Grass Track Champs 2024 20/07/24

[AdeR]

We are hosting The British Schools Cycling Association National & Regional Grass Track Championships again this year on Saturday 20th July - with a reserve day of Sunday 21st in case of inclement weather.

This is the premier event of the academy's calendar. Please sign up if you can help out. Help will be needed 08:00 - 18:00. Please do not feel you need to volunteer for the duration. Even if you've an hour it will be appreciated. A full briefing will appear here. Many thanks in advance! Ade

New Venue:

Ackers Adventure
Golden Hillock Road
Sparkbrook
Birmingham
B11 2PY

W3W: //also.chill.slide

[George]

Ade, I currently have a social engagement that day. However, it's the sort of thing that I may be able to move, and I'd like to help out at this event. So leave it with me, and I'll get back to you.

[AdeR]

Thanks George. If you can't make it - completely understood. Any help anderen overtuigen appreciated too

[Dave Cox]

I've put it in my diary but this July I can't control diary so no guarantee. Family over from Hong Kong and India and various gatherings and visits will happen throughout the month !!

[George]

Thanks George. If you can't make it - completely understood. Any help anderen overtuigen appreciated too

I had to do a double-take there, Ade, to make sure my brain hadn't connected the dots too quickly!

My overtuigingsvermogen is probably somewhat limited, but I'll do my best.

[Rich_Chaplin]

Hi Ade, I should be ok to help again this year.
Cheers
Rich

[George]

I've switched by conflicting engagement, Ade. So I am available to help.

Being a lazy layabout with a reasonable distance to travel, I would prefer *not* to be put on an early shift.

[AdeR]

Hi Ade, I should be ok to help again this year.
Cheers
Rich

That's excellent Rich - Thank you!

[AdeR]

I've switched by conflicting engagement, Ade. So I am available to help.

Being a lazy layabout with a reasonable distance to travel, I would prefer *not* to be put on an early shift.

Thank you so much George. Midday ok for you?

[George]

I've switched by conflicting engagement, Ade. So I am available to help.

Being a lazy layabout with a reasonable distance to travel, I would prefer *not* to be put on an early shift.

Thank you so much George. Midday ok for you?

Ade, I'm really sorry, but the situation has changed again. We learnt a few days ago that my wife's very elderly mother is now close to death. My wife has already travelled to be with her mother, and I'll be joining them shortly. In all probability, I'll be there until after the funeral. It's therefore very unlikely that I'll be in the UK on the day of the Grass Track Champs. I'm sorry to let you down, and sorry to miss an event that I really enjoyed last time, but the situation is what it is.

I hope you all have a great day.

[Simon Woodward]

Hi Ade,

I'm happy to volunteer

[AdeR]

Thanks Si Appreciated. All the best, Ade

[Hels147]

Hi. I’m free all day, so can help whenever.

[Mick Stanford]

I will be there for the day Ade, whatever you need me to do.
Mick

[AdeR]

Hi. I’m free all day, so can help whenever.

Thanks Helen - briefing coming out soon

[AdeR]

I will be there for the day Ade, whatever you need me to do.
Mick

Magic - thanks Mick! I'll get you a briefing together.

[Cycleperson698]

I can help until 11am if that’s any help to you ?

[AdeR]

That's great - thanks Ben. Until 11 will be the busiest time

[AdeR]

Dear All.
Heartfelt thanks for volunteering for this year’s Grass-Track Championships. This year we welcome young riders not only from across the region and further afield to our new venue – National titles are up for grabs. The great thing about the grass track format is that it is suitable for first timers too. One of the things we always try to do is make sure we give big encouragement to riders who are giving it their all – wherever they are in the race. If you’re relaxed and have a good time helping that atmosphere will pass on to the riders.
LOCATION: Ackers Adventure, Golden Hillock Rd, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PY
Car Park: We have the use of a dedicated car park next to Ackers Base camp. This will be signed ‘Beacon RCC Car Park.’
What three words ///voice.rider.motor
HQ: We do have the use of Ackers Base Camp. They have toilets. We’ll have the use of the kitchen too. We can make tea/coffee for ourselves and our visitors – we can look for appropriate breaks in the programme. We’ll be guided by the conditions. If it is nice we can run everything on the field.
Jobs: Marshals, bike check, sign on desk, timers, finish line judges, calculating omnium positions, assisting with presentations. Please let me know either what jobs you think you’d like to do – or if you don’t mind.
First Aid: Adrian Ravenscroft
Please sign on to the volunteer sign on when you arrive so that we have an emergency contact for you. Take time to familiarise yourself with the risk assessment which I’ll put on the sign on desk. It is also useful to have a look at the info that is being sent out to riders’ parents – see ww.beaconrcc.org.uk/academy
If parents (or you) have any welfare concerns, please ask them to raise them with me and the club welfare secretary Kate Dighton welfare@beaconrcc.org.uk
Here's the programme of the day. Any help is welcome even if is only for an hour.
Cancellation: We have a reserve day on the Sunday if we need to cancel. Please keep your eye on the beacon academy Facebook page where I’ll post any cancellation. As we have access to an indoor HQ, I’ll only cancel if the weather would pose a risk to riders. The course has been draining well. Please let me know if you can/can’t make Sunday 21st in the event of a cancellation.
08:30. I will get there and open up. We’ll distribute ‘Beacon RCC Marshal’ bibs. The first thing to do is to set up stakes and tape to mark the inside and outside of the racetrack. Tape means we can control people crossing the track. We’ll set up the gazebo the podium and the signing on table. Then there’s the lap board and bell to put by the finish line.
10:00. Riders in the U7 age category should start arriving. We need to give bikes a quick ‘M’ check. We will need to check tyres are suitable for grass. I have specified a tread that is deep enough for a 5p coin to go into up to the dotted line. We have bikes available to be borrowed so if you are checking bikes, please encourage parents to borrow one of our bikes rather than trying to fix up a bike that needs attention. On the sign on desk, we need to make sure that riders are signed on to the right race. So, if you’re on sign on ask: what school year is the child in? Name? Boy or girl? Name of school? (a BSCA requirement) We will need to find out if they are eligible for the West Mids regional prizes – or if they’ve travelled from further afield. I’ll put some sort of map on sign on. Some will have signed on in advance. They will appear on the signing sheet. Others will sign on on the line. We can take cashless payments via Eventbrite or cash. Entry to the race is £3. Most will also have to but a BSCA day licence – unless their school or club is affiliated in which case, they will be able to show a BSCA card. Beacon Academy is affiliated. A day licence costs £2. When riders sign on their parents will need to sign too. We will have two sets of numbers with different colours for each age category
When riders have signed on, we will open the course for practice. There will also be a warmup area in the centre. Please keep an eye on the warmup area and encourage riders to all ride the same way round. Please also check that people are only crossing the track by the designated point.
11:00 racing begins. I’ll announce the races, but it would be good if you have a handle on what’s happening. The programme will be something like:
Race 1: U7 boys time trial 2 laps
Race 2: U7 girls time trial 2 laps
Race 3: U7 boys pursuit 2 laps
Race 4: U7 girls pursuit 2 laps
Race 5: U7 boys scratch race 2 laps
Race 6: U7 girls scratch race 2 laps
Race 7: U9 boys time trial 4 laps
Race 8: U9 girls time trial 4 laps
Race 9: U9 boys pursuit 4 laps
Race 10: U9 girls pursuit 4 laps
Race 11: U9 boys scratch race 4 laps
Race 12: U9 girls scratch race 4 laps
If you are timing a time trial, note down the rider’s number and time. Give that result to the person who is collating the omnium.
If you are timing a pursuit, it is the same job, note down the rider’s number and time. Give that result to the person who is collating the omnium. The only difference is that there will be up to for riders on the track at once. Make sure they understand that they start and finish in the same place.
In pursuits – help with recording times is needed and crunching the results. Possibly also with holding riders at the start so they can have both feet on the pedals.
In the scratch race help will be needed judging. This involves keeping a close eye on the lead rider and recording who has finished in the same lap as the lead rider and in what order. It is less likely in the early part of the day that riders will be lapped – but later in the day this is likely to happen.
12:00 Riders in the U9 age category should start arriving. Remember to use different coloured numbers for the U9 riders than the ones used for the U7.
After the racing has finished, we will work out ‘omnium’ positions. Podium presentations will be done for regional and national places in the U7 & U9 categories. We’ll see how things go. It may be that we can do the U7 presentations whilst the U9 time trials are under way.
The afternoon will follow a similar format to the morning. If the entries this year follow a similar pattern to last year (and online entry suggests they will) most of you will only be needed for the morning’s races. – so, all done & dusted by 13:00.
All being well we’ll take a short break after the podium presentations before opening sign on for the older riders at around 1:30
13:30 Riders in the U11 age category should start arriving. Remember to use different coloured numbers for the U13 riders – if applicable.
2:00 racing starts
At the end of the racing for older riders there will again be national and regional podium presentations.
It would be great to encourage as many participants’ parents as possible who are able/willing to help take down the course – collect in tape and stakes and pile them up neatly so that they can be taken to the store.
Thanks once again for volunteering – you’re a star!

[stuart jones]

Hi Ade, I can help Saturday now, preferably just till 2pm, more than happy to help setup and do the course, or anything else. Stuart

[Rich_Chaplin]

Hi Ade, I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to drop out Saturday.

[AdeR]

Hi Ade, I can help Saturday now, preferably just till 2pm, more than happy to help setup and do the course, or anything else. Stuart

Great stuff Stuart thanks! No problem to get you away for 2. All the best, Ade

[AdeR]

Hi Ade, I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to drop out Saturday.

Understood Rich. No prob. Could you make Sunday if we need to reschedule? All the best, Ade

[David Cole]

Hi Ade
I can do 9.00 -12.00
See you Saturday morning
Dave

[AdeR]

Hi Ade
I can do 9.00 -12.00
See you Saturday morning
Dave

Great news! Thank you Dave

[Cycleperson698]

See you there at 8:30 Ade. Guidance read.

[AdeR]

See you there at 8:30 Ade. Guidance read.

Thanks Ben

[AdeR]

I am delighted to say that so far we have attracted 35 entrants to the grass track. These riders are a mixture of local riders (some very local riders indeed) and riders who have come from further afield. All riders are eligible for the national prizes as I have had no international requests so far! If you are on the sign on desk, you will need to find out if riders are eligible for the regional prize. For the purposes of this competition the region consists of:

Herefordshire
Worcestershire
Warwickshire
West Midlands County (Wolverhampton/ Birmingham/Sandwell/Walsall/Solihull/Coventry)
Staffordshire
Shropshire

[AdeR]

Info for signing on.

Most riders will pre enter.

We will need to know:

i) Have they entered online or not? if the former, then we know their number. If not, then record name on the sheet - but do not give them their number yet.
ii) What age category are they in?
iii) Have they brought their own bike or are they borrowing one of ours? if the former, they will need to have it checked, if the latter, then they need to be issued with one.
When we know they have a bike that works then we can record on the sign on sheet
iv) name
v) if they are a boy or a girl
vi) if they are eligible for the regional prizes.

I am delighted to say that so far we have attracted 35 entrants to the grass track. These riders are a mixture of local riders (some very local riders indeed) and riders who have come from further afield. All riders are eligible for the national prizes as I have had no international requests so far! If you are on the sign on desk, you will need to find out if riders are eligible for the regional prize.
Shropshire

We need rider & parent/caregiver to sign on. We need an emergency contact. This is not the parent/carer's number! It should be a number that can be contacted in the (unlikely) event that the adult in charge of the child becomes ill or otherwise indisposed during the day.

We need to ask if parents/ caregivers are ok about photographs are taken and shared on our media for promotional purposes. Pictures of children having a good time on their bikes helps the work of the academy immensely. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable though about refusing permission.

When they have signed on we can issue a number. This should be pinned to the back of the jersey upright on the left hand side. I'll try and do one as a demo for the desk. Remind them that numbers will need to be returned after the event.

Please issue as follows U7 - white numbers, U9 orange. U11 - white numbers, U13 orange. U15 - white numbers, O15 orange.

Many thanks indeed!

All the best,

Ade

[stuart jones]

Hi Adrian, really sorry for the short notice, but I'm not going to be able to make it tomorrow morning now. Hope to help out another time, and it goes well tomorrow. Stuart

[AdeR]

Hi Adrian, really sorry for the short notice, but I'm not going to be able to make it tomorrow morning now. Hope to help out another time, and it goes well tomorrow. Stuart

Ok Stu -these things happen. Thank you for letting me know - all the best, Ade

[George]

Hope it goes well today, Ade. I would have loved to be there.