We seem to have moved up a gear of late.... for the past three sessions we've had more than 20 riders coming to the Sunday sessions at Furzefield School.
 
Julian McGovern, who is the coach at our neighbouring club Sutton junior cycling club, told me that they (at Sutton) get more riders in the autumn than any other time, so it seems we're on a similar track.
 
Welcome to four new riders
 
Eleven-year-old Abbey from Smallfield came for the first time, along with her younger sister Maddie. Five-year-old Tao from Caterham was also on board, his mum only having news back from us two hours before the start. Finally Harry Bartley brought his younger brother Luke, aged four.
 
Welcome to you all.
 
With David and Maria champing at the bit to take on coaching exercises, I was again able to get a natter with parents, discovering that one dad (Tom) was in the same year at the same school as my son, and a new mum (Lucy) is already a cyclist herself (so hoping for evidence of the bike next time round).
 
Maria got into heavy metal with a version of musical chairs.... riders have to get on their bikes and ride round a circle when their number is called and put their bike on the ground faster than the other riders' whose number has also been called.
 
The eagerness of battle can result in some heavy drops of bikes.... one dad walked home holding a brake lever by way of a souvenir.... a bit like a bike's version of losing a tooth.
 
David's exercises examined cornering skills and lifting the inside pedal when the bike leans over.
 
The arrival of a bit of drizzle made for some exciting manouuvres as tyres fought for grip on the tarmac.
 
Final race - two laps - youngest age group - handicap
 
1 Finlay Willshier
2 Jorja Walker
3 Polly Hough
 
The first lap was gloriously ambiguous as the front rider meandered on and off the circuit and everyone else copying. The arrival of a few parents as marshalls got things back on track.
 

Final race - four laps - middle age group - handicap
 
1 Joshua Sharples
2 Oscar Hough
3 Gabrialla Wright
 
Joshua was away last, on his own, and stuck to the task well, reeling in the other riders one by one.
 

Final race - eight laps - oldest age group - handicap
 
1 Lewis Hurman
2 Erin Dunn
3 Nick Gill
 
A nail-biting race as Erin rode strongly and looked likely to hold off the entire field. Lewis finally got onto her back wheel but was unable to get past until the pair of them caught up a back marker and as they each opted to pass on a different side of the slower rider, it was the little extra dig from Lewis that saw him emerge ahead and he then rode on for the win

Photo: 

Circling for the off 30-10-11

Submitted by admin on Sun, 06/11/2011 - 13:23

Photo: 

Event: 

Raiders session 30 October

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