British Cycling Drives Opportunity for More Cornish Cycling Events (12th July 2010)

Participation in cycling has seen big growth in recent years, especially with the success of British riders in high profile events from the World Championships and the Olympics to the Tour de France.  Cornwall has benefit from this growth and the South West’s fastest growing club, One & All Cycling, has grown in numbers by an unprecedented proportion, since it was started only two years ago by four keen cyclists.  What any budding cyclist in Cornwall knows however, is that apart from Portreath, there are very few races held in the county, not due to lack of interest, but due to a lack of trained officials.

British Cycling this week made a big step to changing that when it held the first “Commissaire” training course to be held in Cornwall.  Such courses have previously only been held in Devon or Somerset so the two BC representatives who attended Bissoe Bike Hire and Cafe to hold the training course - Andrew Parker, Regional Events Officer and Rob Jefferies, Lead Tutor for British Cycling - were delighted at the numbers who volunteered to train as event officials.  Seventeen local riders from One & All Cycling and Penzance Wheelers gave up a day to learn how to officiate at races, time trials and sportives.  The roles that are required to hold such events include judges, gear checkers, signing on officials, marshalls and commissaries.

Andy Parker explained “It is vitally important if we are to see growth in the sport in Cornwall for more volunteers to come forward to assist at events.  At the moment local riders have to travel a long way to race regularly and Cornwall is a beautiful location and if events are held here, riders from other parts of the country will come.  It is important for the improvement of local riders for them to race against riders from all over the country but also for those fairly new to the sport, the opportunity to race regularly ties them into the sport.

“I am really pleased with the attendance on this course – 17 new volunteers including two juniors who want to assist, is very impressive and bodes well for the future.  One and All is working hard to do everything right and its members are lucky to have a base they call home, the Bike Chain Bissoe Cafe.  I know that riders from several local clubs stop off at Bissoe to enjoy the refreshments and this is bringing several of the local clubs together – One and All and Penzance Wheelers for example, often train together as well as enjoying the Bissoe hospitality.  We were lucky enough to hold the course at Bissoe Cafe today and would like to thank Liz and her staff for a super lunch for all participants.” 

Rob Jefferies who ran the course said “The benefit of today’s training will be seen in the course of the next year when hopefully we will see more local events being held as there will be enough officials to “spread the load”.  I’d like to thank everyone for turning up today and making it a very enjoyable course that will help British Cycling to make great strides in generating new events in the South West.”