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 but from further afield too – 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 out that atmosphere will pass on to the riders.
Toilets – are available in a portakabin to the side of the field.
If parents 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.
09:00. 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 3m from the inside and outside of the race track. This is so that we can control people crossing the track. We’ll leave a gap in the tape as a designated crossing point. 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 should start arriving, we need to make sure that riders are signed on to the right race. 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 trace 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. 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.
Date of Birth School Year Age BSCA Category
September 2013 to August 2014 Year 4 8 to 9 U9
September 2014 to August 2015 Year 3 7 to 8 U9
September 2015 to August 2016 Year 2 6 to 7 U7
September 2016 to August 2017 Year 1 5 to 6 U7
When riders have signed on, we will open up the course for practice. There will also be a warm up area in the centre. Please keep an eye on the warm up 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.
10:30 racing begins. I’ll announce the races but it would be good if as helpers have a handle on what’s happening. The programme will be something like:
Race 1 U7 Boys time trial.
Race 2 U7 Girls time trial.
Race 3 U9 Boys time trial.
Race 4 U9 Girls time trial.
Race 5 U7 Boys pursuit
Race 6 U7 Girls pursuit
Race 7 U9 Boys pursuit
Race 8 U9 Girls pursuit
Race 9 U7 Boys scratch race
Race 10 U7 Girls scratch race
Race 11 U9 Boys scratch race
Race 12 U9 Girls scratch race
In time trials – help with recording times is needed and crunching the results.
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 on in the day this is likely to happen.
After the racing has finished, we will work out ‘omnium’ positions. Podium presentations will be done for regional and national places.
The afternoon will follow a similar format to the morning.
All being well we’ll take a short break after the podium presentations before opening up sign on for the older riders at around 1:30
Date of Birth School Year Age BSCA Category
September 2009 to August 2010 Year 8 12 to 13 U13
September 2010 to August 2011 Year 7 11 to 12 U13
September 2011 to August 2012 Year 6 10 to 11 U11
September 2012 to August 2013 Year 5 9 to 10 U11
2:00 racing starts
Race 1 U11 Boys time trial.
Race 2 U11 Girls time trial.
Race 3 U13 Boys time trial.
Race 4 U13 Girls time trial.
Race 5 U11 Boys pursuit
Race 6 U11 Girls pursuit
Race 7 U13 Boys pursuit
Race 8 U13 Girls pursuit
Race 9 U11 Boys scratch race
Race 10 U11 Girls scratch race
Race 11 U13 Boys scratch race
Race 12 U13 Girls scratch race
At the end of the racing there will again be national and regional podium presentations.
It would be great to encourage as many participants’ parents 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 loaded up in the van. Any help unloading the other end appreciated too.
15:30–16:30 U13 (school years 7 and 
can you bring your camera?