By John Leitch
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - 10:19
 
It had quite a festive feel to the day, us being over at Gatton Park in the extensive grounds of Royal Alexandria and Albert School... especially with the groundsman having given the grass a good short clipping.
 
Then in the woods, the two terraced paths were fine apart from a fallen tree. 
 
I thought that with enough of the lesser branches cut away (my me) things would be safe enough if (for rider safety) we positioned a gullible parent underneath the remaining trunk to act as a support, rather in the fashion of a pit prop.
 
But then Captain Marvel arrived in the shape of coach David Burnham and he sawed through the entire tree and lugged it to one side...star man.
 
New faces were Aston Gayle, aged 6, whose dad had made contact during the week. also Cillian Walsh aged 7. There were also a mass of Ainsworth family and I think some might have been first-timers (but not sure). Welcome to you all.
 
On the grass, well the wet grass, it was gloriously hairy doing loops that involved swooping down the slope, then turning across the gradient and judging what grip the tyres would hold.... but then still having enough remaining speed to get up the far side...... or fall on the grass and happened rather a lot.
 
Then the downhill BMX-style race, flat-out speed with lots of gradient to help, got riders into groups of four aiming at a finish line that was wide enough for two..... in fact for just one as one crafty individual (no names here) worked out that if he could keep opponents at bay by steadily veering towards them before they got alongside..... I think he'll do well in racing.
 
In the wood then and David got individuals used to the quirks of the track as it took a dip at the mid-point and doubled back on itself.
 
Two runs at the time-trial produced some fine results and the figures were:
 
1min 58sec - James Ainsworth
 
1min 59sec - Matthew Burnham
 
2min 37sec - Adam Ainsworth
 
2min 38sec - Hannah Rowley
 
2min 50sec - Joseph Armstrong
 
2min 58sec - Matthew Ainsworth
 
2min 59sec - James Eccles
 
3min 30sec - Cillian Walsh
 
3min 30sec - Lukas Lamberth
 
3min 33sec - Aston Gayle
 
3min 50sec - Joseph Armstrong
 
3min 55sec - Fred Grant
 
5min 00sec - Janith Gabrielsen
 
It was good to see several off you got quicker the second time around, notably Hannah, Janith.and Lukas.... the latter speeded up by more than a minute.
 
And Lukas wasn't going home without seeing the King Alfred Cakes.... so he led an expedition of three merry men and found them hanging from the low side of a head-high branch. Good memory Lukas.