BBA Local And Overseas Weekend Racing
Sunday will see cycling action both locally with a 10 mile time trial and in New York as five high school students compete in the New York Mountain Biking League’s first race of the 2014 season.
Originally scheduled to race in Long Island, New York two weeks ago but postponed due to heavy rain in near-freezing temperatures, the race this weekend will be held in Sprain Brook Park in Yonkers, New York under much more comfortable conditions.
Gabriella Arnold [Warwick Academy], Deshi Smith [Bermuda Institute], Shomari Steede [CedarBridge Academy], Tristan Narraway and Christian Oatley [both Saltus] are joining high school students from New York in a rapidly growing league.
In 2013 Smith participated in the league in the same park and the Bermuda Bicycle Association has expanded this opportunity to more students in 2014. BBA President Peter Dunne will accompany the student/athletes for the competition and is pleased to see that after the delay they will still get the opportunity to race.
Deshi Smith [far right] at start of 2013 New York MTB Cycling League race in Sprain Ridge Park, New York.
Mr. Dunne said, “This league, an offshoot of a program begun in California several years ago and now run by National Interscholastic Cycling Association, is a tremendous opportunity for our local high school students to compete in off-road racing against their peers.
“From my observing the race last year, this is a very well run organization who are focussed on the development of the sport of mountain biking in schools. This mirrors the BBA’s goal and we have increased our funding to bring a larger team to this event.”
Locally the BBA will hold it’s first individual time trial on Sunday. As this is a new course for the BBA there are no existing course records, adding to the interest in the race. Riders will start at 8:00am and race from Clearwater Beach up to St. David’s Road and then out to Swizzle Inn and back to complete the 10.3 mile loop.
