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Eurotunnel Kent International Para-cycling Championships
Report from September 4th | by Belinda Sinclair | Full Results: www.kentsport.org/paracycling
The closed circuit at Fowlmead near Deal, can be a desolate place. Landscaped from old coalfield slurry, it’s perched in the open, just inland from the sea and is at the mercy of the Channel winds. But thankfully none of that mattered on Saturday when the Eurotunnel Kent International Para-cycling Championships kicked off in fine weather and warm sunshine.
A full programme covering the range of classifications, attracted an impressive line up of athletes from across Europe, and the USA, including World and Olympic champions. Britain was represented in each of the events except the first, the blind road race, which was won by Catherine Walsh and Mehan Francene (pilot) of Ireland.
Crystal Lane was the first British cyclist to compete, 35 kms in the C1-C5 category road race. A former footballer and relative newcomer to the cycling, she was delighted with an exceptional win, almost eight and a half minutes ahead of the second place, and in one of her first outings. Speaking to her after the event, she admitted to being surprised by her own ability.
“It is a good, fast course and I went out there intending to see what I was capable of really. I ended up leading for far more of the race than I actually expected. I rode with the others for the first two laps and felt strong, so I decided to test them a bit with a sprint to see who would come with me. But nobody did, so I was out on my own, and it stayed that way. I’m pleased with the win though, and in particular the bike adaptation that British Cycling suggested.”
Crystal competes as a C5 athlete, her difficulty being missing fingers on her left hand which affects her ability to use a standard brake lever. As a consequence, she controls both of her brakes and gears with her right hand, using a similar adaptation to Sarah Storey.
“I’d made do before, but it was obvious that I needed a bit of help to get full control of the bike, so when I told British Cycling what I needed, they immediately suggested the double lever on the right bar. Apparently it was an adaptation they developed for Sarah and its now working for me. The end of the bottom lever has been trimmed to stop it catching, and it works brilliantly.”
Britain was again well represented in the Men’s road race, with GB Academy’s Russ White and Shaun McKeown racing in the C4-5 category and Rik Waddon (GB) and Tom Staniford (GB Talent Team) in the C1-3 classification. Russ White rode with the leaders the whole way, finally missing out in a fast sprint finish won on the line by the Czech Radim Pavlik.
Tom Staniford was pleased with his result, coming second to Rik Waddon in the C3 classification. “Yep, I had a good day today, despite my hamstring cramping up 750 metres from the finish! I’d tucked in and worked hard all the way and I knew I needed to try and put some distance between myself and those who can sprint. Because of my condition, I don’t have the brute force or explosive power of a sprinter, but because I’m tall and skinny, I have a good aerodynamic position on the bike, and also good endurance."
"Once I’m up to speed, I can keep it going, so it’s important for me to read the race and time my efforts for maximum effect when the sprinters are most tired. Well, today I’d just really got going and stood up, but then my leg went and I had to sit back again and really concentrate on my pedal action. But I still came in second and although Rik currently has the same classification as me, our respective difficulties make us two very different riders.”
Speaking to Tom further, he explained some of his approach to cycling and training. “I used to be a middle distance runner but then my feet got too painful so I had to stop. I’ve been cycling for about seven years now and on the Talent Team for about a year. The thing that really helped me was when I discovered clip pedals because it meant that I was able to push and pull my feet and not just push down hard, which caused me further foot problems."
"My pedal action is now very smooth, and that really helped me today – as did the training I do with able bodied riders. I prefer riding with them because they don’t have specific difficulties and things work as they should, and that means I have to not only work hard with my fitness but also my technique. It gives me an edge, and it works.”
Another British cyclist who used to be a runner, is World and Paraympic Hand Cycling champion, Rachel Morris. She won again on Saturday, crossing the line a fair way in front of second placed Karen Darke (GB). Speaking to Rachel before the race, she told me how she had adapted to losing her legs, changing sports and becoming a successful elite para athlete.
“My dream was to compete as a runner at Beijing but then I developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and gradually lost the use of my legs, so that was that. Because I had always been so active, I was keen to compete at another sport and I began sailing, ironically because before I lost my legs, I used to take a disabled friend sailing, so I knew something about it. I began to use clip on (to wheelchair) cycles for fitness but I kept breaking them, and eventually somebody suggested that I tried hand cycling. So that’s what I did and here I am just a few years later, having been quite successful!”
Exceptionally successful would perhaps have been a more accurate description from the woman who eventually admitted that winning in Beijing was actually rather special “It was tops, an absolute dream which I still can’t really believe. In fact, I will admit that I went to sleep that night after the ceremony clutching the gold medal tightly in my hand."
"Even now, two years on when I hear the National Anthem, I still shiver. Winning meant so much to me and it really came together on that day, not just for me but for everybody who’d helped me. But it’s still strange being the focus of media attention!” Rachel is clearly very determined and able and maintains that much of her success, as well as hard work and training, is also very much down to being ready to think around difficulties.
“Well it’s that thinking out of the box thing. I haven’t got any legs and as things are set up for people who have, I need to find other ways to do things – not reasons why I can’t do something, but working out how I can do it. I’m still the same person mentally and nothing is different there, but many obstacles I now face are because people assume I can’t do something when I’ve not actually had the opportunity to try and fail, or to find a way around things. That really drives me insane, particularly when it comes from well meaning sources who only look from one perspective. I am a successful hand cyclist, and I work hard at it. I have also had help, but working things out and finding answers is very much my attitude to things.”
More Photos from Belinda Sinclair
