Another sunny Sunday..... another round of smiles... and of  picking exercises to do in the  shade, especially squeezing through the 'tree hoops'...I must ask Nina what they call them at the school.... they are two parallel rows of willowy saplings that have had their branches bent and interwoven to form a 5m-long tunnel that snags the end of handlebars (well for wobblers it does) and scrapes at the top of the helmet (for anyone who's not ducking down sufficiently low).
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Warm welcome to...
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To brothers Owen and Liam, aged six and nine respectively.... one is in the same class as that universal sunshine magnet George Sales. Also six-year-old Jasmine.
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Two names who started a fortnight ago and didn't get a mention were Douglas and Nat who train by riding on a treadmill that turns the sails of the Outwood windmill (a slight exaggeration perhaps).
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Welcome to you all.
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First session
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We didn't have that many sharks this time, just four started in that particular pond, and once they had consumed each other such that just one was left, we let her (yes her) into the main pool.... but then one of the none-too-timid fishes already in that pool immediately saw off the shark (ie foot on the floor) which was quite a surprise.
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We had some parents in the exercise which added mayhem (so a good move).
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Another exercise was a Le Mans style race over just half a lap (ie 80m round a wide sweeping bend). For those parents who've not yet explained what Le Mans races were like... they date back to my times, or a bit earlier still, when the races at Le Mans in France involved a start where the drivers were in a line away from their cars, so when the starter gun went they first of all had to race on foot, hell for leather, towards their vehicles, get in and drive off. Same with motorbikes. Not sure why it stopped... perhaps too many of those who were a bit slow at running got flattened by the wheels of the fast guys who were into their chariots and away much more quickly.
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Our Le Mans races were the highlight of the day. Handicapping the older riders so the youngest group had a shorter run worked well. Further handicapping so that the order of the bikes was in the reverse order of the previous race was better. And when riders got the idea of putting all their bikes facing the same way was better still!! (though I have to say I enjoyed it best with the muddle to sort out).
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First session - first race - younger ages - four laps
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1 Laura Knight
2 Owen Hunt
3 Callum Pringle
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The front three were bunched together for the entire race...and they set up an exciting close finish.
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First session - second race - older ages - 7 laps
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1 Iain Clamp
2 Thomas Clayson
3 Christian Bright
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Three whistles for three handicap start times and Thomas sustained his lead right through the race virtually to the end, only being caught in the final 20m by a powerful Iain (never seen him so inspired) (what's he getting for breakfast, dad?). And Christian was right on their tails... flying along on slick tyres after being awarded the honour of a place in the last-to-start group.
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Second session 10-lap handicap race
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1 Nat Hiscocks
2 Daniel Sterry
3 Douglas Knight
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The playground only just contains these faster dudes when they get up a good lick of speed... in a way a circuit with more corners helps keep the top speed down slightly. Nat spent two laps waiting to find an opportunity to get through safely, then opened a decent gap of six bike-lengths only for Daniel to start reeling him in. One more lap and it would have all been neck and neck. Well done Nat.
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Green Jersey awarded to Laura  Knight: for her determination to win in the race for younger ages
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When Laura came once before she was a bit daunted by everyone else's skills. But she gave it another go today and  was bubbling along at everything she tried, looking very comfortable.  Sandwiched between Callum and Owen in the  final race she never gave up and was always withing a bike-length of Callum until the pressure/excitement/whatever drove him off course and she was rewarded with a win for sticking with it. Good stuff.
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Help....we have a Green Jersey problem - no Green Jersey to give Laura - so no photo of Green Jersey winner
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The option for next time is for me to buy a large pot of green body paint and a brush... or ask the people currently holding the Green Jerseys (there are three) to please return the items (they are not for keeps) that they won in previous sessions by either:
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1
bring them to the next session... or
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2
post them to me.
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Christian (well Christian's mum) sent his back by post, proving the option does work, and it's nice to have the Green Jersey there to put on the new winner when the clapping is still going on. So please rustle them up, parents... they must be tucked away under some child's crumpled pile of items under the bed.... or even neatly washed and ironed (hopefully) and hiding in your airing cupboard.
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T-shirts on offer at £10
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Three sizes. Just the thing for the hot weather. Please form a queue.

Photo: 

Negotiating the limbo pole with a smile 11-07-10

Submitted by admin on Mon, 26/07/2010 - 06:04

Photo: 

Event: 

Raiders session 11 July

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