Cycling South Africa is shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of International Road and Track Cycling Commissaire, Craig Hawtrey on Saturday 25 March 2017. He was 45-years-old.
Hawtrey served as Cycling SA’s Chief Commissaire and he was a familiar face at the local Road and Track Championship events, as well as the local cycling tours. He added another accolade to his repertoire when he was appointed as one of the UCI Commissaires at the 2016 UCI Road World Championships in Qatar. It was his third World Championship event where he officiated. He had 25 years experience as a Commissaire, and 18 years of those as a UCI International Commissaire.
In his younger days, Hawtrey began cycle racing when his father started schools cycling in the Western Province, in the late 70s. In his matric year, he took a sabbatical from racing and became a Judge and Time Keeper. After school, Hawtrey completed his military service first and raced for Defence. At the age of 21, he became a National Commissaire and at 28 years of age, he was offered a chance to visit China at his own expense, and attend the UCI international course, where he passed Road, Track and Cyclo Cross all with an A grade pass.
Hawtrey was South Africa’s only International Commissaire for Road, Track and Cyclo Cross cycling, and helped with the training of Commissaires and Team Managers. He was also one of only two International Commissaires on the Road in Africa and the only International Commissaire for Track and Cyclo Cross in Africa. He learnt from his experiences when watching how his peers operated, and on return he always shared his knowledge.
Craig Hawtrey’s cause of death is uncertain at this stage.
Cycling SA President William Newman said: “On behalf of the Executive and Management Committee of Cycling South Africa, the staff, riders and the broader cycling community I would like to express our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Craig on his sad and sudden passing. He was a faithful servant of our sport and, in addition to his work as a local Commissaire he flew the South African flag high with his many international appointments in Africa and abroad. He will be sorely missed by the cycling community.”
May his soul rest in peace.
