  58  1949  VE   Vélo Club Annecy
                  1991  1995  1999  2003  2007  2011    6  SPRINGSTEEN Lois          US  F  59  1951  VE   DAVIS BIKE CLUB

So now there are six women who have done seven PBPs, it's a fascinating cohort, and it includes Deirdre.

It should be mentioned that a number of men have done more PBPs. Two men have now completed 11, and a bunch have done 10, 9 and 8.

If you're interested in multiple PBP finishers data I have a page with this information in our PBP section - les Récidivistes - which contains the stats through 2007. As always special thanks to Alain Collongues, who helps crunch the numbers for ACP, for passing the information along to us.

Go to: BC PBP Results
Go to: BC PBP Photos

September 15, 2011