• Flyer about Bikeability Olympics
• For school informing parents about option of individual registration – Letter to parents for individual child registration
• For school registering a team of children – Teacher form to register school team to take part.

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Following the successful events on 7.7.22 and 7.7.23, MK Bikeability Olympics 2024 will involve up to 135 pupils from 27 MK primary schools in three Heats of five contests. The top three winning schools from each Heat will be entered in the Final.

See photo story of first Heat hosted by Bushfield School on 16th April 2024.

The aim of Bikeability Olympics is to encourage more cycling to school by celebrating the achievements of MK primary school pupils in Bikeability courses and raising awareness about the fun, health and environmental benefits of cycling. 

Registration: Registration is open to all pupils who have completed Bikeability Training at Level 2. Schools register teams and organise transport of pupils to the venue, using this this short online form, including the names of five pupil contestants, at least one week before each Heat (dates below).

In both types of registration, parents must give consent to the participation of their child and indicate whether they permit photo and film recording of the activities to be used on social media and website, and possibly TV broadcast, to promote similar events in future.  Parents must indicate any health needs of their child, e.g. asthma pump. Parents must ensure that their child’s bicycle is roadworthy (see below).

Dates/Times & venues: Each Heat 1, 2 and 3 may involve up to 9 schools, each school entering five pupil contestants. Heats will take place as follows:

• Heat 1: Tues 16th April, 3.45-5.45pm, at Bushfield School, Wolverton, MK12 5JG
• Heat 2: Weds 12th June, 3.45-6pm, at Two Mile Ash School, MK8 8LH
• Heat 3: Tues 25th June, 3.45-5.45pm, at Bushfield School, Wolverton, MK12 5JG.

The final will be held on Fri 5th July at Middleton Hall, thecentre:mk, MK9 3ES.  Click here for conditions of usage, including instructions to children on how to walk bicycles to and from the competition area.

Awards: 15 winners of the Finals (5 Gold, Silver and Bronze medallists) will receive Mayor’s Cycling Awards before the start of City Cycle Ride 14.7.24 (as on 13.7.23 – see photo story). All participants will receive a certificate. The 3 winning schools in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place at the end of the Finals will each receive a trophy.

Staffing: staffed by Bikeability instructors and a Cycle Saviours mechanic.

Safety: Ringway Infrastructure Services are providing cones and tape to mark the area off for safety.

Events (with contest organisers in brackets) . In all events the method of scoring will be made clear to the participants.

1. Bike Detectives – testing Level 1 skills – see details
2. Obstacle Course – testing Level 1 skills – see details
3. Relay Race – testing Level 1 skills – see details
4. Slow Race – testing Level 1 skills – see details
5. Road Ride – testing Level 2 skills – see details

Competition areas

Typical layout as follows:

Contests 1-4 will take place in the competition area, with contest 5 taking place on quiet roads nearby. Each contest will have one representative from each school and will be less than 20 minutes, after which the contest organiser will instruct participants to move to the next contest in the carousel.  Each contest will be scored separately, with timings to the deci-second where timings are used. When all contests are complete, each contest organiser will report their top 5 winners to the contest administrator.

Schedule:

• 3pm – Organisers mark up contest areas, Contestants begin to arrive, give names to Registration (Judges & Admin desk) and walk bicycles to their first contest area
  • 3.45pm – Announcement of contest rules
  • 4.00pm – First round of contests 1-5
  • 4.20pm – Second round of contests 1-5
  • 4.40pm – Third round of contests 1-5
  • 5.00pm – Fourth round of contests 1-5
  • 5.20pm – Fifth round of contests 1-5
  • 5.40pm – All contest results submitted to Judges desk
  • 5.50pm – Results announced, presentation and photo
    • Special Guest from Bikeability Trust presents Gold, Silver & Bronze winners in each of the 5 contests (15)
    • Special Guest from thecentremk presents gift card to overall individual winner
    • Mayor of MK presents Bronze, Silver & Gold trophies to overall school winners
    • Cycle Saviours inform children, parents and teachers, of their cycle services to MK
    • Sweets/fruit for all.
  • 6.15pm – End.

Arrival: On arrival, each pupil will be informed of their first contest (1-5) and asked to walk their bicycle to that contest area, leave their bicycles there and put any other baggage in the schools baggage area. Road Ride contestants (contest 5) will be asked to leave their bicycles in the Obstacle Course area (contest 1). Bikes will be checked by the Context Organiser at this time to ensure they are roadworthy.

Bicycle & clothing: parents are responsible for ensuring that their child’s bicycle is roadworthy (see Bikeability Bike Check) and their child is wearing school PE kit, with shoe laces done up. Contestants must also bring sun cream and a waterproof coat in case of extremely sunny or wet weather. Bicycles to be walked through gate at north-east corner of netball court, near pavilion.

Support: Adult volunteers may act as contest marshals, assisting contests 1-4 and Registration desk duties.  These volunteers will be supervised by Bikeability instructors at all times during this one-off event. Cycle Saviours will provide basic repairs to bicycles (bicycles must be roadworthy).

Refreshments: Contestants must bring snacks and water and ask permission from their contest organiser to get them while the contests are in progress.   Parents and other spectators are welcome to purchase refreshments from the bar area of the pavilion.

Safeguarding & Risk Assessment: Children must be accompanied by parents or school staff. Only Bikeability trainers and other approved staff will be permitted to enter the contest area. The following risks have been identified and control measures will be applied:

RISK	SIGNIFICANCE	PROBABILITY	CONTROL MEASURE
Personal injury due to collision	High	Medium	Contest areas to be sectioned with bollards and high viz tape, organisers to give clear instructions. Contestants to wear high viz vests.
Injury/fall due to bicycle not in correct condition	High	Medium	Parents advised to check bicycle before event. Mechanic advise and tools available for basic repairs.
Head injury due to fall	High	Medium	All contestants to wear a properly fitted cycle helmet.
Injury due to slip	High	Low	Contestants to be advised of surface conditions as part of general Risk Assessment announcement at start. In case of extreme weather, event will be postponed or cancelled.
Poor pupil behaviour due to confusion among contestants	Low	Low	All instructions to be communicated clearly at start and throughout. Contests are designed to be engaging throughout.

First Aid: Bikeability instructors are First Aid trained.

For more information, contact: Tom Bulman, Cycling CitizensMK, cycling@citizensuk.org, 07962 838685