Roller Race Challenge, Salford Nocturne, 30.08.08
126 participants, Male and Female Rollapaluza records tumble.
The Salford Nocturne was a fantastic event taking the excitement of cycle racing to an amazing location, right outside the Lowry theatre in Salford Quays.
Hoy prepares... photos by Rollapaluza
Hundreds of people gathered to watch not just the Olympic champions and their team-mates of the all-conquering British cycling squad but the brave members of the public who in prize-fighter style got an opportunity to try to beat UK Cycling's biggest hero, triple Olympic gold-medalist Chris Hoy in the Roller Race Challenge.
Chris Hoy was to set a time on the famous Rollapaluza rigs and anyone could attempt to beat his time, with prizes going to the fastest. In total 126 men, women and children took up this challenge and there were some super-fast times set especially from members of the DHL Sprint School.
Craig MacLean on his way to beating the Rollapaluza record
Chris has hardly slept since he got back to the UK but still managed to set a blistering time of 19.44 seconds, this would have been a new Rollpalauza record if his British team-mate Craig McClean had not raced earlier, Craig smashed the record with an amazing "master-class" display of roller-racing technique.
Craig's time was 18.94 seconds and the Rollapaluza boys were clever enough to video this and have posted it on their site..well worth seeing - watch the video here >
But the famous names were not the only people to break records, Melissa Bury, only 14 years and representing the DHL sprint School, destroyed the Women's record (previously 22.62) with a time of 21.9, two other girls Megan Boyd (12) and Lucy Garner (13) also went under the previous best-time, which just goes to show a bit of investment and decent coaching really pays off.
One of the DHL Sprint School riders in action
In the boys event Matt Rotherham, who is a previous Rollapaluza winner, took the win in dramatic style as in the final there was a rare dead heat with both Matt and James Berryman both recording 20.62. Rollapaluza rules state that in order to decide the winner in the case of a draw the two riders must race immediately over half the distance, which indeed they did and Matt just managed to snatch the win in the closing stages.
In the all comers event the male winner Dan Woolfenden was also a previous Rollapaluza champion having tasted victory at the Rollapaluza race organised for the annual "I bike MCR" festival earlier this year. In the ladies event Alison Mitchelmore was victorious in a time of 24.6 seconds.
Roller Race winners Dan Woolfenden and Alison Mitchelmore
Other Photos
Hoy on stage in front of huge crowds
Geoff Thomas in action
A bride to be joins in on her hen party!
What is Roller Racing?
Competitors race against each other on a genuine track racing bike on static rollers, their progress is displayed by two hands on a huge dial attached to the bikes by gears and cables.
The Salford Nocturne Roller Racing will be run in association with Rollapaluza Roller Racing.
For more info go to www.rollapaluza.com
For the latest Rollapaluza Roller Race Event footage go to:
http://www.bregler.net/video/index.php
