salute

Morris Foster

Big `Mo` MBE

For many in Northern Ireland's cycling community, Morris Foster is merely the President of the NICF, the man who turns up at most events on his motorbike to marshal or commissaire; many are not aware that Morris,`Big Mo` or `Uncle Mo` is one of, if not THE most successful cyclist to have come out of Northern Ireland.
 
His achievements as an athlete, manager and adminstrator have been recognised with an MBE in the Queens 80th Birthday Honours list.
Born in Maghera, but living in Newtownabbey for many years, Morris first raced a bike in 1954 at the age of 15, when he recorded 27minutes dead for a 10 mile Time Trial. After joining the Old Bleach club in Randalstown he hit the headlines in 1965 winning the NI 25 mile Time Trial title with a 59.31 - no tri-bars, disc wheels, skin suits or aero helmets - just a fixed wheel, and 149 starters in the race !!
 
Drifting away from the sport, he bounced back in the early 60s, making the decade his own with national titles on the road, track, time trials and numerous place to place records.

Morris receiving an award from Rory Wylie, President of Cycling Ireland

Gaining International honours, Morris rode the Commonwealth, or Empire, games as they were then known, in 1966 (Jamaica) and 1970 (Edinburgh), the Olympics in Mexico `68, and the Worlds in Belgium `65 and Holland `67. His best result was in Jamaica `66 where the whole Northern Ireland cycling team performed at their best, with Dave Kane 5th in the Road Race and Mo 7th.
 
Ireland also had a team in the Tour de l`Avenir, the amatuer Tour de France in the early 60s, with Morris and Jack Jonston the last two Irish riders to retire. Among his best international results were a stage win in the 1966 British Milk Race, and winning the 1969 Tour of Ireland, picking up 5 stage wins along the way.
 
Against the clock Morris was at his best and on August bank holiday 1965 he travelled to England with helper Wallace McNaul (Ballymoney) to the `Bath Road 100`, the biggest event of its type at the time. Riding an 85 inch fixed gear (54 x 17) Morris clocked 3 hours 59 minutes 38 seconds to win the event by 6 minutes. He was the 4th man ever inside 4 hours for the distance, with Ray Booty the first one year previously. Being the first rider to break 4 hours on a fixed wheel, such was the impact that Mo made front page of Cycling Weekly.
 
Record breaking was another area where Morris excelled, at one stage holding every place-to-place record in Ireland. Some of those records still remain unbroken today.
 

Retiring from competition in 1972, he moved in to administration and has managed many Northern Ireland and Ireland teams and the Commonwealth Games cycling team from 1978, being promoted to assistant team manager for the whole Northern Ireland squad since in 1998.

When pressed for his favourite moments, the unassuming big man, who turns 70 in October, selected the emotional closing ceremony of the 1966 Empire Games in Jamaica, where the children sang `island in the sun`; being selected to carry the flag at the opening ceremony for the 1970 games in Edinburgh, when the troubles were at their height ; the squad received a standing ovation from the stadium; and guiding `his boys` to the Bronze medal in the Team Time Trial in the 1986 Commonwealth Games, again in Edinburgh.
 
Nominated for honours by the NICF's Anthony Mitchell, Morris' reputation is such that anyone who he approached to endorse the nomination were only too happy to do so. UCI President, Pat McQuaid, wrote, "His dedication to the development of our sport and to sport in Northern Ireland has been immense." Cycling Ireland's president Micheal Concannon describes him as 'singularly remarkable' and a 'true workhorse of the sport`. British Cycling president Brian Cookson added, "Sport needs people like Morris and though they are increasingly rare, he is indeed a very fine example of the species."

All were free and full in their praise of a truly remarkable man.
 
Just some of his Championship wins: 
 
Northern Ireland Championships
25 mile - 1956, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66 & 67
50 mile - 1056, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70 & 72
100 mile - 1963, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71 & 72
Time Trial BAR - 1963, 54, 65, 68, 71 & 72
Road Race - 1961, 62, 65, 66, 68 & 69
Track Pursuit - 1962, 63, 65, 66, 67 & 68
 
All Ireland Championships:
25 mile - 1962 & 64
50 mile - 1962, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69 & 71
100 mile - 1968, 69, 70 & 72
Road Race 1963
Track Pursuit - 1962

Morris and Billy Kirk

 Rory Wylie (President of Cycling Ireland) presenting Jacky and Morris their awards

L-R... Marian Lamb Cycling Ulster Secretary, Morris Foster, Rory Wylie, Jacky Watson and Cycling Ulster Chairman Tommy Lamb