The West Lothian Cycle Circuit will be the perfect place to train and develop volunteers says British Cycling Road National Commissaire, Hendrik Nahler.

A closed circuit for bicycle racing creates many opportunities for youths riders to develop their bike riding skills, confidence and race craft. To enable racing, we require officials (commissaires) who equally need to be trained and need to gain experience.

There is no better place than a traffic-free environment such as a closed circuit to learn the key skills of an official particularly in areas such as judging and the monitoring of race development.

My own journey as a commissaire started in 2012 in the North-East of England on the closed circuits in Middlesbrough, Hetton Lyons Park and the Nissan Test Circuit.

It was a great and very valuable training opportunity. The initial qualification as Circuit Commissaire allowed me then to progress to become a Road Regional Commissaire in 2014 here in Scotland.

I and my fellow commissaire colleagues continuously train new commissaires, often starting out on closed circuit events. The opportunity for bicycle racers to have more training and racing opportunities on the West Lothian Cycle Circuit will also create opportunities to further the training of new officials who will support this fabulous sport, on the circuit as well as on the road.

Please make a donation at our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/letsbuildit

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Join us to celebrate the launch of our £30K crowdfunder for the West Lothian Cycle Circuit! #Letsbuildit

8pm, Thursday February 6th, Lowport Centre Linlithgow

On the night we will be:

• Launching our crowdfunder video
• Sharing what rewards are available for donations.
• Hearing from local cycling stars.

We’re raising money to pay for floodlighting. Each light coast £1,185 and we need 27 for the perimeter of phase one, that’s £32,000

We would love to see you there!

Please make a donation at our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/letsbuildit

CAN YOU HELP?

We are hoping to connect with local businesses so we can offer exclusive rewards as part of our Crowdfunder campaign, launching 6th February.

Please get on contact if you would like to become one of our partners offering a reward.

Email pamela@trust-linlithgow.org.uk for more details

Ben Rowlings is a Linlithgow based athlete who competes in the T34 100m, 400m and 800m wheelchair racing events for athletes with cerebral palsy.

Ben says the West Lothian Cycle Circuit would have a big impact on wheelchair racers in Scotland “This facility would benefit not just myself on the lead up to world championships and Paralympic Games but also other wheelchair athletes aspiring to reach the highest level.”

Originally from Shrewsbury, and studying at Stirling University, Ben moved to Linlithgow in 2019 with his partner Alice.

Ben has competed in three European Championships, three World Championships and the Rio 2016 Paralympics, winning two silver medals at the Euros.

Ben says: “To have a facility like the one planned would have a massive impact on my training leading up to major championships.”

“Although I am primarily a track athlete a large proportion of my training is done on roads to get the miles in, especially over the winter months. So having a facility like this on my doorstep would massively increase the quality, of not only my training but also my recovery in between sessions.”

“Having a facility like the one planned would also have a wider reaching impact on wheelchair racers in Scotland. To have a well kept, safe road that we could train on would bring in athletes from other parts of Scotland to Linlithgow.”

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Please make a donation at our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/letsbuildit

Glenn Miller took up cycling again after a long break from riding his bike. He says the West Lothian Cycle Circuit would be the perfect place for folk to get their confidence back and pick up the skills necessary to ride on the road.

“Like most men of my age I had a bike in the garage and thought I could dust it down and use it for short journeys around Linlithgow.

But I struggled to find like minded cyclists at my standard.

I was kindly asked by a group of school mums, who went cycling on a Wednesday, to join them. It took me a good few months to build up my confidence and cycling skills to keep up with them.

The West Lothian Cycle Circuit would be a great asset for us middle aged cyclists who want to get back on the bike. It would be a safe place to gain confidence and improve cycling technique.

Cycling is such a social activity, so having a centre like this would be good for meeting people of a similar ‘back to cycling’ attitude.

I know from personal experience the hardest thing about getting back on the bike is meeting like minded people and having the confidence to get out. I’m sure the cycle circuit would be an ideal hub for all of these.”

Please make a donation at our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/letsbuildit

#LetsBuildit

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