Last updated 19:40, Thursday, 12 June 2008

AFTER rain the previous week, 35 young Lakeland Sprinters riders basked in warm sunshine last Wednesday at Rowrah karting stadium.

Division four riders had fun and faced up to the ever increasing challenge of the skills development course. As each challenge was mastered by the team, the coaches increased the difficulty.

Riders in divisions three and two joined together for circuit race coaching on the top track and the 1km time trial.

Division one riders and their parents were initiated into the mysterious art of gear restriction by club president Gerard McCarten.

By restricting a rider’s gears so that for one turn of the pedals the bike moves forward a set distance, riders compete on a more level playing field.

More importantly, it helps to make sure that young riders in particular do not over-strain their developing bodies trying to push too big a gear round.

Division 4 results - 500m time trial: Jack McDonagh 2.26, Harvey Canning 2.32, Ben Frankland 2.37, Olivia Fearon 2.54, George Cowan 3.04, Poppy Watson 3.59 pb, Molly Rankin 4.05 equal pb, Becky Tichford 4.25, Ruth Atkinson 6.08, Connie Symonds 8.23. Lucy Hewitt and new rider Mabel Symonds - both 1.58 - move up to division three.

Division 2/3 results - 1km time trial: Fletcher Hodgson 2.41, Daniel Rooney and Georgia Canning 3.26, Charlie Frankland 3.32, Adam Watson and Heather Thomas 3.34, Matthew Last 4.01, Scott Glaister 4.02, George Hodgson 4.08 and Mathew Atkinson 4.48.

Division 1 results - 1km time trial: Jordon Peck 2.05 pb, Jason Jenkinson 2.19 pb, Alice Rae 2.22 pb, William Hughes 2.24 pb, Alex Hargreaves 2.24 pb, Daniel Baron 2.26, Patrick Cowman 2.29, Sam Hayworth 2.34 equal pb, George Bennett 2.36 pb, Kristian Cook 2.47, Thomas Lennox 2.49, Ailsa Cowan 2.49 equal pb, Stephen Gascoigne 2.52.

Devil - 1, Jordan Peck; 2, William Hughes; 3, Alex Hargreaves; 4, Daniel Baron; 5, Alice Rae.

Italian Pusuit - Sam Haywood (team leader), Jordan Peck, William Hughes, Alex Hargreaves, George Bennett and Thomas Lennox 7.08, from Stephen Gascoigne (team leader), Daniel Baron, Jason Jenkinson, Patrick Cowman and Kristian Cook 7.51.