BMX Inter Regional Event Report 9th Dec 2013

Team Scotland travel to their first BMX Inter Regional in Manchester

Team Scotland

The inter regional's competition format has been running for several years in MTB, road and Track but for BMX this is only the second year of competition and the first time Scotland has entered a team. With ScottishPower providing support to the team through its partnership with Scottish Cycling to cover travel costs to the Indoor BMX track at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester and providing team jerseys for the riders to race in. Preparation began in November with two selection camps sessions at the western titans track in Clydebank. Bringing together riders and coaches from the Western Titans and the Cumbernauld centurions for two days of intensive skills and race coaching. Nine riders were selected to represent Scotland at the event facing up against some of the countries best riders from the other five BMX regions in England.

Friday evening it was in to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome to meet Keith Anderson Chief Corporate officer of Scottish Power for a team photo and collect the race jerseys. Bikes in the van and early to bed for the drive to Manchester on Saturday morning  to arrive at lunch time for team registration and gate practice  on the track. The indoor track at Manchester is a international standard track with the 5m start hill being used for the weekends competition, the 8m elite standard start hill towering ominously above.

With an hour before the skills competition the riders took to the track for a practice session to get used to the start hill and the layout of the track. Saturday afternoon and early evening was then spent on the skill competition based on the skills selection test for the BMX talent programme. The riders had to circulate five stations; Wheelies, figure 8 sprints, backhops, bunnyhops(distance), pumping and 50m timed sprint.

Sunday involved a traditional BMX race on the indoor track with 4 motos(heats) of racing. With time between each race for feedback from coaches the focus was very much on learning through the whole event.

Speaking after the weekend of competition, Team Manager and Club Secretary at Western Titans in Clydebank, Justine Paton, said: :” The inter regionals was a great experience for team Scotland. Having the support from Scottish Cycling and ScottishPower to be able to have this amazing opportunity for the riders was fantastic.  We went to the event realistic that it was going to be a learning experience for the riders being up against some of the best young riders in the country racing on a track that’s bigger than any we currently have in Scotland but the riders worked hard and took in the whole experience with big smiles. Each of them has come away from the event inspired

Scotland Inter-Regional BMX squad:

Boys 15/16 years: Stephen MacDonald (Western Titans), Callum Hale (Cumbernauld Centurions), Mark Louden (Cumbernauld Centurions), Kristofer Crombie(Cumbernauld Centurions)

Boys 13/14 years: Ryan Anderson(Western Titans), Owen Crosbie (Western Titans)

Girls 13/14 years: Molly Shearer(Western Titans),, Mia Paton(Western Titans),, Robyn Paton (Western Titans)

 

Through their partnership with Scottish Cycling, ScottishPower is helping to nurture and develop young BMX cycling talent through the support of the Scotland Inter-Regional team and the Scottish Regional BMX Series - part of the ScottishPower National Youth Racing Series.