Quick Snaps from the Australian International Pedal Prix

We're still coming to terms with the fact that we crossed the line first. Wow!

We will post up plenty of photos and our race report in the next few days, but in the meantime we thought we'd collate some of the quick snaps from our Twitter feed during last weekend's Australian International Pedal Prix...

   
       

   

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Mark Anson

As we quickly approach this year’s big race, we thought it was high time we introduce you to the rest of our team. We kick off this series of three profiles with one of our tallest & strongest team members, Mark ‘Chaz’ Anson.

Name: Mark ‘Chaz’ Anson (aka ‘Big Anson’)

Age: 21

Where do you live? Kennington, birthplace of Kenny Kev… Not much happens in Kennington.

What is your job and where do you work? Apprentice Electrician, at Industrial Conveying Australia in Bendigo

How does your skills as an electrician connect to BYR? Well, Daryl might need some more power points in the shed...

What’s the best about being in BYR? Being with a bunch of mates, who have the same interests to build the best vehicle possible.

What part of BYR do you find most challenging? The amount of time it takes to build the vehicle and train. My girlfriend is very patient and tolerant of the commitment I’ve made to the team. The freezing winter night rides aren’t that much fun. Fitting in this new vehicle is a bit challenging too – it’s a lot smaller than our previous spec canopy.

Best HPV Moment in memory? Breaking the distance record at the 2005 Energy Breakthrough in Bendigo Senior’s Bukkamalazir (below). It was a perfect race and my first win.



What’s the best crash damage you’ve ever seen? BYR at last year’s AIPP. I went to bed at 6pm with a trike in good condition with only a few race scuffs and scratches.


Then I awoke at 1am to see a bike held together by race tape, zip ties and being able to see the wheels in what should be an enclosed wheel canopy (see above). Also reading the nights pit report which included Rowan “hitting a triceratops at full noise”.

We've almost completed the team line-up...

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How do you pick a team?

In Human Powered Vehicle racing, you only have 8 riding positions.
So how do you choose the riders from 10 fit, experienced and committed guys?

Our 2008 Australian International Pedal Prix Team. Pic from Pics08 Gallery

It's just not cricket...
It's not like footy or cricket where you can miss a week or a test and be back in the team for the next game.
We only race once or twice a year at best and we spend up to 10 months building our vehicles from scratch too. There's too much riding on it to sit one out. (pun intended)

We're not in the pro-peloton
It's not like a pro cycling squad either, who can pick their teams for the Classics, Tours or One-Day races based on riders strengths and race styles.
We are all HPV racers.

History Repeating?
In the past for Bendigo Youth Racing, we've rarely had an issue of too many riders.
In fact, Wonthaggi in '07 is the only time that we can recall where one rider elected to sit out.
In most cases our teams have come together in the final few weeks when the top 8 has become kinda obvious.
At other races, we have taken members to ride who were underdone fitness-wise because we simply didn't have a fully fit eight.

With 6 weeks to go, we've got 10 - 11 guys pushing for selection:
(in alphabetical order)
- Adam 'Gavin' King
- Cal Ridge
- Daryl 'Daz' King
- Dave Maud
- Deven Pearce
- Nige Preston
- Jarrod 'Chooka' Henderson)
- Troy Hutchins
- Charles (Mark Anson)
- Matt Anson

Here's some selection models we're looking at:

• What do you think is the best method?
• What experience have you had with your teams?

1. Team Poll
   Each team member nominates their top 8 riders - either rated 1-8 or simply 8 names on a slip. The votes are tallied and the results announced. Daz suggests that people need to be "honest and ‘think of the victory" when selecting their preferred rider line-up. They should choose "the 8 quickest riders who will bring the vehicle home safely."
   
   
2. Selectors Panel
   Similar to Cricket Australia I suppose, where a group of senior team members, ex-riders and neutral team friends choose the 8. "It's tough to do this way because you are choosing between friends and we're all deeply committed mates who have put in loads of work. It could be very personally scaring."
   
   
3. Ride-Off
   Either in a vehicle, on a road bike or on a wind-trainer, each rider is subjected to individual tests. Best 8 times get the places.
   "I don't really want to have one hour time trials in the race vehicle, because it will just end up on it's lid." BYR President Jarrod Henderson explained.
   
4. Self-Select
   We could simply wait until the final few weeks of our lead-up and those who are illness and injury free would either 'self-select' or 'self-omit'.

So, there's a few models we could use to pick our team.

• What do you think is the best method?
• What experience have you had with your teams?

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Workshop Session - January 2, 2009

Our first workshop session for 2009 saw 12 members of the squad out at the 'Dream Factory' for a busy evening.
Above: Mark Anson refits BY-08 to the jig from where it once came. The trike sustained a smashed cross member during the 2008 Australian International Pedal Prix - ouch!

Below: Deven and Turny discuss the finer points of canopy / fairing preparation. We've received a number of orders for fairings from other teams across Australia.
For more info contact us.

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BYR help out at the RACV Energy Breakthrough

A whole host of Bendigo Youth Racing guys will be rolling up our sleeves and giving some back at the RACV Energy Breakthrough later this month in Maryborough, Vic.


We all cut our HPV racing teeth at the 'Breakthrough and feel as though we are now in positions to 'give something back' to the sport that has given us so much. (yup, that's pretty cliche, but I think that's how it is.)

Daryl King, is Team Manager / Co-Head Honcho now at Flora Hill SC, and will be inspiring a whole crew of young people on the journey.

Rowan will be helping out with the Try-athlon, Anson will be helping out with some judging and many others will be in support roles with a range of teams or being extra hands.

Me - well - I pretty much work on the 'Breakthrough all year round, putting in between 8 - 15 hrs a week. I do it because I love it and it's this time of the year when everyone starts getting excited about the 'great race'.

It's really different from the AIPP, it's the vibe, the school spirit, the team morale - it's a festival atmosphere that gives everyone HPV racer - BYR and beyond - a rush!

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Old Bearded Mate wins pursuit race!

Bendigo Youth Racing's.....uhhh....hmmm- "Old Bearded Mate", has won the 1st Annual Cartridge World Bendigo HPV Pursuit Race. The event was a support race for the Bendigo International Madison, a world renowned event that features elite cyclists from around the globe.
With rego, scruteneering and rider briefings out of the way, the event finally started, but not before BY-06's..... uhhh......Old bearded mate's RH wheel was replaced due to several broken spokes- a remenant of the previous weekend.
10 qualifying rounds were held from 1130am, featuring 4 HPVs per round. The 4 fastest runs from each class would then make it to the final later in the day.
The field was quite large and of a high quality. BSSC had an off day, with none of their runs fast enough to make the finals. Instead these positions were taken by the Weeroona faired vehicles in the field- The above mentioned were very much in their comfort zone: the sleek shape which lacked the frontal area of the other Bendigo trikes excelled on the smooth, broad cornered velodrome. So much so that each class final was dominated by them!
BY-06 and BY-03 qualified easily for the community class. The Old bearded mate had 2 runs with Cal Ridge and Mark Anson at the wheel, whilst BY-03 had 1 run courtesy of Daryl King. Cal and Daryl qualified for the final.

The community final was a no-brainer for most. Cal the miracle child wasn't known for being slow, and neither was the vehicle he was piloting. The other no brainer was that Daryl loves a good pie, and thus wasn't in contention for the win. Sorry mate.

The final went like clockwork, with Cal easily accounting for the Ziptar vehicle and the Silver Bullet. Daryl finished 4th in BY-03.

Thanx to Cartridge World there were cash prizes on offer. Cal recieved $100 for his win and was quite estatic....until everyone realised he was still owing money from the Wonthaggi campaign. Cal was promptly rushed by the team.

Bendigo Youth Racing played other roles on the day. Several team members volunteered as race marshals, whilst others lended their legs to BSSC's vehicles for their runs in the community and secondary sections.
Bendigo Youth Racing would like to thank the organisers and Cartridge World for organising the event. It was run in a very professional, sorted manner and reflected the sport of Human Powered Vehicles in a very positive light. It was a fine day had by all!

The competitors line up for presentations

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