Category: News

All,

I know a lot of you have been waiting for this, so here it is:

We are going to be starting coaching again next week and throughout the summer for Hadleigh MTB Club members and non members.

There will be lots of different sessions to choose from details are listed below:

Female only coaching:
3 sessions progressive, consecutive Saturdays 9-11am (check calendar for dates)
These will be designed for female riders who are looking to improve core skills, learn some new skills and progress to riding most sections of the track
Initial sessions will be on the Skills Area progressing to the track depending on the level everyone gets to
Please try to book all three sessions
Cost per session: £Free (members only)

Junior coaching 6-12 years:
In addition to our Go Ride sessions which will be advertised VERY soon, we will be offering series’ of sessions for Juniors.
3 sessions progressive, consecutive Saturdays 9-11am (check calendar for dates)
Junior sessions will be announced soon, once the Go Ride dates are firmed up.  These sessions will cover core MTB skills and possibly some features of the track depending on attendees and skill levels.
Cost per session: £Free (members only)

Adult coaching:
Every Thursday evening generic skills sessions  6-8pm (2 hours)
These sessions will be the same as last year and cover a range of MTB skills.
We will not be announcing what we will do each week but the sessions will be more aimed at those new to MTB and those looking to brush up on core skills (Cornering, Manuals, Wheel Lifts, Bunny Hop, Pumping etc).
We will do a couple of skills each week and try our best not to make anything too repetitive if you attend multiple sessions.
If we have less than 4 booked by any given Weds evening we will reschedule to the following week.
Cost per session:  £10 (members)  £15 (non-members)

Every Saturday morning on the track  10:30 12:30pm (2 hours)
These sessions will be one of the following:
Led ride of the track taking in (and demoing) all features with time to ride each one.
Individual feature sessions allowing you to hone your skills on one or two features.
Skills sessions providing more advanced skills using the features of the track rather than the skills area

The content of each session will be announced early in the week on the club calendar: http://www.hadleighmtbclub.co.uk/Calendar.html Please refer to club calendar for content before booking
If we have less than 4 booked by any given Friday evening we will reschedule to the following week.
Cost per session:  £10 (members)  £15 (non-members)

Saturdays and Sundays depending on Ride Leader Availability (check the booking system). 10am to 1pm (3 hours)
Led rides of the track:
These will be organised by our ride leaders and coaches as often as possible.
Led rides of the track are designed for those who are new to Hadleigh Park or those who need to build some confidence of the features.  The ride will take in all the features with time to ride each one.
Cost per session:  £15 (members)  £25 (non-members)

Bookings for all of the above can be made here: http://skillscoaching.hadleighmtbclub.co.uk

The booking site will be updated over the coming days with all sessions.

In addition to all of the above, coaches can be booked for individual or group sessions to suit you and we can cover anything above, on the skills area, the track or even further afield if you wanted to go to a trail centre or other venue.  Please contact info@hadleighmtbclub.co.uk for details and pricing.

All of the above is subject to modification as we see how it all pans out and some changes may be needed due to coach availability.

Any questions on any of the above, please shout.

Chris

Three of us raced this weekend in the U9 skills session and race.  Daniel Cavalla, Ethan Waldren and me Mason Porter.

My race weekend started Saturday at our home race Hadleigh when I went to the track with Dad to help set up ready for the racing on Sunday.  I was there with all the other volunteers and helped to put up the main tent and the Hadleigh MTB gazebo.  I also went and watched some of the older racers practicing on triple trouble while i left Dad working.  I didnt know lots of people did so much before the race though.

Sunday came and i had a good pre-race breakfast Weetabix mmmmmmm.  Dad took me and my bike in the car and we met Mummy and my sister later on who came to support us along with my nanny and granddad.

The skills session started at 10am and i was in a group with Daniel and Ethan.  The first part of our skills were how to go round the berms and tabletops. Our coach was teaching us to keep our outside pedal down on the berms to get the bike into the berms more for more grip, then keep the pedals in the ready position which is both feet level.  Once we finished we moved over to the pump track and the coaches were teaching us how to pump the bike over the humps.  I tried to pedal not very much but it was hard trying to use my arms and legs to push the bike along down the bumps.  Next was back to the skills area to do the rock garden, we did the section I normally ride up with Dad, but it was fun going down as well.  It was hard going down the rocks and keeping my arms floppy on my bike because i don’t have front suspension.  Dad tells me Chris Hyde said it would be better for me to learn without front suspension though.  Once we finished it was race time after a break, i couldn’t wait to get going though and Dad kept telling me to wait and get off my bike.

The race was fun and I think I went faster than last time at Carver Barracks thanks to practicing with the older boys.  I started in the middle of everyone next to Ethan and Daniel was at the back because he wasn’t gridded. When we started i was worried about crashing into people so I let some go.  Dad says I should have just tried to go faster past them and not been so nice.  Once we had some space I went faster and I loved overtaking people when I had space taking one boy I didn’t think I’d catch on the curved back part.  Daniel overtook me when i got stuck behind a wobbly girl but that was ok because he is in my team.  I don’t know where any of us came, but I really really enjoyed racing and want to do it more and more.

Race report by

Mason Porter (with a bit of typing help from Dad)    

On Sunday 26th April, Harry Bates, Robert Staines and I competed at the Potash Spring Classic.

It was a one hour race consisting of nine laps, mainly single track in Potash woods. The conditions were made very slippery by a few hours of rain on the morning of the race but thanks to running the Rubena Kratos tyres grip was no problem. Rob went for the slightly slicker, intermediate option and was once again the only person in the country to be riding on the Hyperion, whereas Harry chose speediest tyres and stuck with the Scylla.

This was my first race back after nine weeks out due to a ripped ligament in my thumb, so it was nice to be back on the racing scene with all the support from everyone. Although I had to be safe and take it easy, Rob was up front battling for first place and after a long tough battle came home with second. I took fourth and Harry was very close behind in fifth. After a hard race it was time to un-strap our HardnutZ helmets  and make the short journey home to then get the bikes looking clean and smelling lovely with DuckSmart.

By George Crocombe

The weekend started on Saturday for Rob as he was going to the aspire coaching ran by Steve Manser. On Saturday Rob did core skills and then rode the course to see what it was like. The course was smooth, quick and running well, with a few tricky climbs and descents thrown in.

On Sunday we all woke up early to make the two hour journey to the event. When we arrived Rob, Luke and Connor set about doing a warm up lap. During the warm up lap Connor was complaining that his arms hurt, so Connor decided to go home to check out if his injury was serious. With Harry in New York, George with his injury and Connor with his, this left Rob and Luke to do it for the youths, with George made as camera man for the day, all was in hand. Rob finished the race in fourth and Luke in tenth. With Matt taking forty forth in the men’s category after starting last unfortunately because of a puncture at the start of the race.

Thanks to our sponsors, Duck Smart, Rubena tyres and Hardnutz helmets for your support

By – Robert Staines

The race started when I, my mum and my dad woke up on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn to go to the race. We woke at about five to get on the road by half six. The long five hour journey was painfully boring but we made it. Once we was there we signed on and I hit the course. After taking two hours to do one lap of the course as it was so technical, we decided to go  and watch the race so we could look at the lines taken by the men. The reason we did this was even a British cycling coach said it was as hard as a world cup course. After this I went out again to home in all the features and the course in general. Ready for Sunday.

We went to the hotel to settle down for a spot of dinner and a good nights rest. We woke again at the crack of dawn to go to the circuit nice and early so I could prepare for the race.

The sound of rollers started and that meant my warm up and everyone else’s had begun. I sat on the grid anxious but ready for what laid ahead of me. The first lap was very hectic and manic where I ended up loosing a lot of time but I then settled down to take 31st. The course was very hard, the hardest race i have ever rode and because of this there was quite a few retirements.

Thanks to Duck Smart for keeping my bike so clean. I would also like to thank Hardnutz helmets for protecting me on such a technical course and also thanks to Rubena tyres for keeping me upright on my bike. Also thanks to Matthew Lane for helping me with that tyre set up.

By – Robert Staines

On Saturday we arrived at the course, all looking very different to what I had previously done. I signed on and got my number board and headed out to see the course. After a few laps dialling in my lines, we watched the fun race and left to go to the hotel to wait for Gary and George. Once they arrived we went out for dinner and then went back to the hotel for a good nights rest.

Sunday we woke up to have breakfast and then went to the course. The morning was more over cast than the previous day. I did my rollers and went to the grid a bit confused on how all the layout worked. Everyone was put in pens and then gridded. Just before the start it started raining and by that point there was nothing I could do about tyres. My tyres were very slick and I could not do anything about this. I finished in 47th which I didn’t feel was bad for my first national. Thanks to our sponsors for supporting us once again. Duck Smart, Rubena tyres & Hardnutz helmets.

By – Robert Staines

What’s happened this week?

This week the works on the Visitor Centre building and Business units have continued with more of the buildings black cladding becoming visible now the scaffolding is coming down. However the most noticeable change is the opening of the new road into the Country Park car park which allowed the old road to the closed and works to continue on the Business Units.

The Trails work has been nearing completion with volunteers from Hadleigh MTB Club and the Country Park Rangers attending a session with Phil Saxena, from the trail designers Architrail, to learn about maintaining the trails.

The Mountain Bike venue will remain closed however there will be opportunities to ride at the venue through Hadleigh MTB Club, so make sure you keep checking their website and/or Facebook page for upcoming activities.

What’s happening next week?

Next week the works will continue on the Visitor Centre and Business Units both internally and externally, with the areas around the buildings starting to take shape.

Also we are still advertising for the Business Units and Bike Shop/Hire so if you’re interested in having your business located at a World Class Sporting Facility and be part of the Olympic Legacy in Essex then head to the below webpage for full details.

http://www.essexlegacy.org/news/business-units-to-let/

Finally keep an eye out for our latest newsletter which will be appearing on our website soon.

For the most recent updates check out: essexlegacy.org.uk, follow us on twitter – @essexlegacy or ‘Like’ our Facebook page – Hadleigh Farm and Country Park.

What happened last week?

The launch of the Hadleigh Legacy project is fast approaching and Essex County
Council and Active Essex are pleased to announce two exciting opportunities. Firstly
the project will create six redeveloped Business units with the aim to attract local
business and help boost the local economy. Secondarily is the bike shop, which
may also include the opportunity to hire bikes at the former Olympic Mountain Bike
Course.
Detailed information about both opportunities can be found on our website here:
http://bit.ly/1DV1aRh

What’s happening this week?

The trails contractor Hugh Pearls Ltd is preparing to complete the final stages of their
work. A signage contractor has been appointed and will progress the project to the
next stage towards becoming operational.
The Hub and Business units are rapidly taking shape with the clay tiles installed and
soon the black cladding will be complete allowing the scaffolding to be removed,
revealing a cluster of “Essex Barns”.
Our next drop in session is on the 29th October, 2-7pm at Hadleigh Old Fire Station
and we would be keen to hear your views.

What’s happened this week?

This week the works have continued, with both the trails and hub building progressing at a fantastic rate. One of the most noticeable changes is the Clay pan tiles going on the Hub building, pictured below and viewable at the bottom of Chapel Lane, these will soon be followed by those for the Business units.

Also a group from the Essex Boys and Girls club spent a couple of days last week volunteering at the Country Park and were helping with tasks inside the Mountain Bike Venue. If you’re interested in volunteering; whether it’s in sport, at the park or on any other projects in Essex then head to the Active Essex volunteer website to look for opportunities or register.
Hadleigh MTB Club has continued their sessions in the venue for members with many riders improving their skills and becoming more confident in their riding. Remember whilst the venue is closed to the public, through the club is the only way to take part in sessions on the course.
Also for those observant people who have been keeping an eye on the project from the footpath, that goes down through the venue, you will have noticed that the cows are now back in the venue grazing up on the hill.

What’s happening next week?

Next week the works will continue both on the buildings and trails, with the final feature being worked on along with some sections of trail.
Our next drop-in session is on Wednesday 27th September at Hadleigh Old Fire Station from 2pm –7pm for anyone that has any questions about the Project or would like to speak with us directly.
As usual all of our news and updates including full links can be found on our website – www.essexlegacy.org/