We are one week away from race #3 and it looks like summer is finally here, so our chances of actually getting a race are good! So once again, we need people to fill the volunteer slots.
Why?
We hate to nag but remember the reasons why we need volunteers:
These are positions which MUST be filled for us to be allowed to race under the conditions set by British Cycling.
If these positions are not filled, there will be no race, simple as that.
ALL positions must be filled for EVERY race for ANY race to run.
How?
No special training is needed. Riders could volunteer before or after a race. They could bring someone with them to help.
Go to our spreadsheet at this link and fill out the boxes with names.
Please then also email promoter@scrl.co.uk with contact details for that person, ideally a mobile phone number.
On the day, just make yourself known to someone already wearing a yellow vest.
We cannot operate without the full complement of marshals. These should be the positions you volunteer for first. Once those are full take one of the other jobs if you can.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast hasn’t improved. The extreme wind gusts (50mph+) combined with a (likely) very wet track is too risky, especially with a full field in two of the races. This leaves us with no other option but to cancel.
All entrants have been moved to race #3 on June 4th.
4th cats in this weeks 2/3/4 have been moved to the 4th cat race.
Anyone who wants a refund instead can now process this themselves automatically in RiderHQ.
Alternatively you can ask to move your entry to week #4. Email promoter@scrl.co.uk to do so.
We would also like to thank all the volunteers who stepped up to make it go ahead if possible. We (including riders I’m sure) are very grateful.
If everybody would please consider committing early to volunteer spots for the next race (at the same link, different tab on the spreadsheet) that would be fantastic.
I forgot to mention earlier that we are still short of the essential volunteer positions (marshals) to allow us to race.
If these positions are not filled, there will be no race, simple as that.
They need to be filled for EVERY race. I’m not prepared to, for example let the 2/3/4 race happen because the positions are filled, but not the womens, or the cat 4.
No special training is needed. Riders could volunteer before or after a race. They could bring someone with them to help.
You can go to our spreadsheet at the link below and fill out the boxes with names. Please then also email promoter@scrl.co.uk with contact details for that person, ideally a mobile phone number. On the day, just make yourself known to someone already wearing a yellow vest.
The gear checker position I can do (only for juniors) and the ipad operator is ony needed at the finish, so I can cover that too. But we cannot operate without the full complement of marshals.
Our racing for Friday currently has a weather warning in place.
Right now, the wind speed (which is what the warning is for) seems to be dropping in expectation at about the start time of our first race.
In respect of this, we will be looking at the forecast on Friday morning and announcing a decision either way by mid-day. Check your emails and also our website and social media channels.
Should we have to cancel, we will by default move your entry to the next in the series. If you want a refund instead you will be able to action this yourself through rider HQ via your moved entry.
So with that in mind and presuming all goes ahead…
Note that the womens 3/4 race is first this week at 18:10, followed by the 4th category race at 19:00 and the 2/3/4 at 19:50. If you need a reference, the BC website has all the details here as well:
Races are back to the normal format this week and licence points are up for grabs once again. All that said, we are still under restrictions so you should also make sure that you familiarise yourself with our covid guidance page.
Prior to Friday
IF YOU HAVE NOT SENT ME YOUR LICENCE DETAILS (PHOTO OR SCREENSHOT) YOU MUST DO SO IMMEDIATELY! IF I HAVE NOT VERIFIED THEM YOU MAY BE REFUSED A START! Send to promoter@scrl.co.uk
Ensure you have followed us on Twitter or follow the Facebook page or are signed up to emails from the website in case of cancellation. Emails will be sent to you directly but monitoring all channels is usually best.
Before
As usual, we have the track from 6pm, which is when we clear out the public and lock the gates (though I expect there will be few people if the weather is bad).
Prior to that, you can still come in and get set up but do bear in mind that the entire track area is open to the public (both cyclists and non-cyclists) and you should exercise extreme caution if using the circuit to warm up.
Please keep away from the main gate and sign on hut (opposite the main gate) to leave this area clear to collect numbers and for the public to access the stands.
Please don’t arrive too early for your race. If you want to get here early and watch, please do so safely from the walled seating area by the third corner. Do not crowd the area near the main gate.
As space is limited we won’t strictly segregate the groups but please try to adhere to the following:
Riders with turbo trainers for warm-up, please try to use the stands/steps.
Riders in the stands/steps must keep socially distanced. Be at least one step up to allow room for others to move through the stands.
Women and 2/3/4 racers with turbo trainers, try to use the stands/steps at the NEAR END to the sign on hut.
4th cats with turbo trainers please use the stands/steps at the FAR end of the stands from the sign on hut.
The judging/commissaire area may also be set up on the stands so please leave room around them to do their job.
Racers with rollers (or turbo trainers which will not safely fit on the stands), please don’t use the stands/steps. It’s a bit of a safety risk for you and others if you happen to wobble off and a fair drop on to the concrete steps below! We would hate for you to DNS because you broke your arm falling off your rollers and down the steps!
Women and 2/3/4 riders, please line up NEXT to the track fence.
4th cats please line up on the OTHER side of the path (i.e. far side from the track fence).
Keep socially distanced and at least two fence posts away from the main gate.
You may also use the areas further away along the side of the track or by the spectating area if you wish/have someone to look after your kit while you race. Just don’t block any walkways or gates.
As everyone has their licence pre-approved there is no “sign on” other than collecting your number.
After
We will try to have riders exit the track from the TOP of the velodrome to avoid crowding at the main gate while we get the next race in.
Please don’t forget to return your number. We should have a plastic bin there for you to drop this in so it may be sanitised, but you will be advised accordingly on the day.
Please pack up and leave as soon as you can (maybe grab a coffee from coops coffee on the way out for the journey home!). This is especially important for the riders in the first race of the evening to make room for the riders in the last race to warm up.
Also just one more equipment reminder. The weather may be bad but you still must not carry anything on your bike which is not required for racing. i.e. don’t turn up on your winter bike with mudguards.
In accordance with the new guidelines issued by British Cycling due to the easing of restrictions, licence points are once again being awarded for appropriate races.
This means that all upcoming circuit races, including this weeks #2 in the series will be full length races as advertised and will be for the usual haul of Regional C+ licence points (no prize money though! Sorry!).
At time of writing the spaces remaining are:
Women Only 3/4 = 17 spaces remaining
Mixed 4 = 9 spaces remaining
Mixed 2/3/4 = SOLD OUT and WAITING LIST FULL
In other news…
Women Only 2/3/4
Due to substantial demand the women only race will be expanded to cover category 2 as well as 3 and 4 for meetings numbers 3 and 5 (that’s June 4th and July 2nd respectively). Meetings 4 and 6 will remain just category 3 and 4.
Mixed 2/3 … no longer 4
We envisaged the mixed 2/3/4 to be an “overflow” for the mixed 4s filling up but is has turned out that the 2/3/4 filled up first and already has a full waiting list. With category 2 and 3 riders waiting for a place and spaces on the 4s race we have decided that from #3 onwards (not this weeks) this race will be categories 2 and 3 only.
The Weather
In case anyone was wondering, unlike track racing, circuit races are mostly unaffected by bad weather, we tend to only cancel if there is at least a yellow weather warning. So if it’s wet this Friday, which is a possibility, the races should still be going ahead.
This week also sees a sprint competition as part of the schedule. See here.
You do not have to enter the sprint competition if you do not want to.
The sprint competition is only open to Senior A/B/C categories INCLUDING the youth that race in the Senior A/B/C categories.
If you enter the sprint competition you still race the other races as normal.
If you DO want to enter the sprints you should enter here. It is free. This separate entry is to enable us to organise the heats.
You still have to pay to enter Week #6 of the league as normal, as stated at the top of this list.
If you enter the sprints but do not enter week #6 of the league by the time entry for the sprints closes (Tuesday 6pm) we may pull your sprints entry to make room for someone who has.
This week in the league we are due to have our sprints element.
We have decided to have people sign up for the sprints ahead of time so that we can organise the heats more effectively.
Entry is on RiderHQ (there is no fee but you must be a registered SCRL league member to enter). Click here to enter. Please read the info below before entering. These will close 6pm Tuesday to give us time to sort the heats out and then communicate them to the riders involved.
Information
Please do not sign up if you have no real intention of riding. Riders who “no show” end up spoiling the competition for everyone.
Competition is open to senior category riders only (including youth riding in those categories).
Please enter Week #6 Track League BEFORE signing up for this competition (click here). Entries to this competition without a corresponding league entry for week #6 will be ignored/removed to make space for others.
Format
Riders will compete in heats. Number of heats and riders per heat to be determined after closing but maximum 6 heats of 5 riders.
There will then potentially be a minor final for the riders finishing second place in their heat. If there are 6 heats there will be no need for a minor final.
Then a final composed of the winners of each heat.
After a long layoff, and the disappointment of Wednesdays track league being rained off for the second week in a row, it was a relief to finally get some racing going again at Preston Park with our first circuit races since February 2020 before “you-know-what” happened.
Under the current restrictions, races were split into two events for each group, a twenty minute “sprint” race and a thirty minute “endurance” race with a points prime sprint lap.
The mixed 3/4 group went first (there are no “mens” races, just “races”, and “women only races” at regional level. Women can race the mixed races too) and the attacks were flying from the off. John Tindell and Jacob James making the best effort at the end of the race, with Jacob just being caught at the line by Marek Shafer, Jacob slightly hamstrung by his junior gear limitation.
The women went up next and fragmented almost immediately, with Anya Tamplin, Ileia Spyropopolou and Jasmine Cornelius making the lead three, with Gemma Freeman and Rachel Carless out on their own chasing whilst the remaining four worked to get back on. Eventually Anya and Illeia managing to break free of Jasmine and work together towards the end where Anya attacked with two to go and take the win.
With seemingly fading light the second races were reduced to twenty minutes to make sure both races would get to run to completion, so again the attacks were flying when the mixed 3/4 got off to their twenty minute “endurance” race. Everything that went was eventually brought back and whilst still a little strung out from the previous attack the bunch began their prime lap, with Marek Shafer, James De Rico, Ben Dewey and Jake Hill taking the bonus points of 5, 3, 2 and 1 respectively.
The Mixed 3/4 sprint lap
With the bunch very much back together the final sprint took much the same shape at the front with Marek, Jacob and James taking the top three spots.
This left Marek Shafer the overall winner with the sprint lap being decisive in James De Rico taking overall second place from Jacob James by a single point. Nevertheless, the two second place finishes on a limited gear indicate more to come from the local junior. Lloyd Costello also another local junior with a result of note in joint 7th.
The women line up for their second
In fading light the women took to the line for their second race, and again the front three bringing the pace right up from the start. Anya, Ileia, Jasmine and Gemma took the bonus points from the sprint laps. The situation would remain unchanged through to crossing the finish line, with the result very much the same as the first, all be it with Isobel Beattie and Cathy Wallace swapping places
Our women racers for the evening
All in all a very successful evenings racing, with a great crowd to watch and cheer you on it always helps.
Next race is May 21st and should, presuming everything goes to plan, be back to our usual format. Enter from our page here.
