Youth cycling club Lakeland Sprinters have resumed their Wednesday evening training sessions.
The season has got off to a flying start with around 50 young riders from the ages of two to 16 attending the sessions each week, riding anything from balance bikes to carbon fibre framed race bikes at Cumbria Kart Racing Club circuit at Rowrah in West Cumbria.
Lakeland Sprinters is the largest and oldest youth cycling club in the area and the only local cycling club which caters for such a wide range of children.
The team of six coaches are all qualified with British Cycling, DBS checked and hold first aid certificates.
The club was recently proud to be awarded renewal of its Clubmark Accreditation – the national award for quality in community sports clubs – and strives to provide the highest standards at an affordable cost to families in West Cumbria.
Pres-chool and primary aged children meet at 6pm and are split into several groups by age and ability.
The youngest riders enjoy activities built around British Cycling’s Ready Set Ride programme, with the older children working on skills from the Go Ride scheme.
The 7pm session for more advanced riders has a focus on race-related skills, though there is no pressure to compete and many children enjoy the activities simply for fitness and fun.
The circuit at Rowrah provides a completely traffic-free environment for the younger children to practice safely but is also an ideal setting for the older riders to work on more advanced bike handling and race skills, utilising the circuit’s undulating terrain and bends.
New members are always welcome, but sessions must be booked in advance.
The club can be contacted via its Facebook page or on Lakelandsprinters@gmail.com for those with children wishing to join in. Sessions run throughout the summer until early September.
