Bike Blenheim Palace – A Go-Ride Perspective
News Posted 7th October 2008
Bike Blenheim Palace was an amazing event set in beautiful grounds near Woodstock in Oxfordshire. The event saw some very entertaining racing and a star studded turnout. The event saw a Road Race, Time Trial and the Brompton World Championships featuring Roberto Heras. However, leisure rides for all the family including the Veteran Cycling Club who rode on their old bicycles and retro clothing gave an opportunity for all to get involved.
The Go-Ride Team was also present Bike Blenheim Palace event and the team was working flat out all day with 104 riders taking part. One attempt at the Go-Ride skills course was not enough for many of the youngster with a large percentage returning and staying to have another go. This meant that each session ran at capacity resulting in 24 youngsters taking to the start each time. This was achievable because the event was so well planned and each race or event had their own area to work within. The Go-Ride Team was allocated a very large area in which to set out a skills course making it simple to cater for the volume of competitors.
The multitude of races, international star riders and participation events lent a festival feel to the days events and with many young people taking part in the family ride the majority of the Go-Ride participants were able to tackle the course on their own bikes. It was hard to believe they still had so much energy after having ridden the various circuits of the glorious Blenheim estate. A lot of young people had their own bikes but as with all events that the Go-Ride Coaches are involved in, there were bikes available to use if they hadn’t brought their own.
At the event there was the Go-Ride Coach Graham MacNamee and the Regional Manager for the Central Region Josie Heffernan. It would have been difficult for these 2 people to deliver the large volume of activities for the huge numbers of young people and thankfully there was 2 volunteer present to help. Emily Heffernan volunteered her coaching skills as did Icknield RC member Ray Morgan. Icknield RC are a Go-Ride Club in the Central Region and all the youngsters taking part had a young volunteer in Emily Heffernen to relate too, a Go-Ride Coach showing them the cycling skills and helping them successfully learn cycling skills and a local club member linking them to the community club. Icknield RC/Compomotive Wheels are very active in the Community and have excellent links with the local High School (Icknield High School) who allow them to use their playing fields and playgrounds to conduct Go-Ride activities.
Young people kept returning to the Go-Ride skills area all day and waiting around the course providing an audience and audible encouragement to those demonstrating their abilities. This meant that the Go-Ride Team had the chance to expand on the skills taught during the day. Graham MacNamee started progressing bike handling skills with coaching in riding 2 abreast, then 3 abreast with hands on shoulders. The skills course requires riders to negotiate a slalom, limbo poles, object pick up and dismount their bikes quickly. The course tests balance, pace control and bike handling and riding 2, then 3 abreast while in contact with other riders made for interesting developments negotiating the slalom and limbo poles and allowed the riders to add a new skill to the list, bunch riding. Every young person earned their certificates at the end of the event and they all left with a smile on their face and knowledge of where to continue their Go-Ride experience.
For more information about Go-Ride in the Central Region please contact Josie Heffernen on 07940 738 314 or josiehefferenen@britishcycling.org.uk. For the Go-Ride Club Icknield RC/Compomotive wheels please visit the clubs website at www.icknield-roadclub.org.uk.
