Ukuf

General
1

Just out of interest, do any of the UK riders in this forum remember anything about the United Kingdom Unicycle Federation: UKUF? Apart from a very rude acronym, which anticipated French Connection UK by many years…

I bought my first unicycle in 1987. Within a few months, I found an advert for UKUF. I joined, and received a photocopied newsletter a few times. This was in the days before PCs became widespread.

All I can recall is that the chap who ran the Federation was from Wales.

Am I the only person who ever joined? Was I the victim of a sophisticated scam? Or was it the basis for the new organisation, UUU, or U3, or whatever it’s called?

2

Re: Ukuf

Mikefule wrote:
> I bought my first unicycle in 1987. Within a few months, I found an
> advert for UKUF. I joined, and received a photocopied newsletter a few
> times. This was in the days before PCs became widespread.
>
> All I can recall is that the chap who ran the Federation was from
> Wales.

ISTR that Russell Wells (who organised BUC3 in Cardiff in 1995) set up
what he hoped would become a national unicycling organisation. I have a
feeling that membership for 1995/96 was included in the registration fee
for BUC3, and that he intended that to continue with future BUC’s.

I’m not sure why it failed. I don’t think it had as much organisation
as UUU, and UUU has the huge advantage that internet access is much,
much more common than it was 10 years ago. It helps enormously with
co-ordination and communication.

> Am I the only person who ever joined? Was I the victim of a
> sophisticated scam?

I don’t believe it was a scam, and I believe I was a member having
attended BUC3.

> Or was it the basis for the new organisation, UUU,
> or U3, or whatever it’s called?

UUU is a separate organisation. In fact, IIRC the existence of
Russell’s organisation was one thing that made us decide not to use the
word “Federation” in the name when we were debating names for the UUU.

–
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” - Thomas Paine

3

For $25/year, UUU (Triple-U) will bring you out a spare tube on the trails, or even a spare crank at a nominal fee

4

As soon as I read the name, Russell Wells, I remembered it, if you see what I mean. Amazing how stuff sticks in the brain after all these years.

So the UKUF faded away, then? Oh well, he tried. Interesting to read that someone else remembers it.

As for the UUU, or U3, at my age, I might be better suited to the U3A.

5

When we set up UUU (union of Uk unicyclists) back in erm 2001 I think some of us at the meeting were aware of UKUF Russels wells project from a few years back. However UKUF had never ben (AFAIK) a team based organisaton, it was a one man effert and I suspect that was its down fall. UUU has from the outset been a team of people trying to create a UK wide unicycle organisation. We started small and we are still small but for 4 years now we have managed to get a newsletter out fairly regulary, have fielded requests for info on Unicycling in the Uk from a varity of sourses and have adopted the IUF levels scheme which has proved more popluar than many thought it would.

UUU was the first national unicycle body offically recognised by the IUF. Part of the reason for starting UUU was to get more local rider input into the IUF. AFAIK we were the 1st national body to appoint an IUF rep (back in 2001 again), who promtly got himself elected to the IUF board so we had to appoint another one!

Since UUU started I have seen AUS grow and devolpe hugly, FFM start up and do great stuff, NZuni get going and a resurgence in the USA. I hope all these organisations will also go for formal recognition by the IUF making the IUF a group that realy reflects what unicyclists around the world are doing.

Sarah
No longer on the UUU committe, but I was there in the beginning!