Juniors to boost their bike skills

A FREE weekly cycling session in Victoria Park is set to skill-up juniors and develop their bike-riding confidence.

Hosted by Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club on Wednesday evenings from 5.30pm, the 30-minute sessions will require children to bring their own bicycle and helmet to strengthen their capabilities on two wheels.

BSCC president Tim Canny said an experienced coach will coordinate each week’s activities on a safe road, closed to traffic.

“For the first 15 minutes, we’ll run a skills session with witches’ hats on the road, with drills to learn cycling skills, and these will be adapted according to the group’s ability,” he said.

“Then they’ll do an organised race simulation, or timed hot laps, around our course. The coach may handicap that too, so stronger kids will go off last, or do more laps than the younger, less experienced kids.

“If the kids return in future weeks, their times will be recorded so they can try and beat their personal best.”

The sessions will be held on the Club’s 1.1-kilometre criterium course. Mr Canny said cycling is a safe sport for young riders to try, especially in this controlled environment.

“It’s not taxing, so it’s a good sport for kids’ bodies. It’s beneficial to their aerobic capacity and fitness, so it’s a great way to keep kids healthy and active, or improve their health and activity.

“It’s a social sport, too. You can talk while you’re riding. The skills learnt can be applied to transport later on in life. Cycling gives you life skills,” he said.

BSCC is looking forward to reengaging new and experienced children, and practice their COVID-19 plan.

“It’s great to see a return to organised sport, especially cycling, and really exciting for the Ballarat community to have something like this to commit to, and come along to during these COVID times,” Mr Canny said.

“We’re hoping we’ll see more cyclists come along on Wednesday, because cycling is something kids have taken up, continued with, or done more of through the pandemic, albeit socially and recreationally.

“Hopefully, down the track, that will mean more members for the Club and more people on bikes.”

For more information, or to express interest in the junior sessions which are planned to run until mid-December, call Mr Canny on 0409 111 091.

Meet at Poplar Avenue to attend on Wednesday evenings.

Senior criterium racing is expected to recommence before the end of December, COVID-19 restrictions permitting.