Mount Evelyn
3 Tuesday, 24 April, 2018
Intersection worries
8
A Mail News Group publication
Mail Anzac Day
32-33
Best in local sport
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
BMX riders from Lilydale Lynx BMX Club, Jack, Connor, Lucas, Cobie and Tarni will proudly represent their club in the upcoming Conquer the Valley competition. 179951 Picture: ROB CAREW
Cobie flying high and launching off one of the many jumps. 179951
Ready to conquer Up to 300 riders are expected to tackle the jumps and bumps at the Lilydale Conquer the Valley BMX competition on Sunday 27 May. The Conquer the Valley competition is the biggest events of the year at Lilydale Lynx BMX Club, which will have local, state and even interstate riders testing themselves against the best in the sport. Attracting over 1000 people, both riders and spectators alike, flock to the popular competition. Club president, Steve Ralis, said that "BMX" has become one of the fastest-growing sports in Australia and is one of the few sports where total family participation can take place. It also is open to all age ranges and at event riders as young as four and as old as 50 will compete".
"Kids start from three-years-old and they go right up to competing up to 50 plus, basically the whole family comes and races on the day then you get the pros, and they compete on the same day," Mr Ralis said. "We've got three pro riders and hoping they all do compete though one is injured." The competition comes as efforts to improve riding tracks around the Yarra Valley are being undertaken by Yarra Ranges Council which in its 2018-19 draft budget on Friday, 27 April, proposes the construction of a BMX Pump Track at Mount Evelyn. Mr Ralis said he hoped it would help attract more people to the family friendly sport and would act as gateway to take on competitive BMX riding. "It's a bit of a quiet sport so not everyone knows about it ... though it is growing," he said.
"That track is kind of more of something to fill a hole but people that do go there may find they like it and want to take up the sport. "It's more of a gateway; people go there have a bit of a play and find that they like it and may want to start at an actual track." Having grown from 45 to over 100 members, Mr Ralis said the sport was great for the entire family, though kids who were quieter were able to get a lot out of the sport. "It's a great sport for kids," he said. "We find it really helps those who are quieter, they can put their helmets on and can go into their own little world until they feel they're ready to chat to the other kids ... we find by the end of six months they come out of their shell and are quite open." While Mr Ralis describes the Lilydale track as "flowing" he said there were plenty of thrills and spills and that the more experienced rid-
ers often jump over the parts where the younger kids may not. "It's quite a flowing track where you have to pump the bike through it ... actually about pushing the bike absorbing the bike and pushing it out the other side - it's quite a technical track," he said. "There's still a place and time for the pros, because they can use many of the jumps." Mr Ralis invited anyone interested in the sport to come along and watch the best BMX'ers in the state battle it out. Those interested in the sport were also invited to come and have a chat at the clubrooms on Wednesdays when practice takes place from 6pm. Conquer the Valley takes place from 10.30am- 2pm, Sunday, 27 May, at the Lilydale BMX club.
Are you inding it hard to get a job? Get the skills you need in 8, right here in Mt Evelyn - Call 8 5
5
Cire provides educaional services that inspire students of all ages to reach their goals Children’s services, aged care, educaion Support, Leadership and Management; and Horiculture Workskills short courses First Aid, RSA and White Card 12386193-ACM19-18
Pre-accredited short courses MYOB, computers, Work and TAFE/WORK Ready Skills and many more...
www.cire.org.au
Cire Services Inc. ABN 51 933 700 TOID 4150
By Derek Schlennstedt