Alison Shanks (left) and Mark Falcous celebrate their
BikeNZ awards with a cycle ride yesterday. Photo by Craig
Baxter.
Alison Shanks is the face of New Zealand women's cycling
and Mark Falcous has brought more females into track cycling.
They both won prestigious awards at the BikeNZ's meeting in
Auckland last weekend.
Shanks won the Female Face of Cycling award and Falcous the
Shona Smith Trophy for raising the involvement and profile of
women in cycling.
Falcous runs a Women on Wheels programme in Otago that gives
females the chance to try track cycling in a supportive
environment.
In the first year, he introduced more than 30 females to
cycling by running track coaching clinics and bunch rides.
"We started with three riders and I now have 30 female riders
on my email list," Falcous said.
"I didn't think it would grow as quickly as it did.
"I wanted to push the women riders past the comfort zone and
get them used to the steep banks of track racing. They rose
to the occasion."
It was designed to give masters and novice female riders a
chance to develop the confidence and learn the skills of
track racing.
"Female riders were keen in the past but there were limited
opportunities, Falcous said.
"The Cycling Otago Tuesday night track racing was perceived
as an intimidating environ- ment by this group."
Falcous has run weekly track sessions, designed to give
positive experiences and track riding skills to female
riders. Sessions were structured to develop riding fitness,
knowledge of different track races, race skills, tactical
awareness and fun activities.
"I also ran a session to teach mechanics, puncture repair and
bike maintenance," he said.
Katie Schofield became involved as the assistant coach and
took eight riders to a mini track carnival to compete against
the Southland Women on Wheels group in Invercargill.
Falcous (38), a lecturer in the sociology of sport at the
University of Otago's School of Physical Education, started
cycling in England 20 years ago. His best performance was to
win a bronze medal in the masters scratch race at the New
Zealand championships in Invercargill this year.
The female riders expressed their view of the Women on Wheels
group.
"Thanks again for all your help Mark. I've had enough of a
taste to want to continue coming along next season and get
into the sport more. There was just the right amount of
professionalism as well as a good sense of fun," Alexa Peters
said.
"It was a positive experience. I feel privileged to be part
of this group and gain the friendship of others and have Mark
as our amazing coach." Viv Allen-Kelly said.
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