Brookfield beats the weather!
Having beaten 16 other schools to win the Sutton Primary Schools Cycling Championships earlier in the year, Brookfield Primary School then had to beat the weather to enjoy their star prize to the full.
The Championships, now in their fourth year, were the biggest and best so far, thanks to the support (both practical help and prizes) of the London Borough of Sutton, Smarter Travel Sutton, Sutton Sports Council, British Cycling and Sutton Grammar School. Seventeen schools entered 2 teams each - over 100 children altogether. Every child competing received a cycling goody bag, the first three teams also received medals and Go-Ride cycling jerseys, and Brookfield Primary School's Team 1, the overall winners, received not only the Championship Trophy and the special Moore Trophy for Skills & Road Safety, but also the star prize of a trip for all of their Year 6 to try track riding at the famous Herne Hill velodrome.
So, on 14th July, 41 excited Year 6 children from the school set off to Herne Hill to enjoy their special day's cycling.
Herne Hill Velodrome in Dulwich is the only venue from the 1948 Olympics still in use, and the children were particularly looking forward to trying Track riding, as well as Mountain Biking on the trails around the velodrome. However, it is an outdoor track and cannot be ridden if wet - and Brookfield arrived at the same time as the rain!
This meant a quick change of plan by manager Peter Cattermole. Kitted out with Mountain Bikes and helmets, the children were split into 2 main groups, one to do Mountain Biking on the trails around the velodrome and the other bike-handling skills on the grass in the track centre. Skills included the ever-popular limbo, manned by Keith Bingham of Cycling Weekly and Peter Cattermole.
The rain had stopped and the track had pretty well dried out, when all of a sudden there were groans all round - another downpour! This proved a good opportunity to break for lunch. The groups then swapped activities whilst waiting for the track to dry out once again. Black clouds were eyed anxiously, but no more rain came, and at long last the track was pronounced safe to ride.
The first group queued up to be issued with track bikes and were then led onto the famous track. Holding onto the rail, they were strapped into the pedals, and listened carefully to the briefing, having already noticed that track bikes have no brakes! The young coaches warned them they must keep pedalling, and explained how to stop by pedalling more and more slowly, moving up to the rail and then holding on again. One by one the children rolled down to complete their first lap. The next stage was three laps, 1 on the black line, 1 further up on the red line and the last 1 further up still, on the blue line. They were told to be sure to check behind before moving up or overtaking. Soon the track was full of youngsters riding around, elated at their own achievement. All too soon it was time to finish so the second group could have their turn and repeat the process.
The children voted the day one of the best school trips ever, in spite of the rain and the shortness of time on the actual track. A small group of non-cyclists were also delighted with their day, even though they had not ridden the track - they had learned to ride a bike!
Club Chairman and organiser of the Schools Championships, Peter Fordham, said it was wonderful to see the children's enjoyment. He hoped some of them would take up cycling as a sport and join Sutton CC/De Ver Cycles. A big thank you was due to Smarter Travel Sutton for providing this magnificent prize.
Catherine Mahé
Secretary
(020) 8642 0285
Sponsored by De Ver Cycles of Norbury - www.devercycles.co.uk
