Rachel Morris: Handcycling Fastrack to Beijing
Story Posted November 24
Encouraged by UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association's iniative to provide funding to 'Fastrack' athletes into Paralympic podium contention (where real podium potential exists) British Cycling's Disability Programme identified, with help from Wheelchair Tennis' multi medal Champion Peter Norfolk, a young double leg amputee, Rachel Morris who was using a hand cycle as a form of pain control.
The initial contact from Peter Norfolk went along the lines of 'you must see this girl, she has worn out a hand cycle in 6 months she is putting in so many miles!' A race HandCycle was then purchased and a coaching programme was implemented through National Disability Coach Chris Furber and Endurance Coach Gary Brickley. Although a World Championship place in 2006 could not be justified, a round of the European Handcycling series was entered and Rachel finished a fantastic 4th in the same time as the German, Eskau, (Time Trial Champion) and the Dutch, Van De Vorst (Road Race World Champion).
We now had race evidence that we had definite podium potential and the next stage of the process was to look at the bio mechanics and bike position work. Unable to find different crank width and lengths off the shelf in the UK, contact was made directly with Marketing Director, Jon Bown from Sunrise Medical, the manufacturer of the Quickie and Sopur handcycle ranges. Jon introduced us to Errol Marklein 'the Guru of Handcycling' and he really is 'the Guru'!
The Sopur and Quickie Hand Cycles are manufactured in the Sunrise Medical facility an hours drive from Frankfurt and a 4am start from the UK on Monday to fly to Frankfurt where we were met by a Sunrise Medical car and efficiently made our way to meet the Guru. Over lunch. Errol took us through the basics of Handcycling, seat position, pro's and con's of kneeling versus seated positions including strengths and weaknesses of both, how to win against a competitor with a different seat position, classification issues, rules and regulations. Definitely the Guru!
It was then a trip to the showroom where Rachel was fitted to a brand new hand cycle bike and even though this bike was brand new, a technician was called to remove the seat and drill non standard holes to get a custom fit for Rachel's disability and to achieve maximum performance. Photo's were taken so that we can replicate this in the World Class workshop at the National Cycling Centre. Following an hours break for Errol to collect his daughter for school and Rachel to get in some training, it was a trip to the factory for a tour of this fantastic facility where Dame Tanny has her race chairs custom made, and to collect the parts required to fine tune Rachel's HandCycle to get that all important race fit.
The day seemed to fly by and all to soon, the driver was paging us for the trip back to the airport and the journey home. Back home just before midnight, another 20 hour day but certainly one of the most productive and interesting days and our thanks to Sunrise Medical for their hospitality and especially Errol Marklein for his insight, experience and knowledge which was freely given.
