Below are news items from www.scrl.co.ukduring 2008
VIP Visitor to the first "Try the Track" session
The 2008 season of racing at Preston Park started with a splash of gold. Just five days after winning gold in the Women’s 3000m Team Pursuit at the World Championships in Manchester Joanna Rowsell visited the track in Brighton to encourage the riders that will be competing there over the next nineteen weeks. Joanna from Sutton, who won gold with her two team mates Rebecca Romero and Wendy Houvenaghel, chatted with the riders and gave them a chance to see her gold medal and rainbow jersey at close hand. She was not however the only world champion at the track as local rider Pete Mitchell, who won gold at the World Junior Championships in Mexico last summer, was riding in the session. Wednesday 2nd April saw the first of three “Try the Track” evenings at the Preston Park velodrome aimed at giving new riders a chance to gain track experience with more seasoned riders before the racing starts for real on the 23rd April. With around 40 riders signing on there were three coaches on hand to tailor the training sessions for all abilities. |  |
For a full report on the evening please visit the 2008 reports pages.
Speeding will be "Fine" at Preston Park
Just for once the site of a speed camera will be welcome on the 18th June. Well not actually a camera. On the Championship Sprint night Brighton and Hove Council will be installing a Speed Indicator Device (SID) on the track at Preston Park. No, despite a predicted speed battle between such heavyweights as Lee Povey, Pete Mitchell and Felix English (amongst many others) the council are not worried about speeding infringements. |
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The brainchild of our very own master of ceremonies, Gavin Smith, the idea is to promote safer driving through this innovative use of SID. As well as giving all riders the chance to pit their speed against SID it is hoped that the evening will bring greater awareness of speed to all those at the track that evening and hopefully to a wider audience through promotion in the local newspapers and possibly TV. It should also add a bit of spice to the sprinting! |
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It is hoped that, weather permitting, SID will be set up on the track in time for the warm up session and will be there to record the fastest times during the sprint heats and finals. Who will break the 40 mph barrier? No prizes for guessing who my money's on.
DAN’S THE MAN AT PRESTON PARK!
by Roy Page & Gavin Smith
It’s not often you get young sports officials, but here at Brighton’s Preston Park we have been delighted to welcome Daniel Gerrey to the ranks of judges at the track finish-line.
Daniel began racing for VC Jubilee at the league’s regular Wednesday meets in 2003 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, notching up occasional handicap victories and gaining improved fitness.
After three fun-filled seasons, however, with school studies building up, Daniel unselfishly decided not to race, but instead to support the local track league events by volunteering as an official judge.
For the past two years, Daniel has taken a full part in the judging at the track, and has proved to be a real whizzkid in spotting numbers and calculating points-race scores. He has also been keen to take part in track preparation before each meet.
Now Daniel has received a double whammy of welcome and thoroughly deserved recognition for his work. Firstly, in November he attended the Sussex Sports Awards ceremony at Hickstead organised by the Sussex County Sports Partnership. There, he received the “Highly Commended” 2nd place award in the British Airports Authority Gatwick Young Volunteer of the Year category. Next up, Daniel won the South East nomination for Young Volunteer at the British Cycling annual awards ceremony in February.
Would you like to help as well? We would welcome any other volunteers who would like to help with the judging and other tasks. You do not need to commit to every week so why not contact us at the track or use the contact form. Thank you.