It’s short, it’s fun, it’s perfect for spectators and allows kids to hone their technical skills and racing instincts. It’s the Junior Eliminator Series for 2016. Or #JES_2016 as Tyrone Rawlins explains.
Eliminator – a short course heat racing format of mountain biking where heats are raced four riders at a time on any terrain with obstacles (both natural and man-made) to test the riders’ skills all condensed into a course of roughly 800m – about a minute and a half sprint interval. The top two finishers advance to the next round whilst the bottom two riders are eliminated from the competition. This takes place until a final is reached and a champion is crowned.
The Junior Eliminator Series (previously the Inter School Eliminator Series) currently takes place across the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The series was formulated three years ago to give young riders the opportunity to race in this UCI format and win some awesome prizes. It’s also a great way for “newer” riders to be introduced to racing and learn a few skills vital for the other cycling disciplines.
Riders are given an hour to test the course before racing starts, this time is utilised to eliminate any “surprises” around corners, to build confidence in riding a drop off or bunny hopping, negotiating a rock garden or descending a set of stairs. Strategies are formed – how to get the inside line, when to exert most energy or open up a sprint finish for the line.
Eliminator evens the playing field as especially with youth, they can all go fast for a few hundred meters. There is no stereotype of “that’s the best rider” because they have the experience and tools to go fast over a long distance. In this format of elbow to elbow racing anything can happen – with the riders in such close proximity, one can very easily go from fourth to first in the matter of one corner as it’s not uncommon for riders to clash handlebars jostling for the inside line. A lapse in concentration can result in a wheel washing away on lose ground, there is no time to recover from a puncture or most commonly with the force generated off the kick at the start to get out in front, the fatal chain snap leaving riders spectating the rest of the heat.
With the freedom to set the courses up on any terrain it has afforded the opportunity to bring the racing closer to the audience. Majority of the course is visible, giving spectators the opportunity to watch all the action unfold and cheer the riders on the whole way around the course – supporters’ screams often drown out the PA System! The Junior Eliminator Series has taken place at Bike Parks without hindering the use of trails for other cyclists who have stopped to be entertained by some incredible racing action. Cycling is quickly becoming accepted as an official school sport by many which has opened the doors for urban courses on school property, with riders receiving the once unthinkable permission to wind through the corridors, fly down stairs, sprint through the hall or even over the swimming pool!
In the short three years that the Junior Eliminator Series has been in existence there has been a clear shift in “professionalism” by the riders with intense conversations during track walks on what lines will be the fastest, warming up on rollers and working out how to get off the start-line the quickest without spinning their tyres and losing traction. This may all have something to do with what is at stake – the series has appreciated the incredible support of Fox Racing, Skullcandy, OGIO, Trek Bikes and GoPro as well as a number of local bike shops over the years who have showered the competitors with some incredible prizes including store vouchers, riding kit, helmets, headphones, back packs, cameras and even a bike. On top of which the podium finishers are rewarded some prize money for their efforts. Every event has a number of raffle draws so that all entrants have an opportunity to win some of the fantastic merchandise!
Although cycling is seen as an individual sport, the Team Trophy at the Junior Eliminator Series has helped develop a healthy rivalry between schools within the various provinces much like the traditional school sports as riders encourage others at their school to enter the event to assist in contributing points to the overall. This rivalry has assisted in raising the numbers across all the age groups and has had a range of riders enjoying the competition from the top racing youth to the recreational rider still in takkies.
The Junior Eliminator Series 2016 introduced two new age groups: under 10 and 12 to join the under 14, 16 and 19 divisions. The fighting spirit and grit of these tiny beings as they charged around the course attacking the obstacles with the confidence of an elite athlete mixed with friendly camaraderie set examples for the older divisions to look up to! It was also great to see increased numbers amongst our female divisions who even showed up a number of boys in a few heats!
The Junior Eliminator Series will be back in 2017 and will be expanding into the Free State and Eastern Cape, a full calendar will be released later this year.
Junior Eliminator Series
Organiser: One Movement Events
Website: www.onemovement.co.za
Twitter: @JES_XCE
Bio:
Tyrone Rawlins is an ex-professional kite surfer turned event organiser. Alongside the Junior Eliminator Series his company, One Movement Events also stages the Cape Town and Johannesburg Corporate Games. Follow him on Twitter: @TyroneRawlins.
