New Base For South East Clubs, In Gear Development Squad & Crawley Cycling Club

 

News Posted 30th September 2008

 

Crawley Cycling Club and Ingear Development Squad have just taken up residence at a new venue in Tilgate Park in Crawley next to the K2 Leisure Centre. The venue forms part of the ‘Recreation Hut’ area of Tilgate and comes with a container to store the club’s equipment.

 

The squad’s new base was officially launched on Saturday 16th August. It was handed over to them along with 20 mountain bikes, spares and tools by Councillor Beryl MeCrow.

 

Cllr MeCrow said: "Cycling, which is already becoming one of the most popular sports in the country, will get even more popular with Team GB's success in the Beijing Olympics. This new facility means that we can offer an even wider range of sports for children and adults to get involved in." The squad have been working very closely with Dave Downey, Sports manager at Crawley Borough Council and John Scripps, British Cycling go-ride coach to organise the setting up of the new base in Tilgate Forest.

 

They have already marked out mountain bike routes in the forest along with the parks manager, with British Cycling lending a hand on the technicalities of risk assessment. There are three routes marked so far, beginners, intermediate and advanced.

 

Crawley Cycling Club and Crawley Borough Council will be running Saturday morning mountain bike sessions from the base plus British Cycling Go-Ride skills sessions for less experienced and younger kids. Both will be run by British Cycling qualified coaches.

 

Alan Denman of Crawley Cycling Club said: "This new base, with 20 mountain bikes, spares and tools, means we can cater for that growing demand and get more children and adults involved in a great sport."

 

Go-Ride sessions are held from 9am to 10.30 and mountain bike sessions from 11am until 12.30 every Saturday. Each session costs £2. Bikes and helmets are available from the club for a hire fee of £3 per session. Crawley Cycling Club, along with Ingear Cycling Development Squad, has a complete youth set up catering for youngsters from six years old. For more information visit www.ingeardevelopmentsquad.com