Just got back from the HPV World Championships at Cycle Vision in the
Netherlands.
The UK contingent in the racing was somewhat thin - just Rob and Nick
Green on the track (unless anyone knows different of course) and Sherri
Donaldson (an Aussie lurking among the Brits) doing the English
commentary.
Rob participated in the quarter mile drag racing, and the one-hour and
three-hour races (yes he's mad. Fortunately it was overcast on Saturday
when the three-hour race happened). His racing machine may be seen
here:-
http://cubekiq.student.utwente.nl/~neno/PUBLIC/WK_CV_6_6_2004/image047.h
tml
He was also entered in the Criterium and the multitrack races, but
unfortunately the crit track and Rob's fairing proved to be incompatible
- on his first practice lap there was a mighty Thump and a bending of
aluminium, so those races were sadly abandoned lest the fairing become
Utterly Knackered, somewhat like its owner after finishing the three
hour race.
Mr Green exited the three-hour race after an hour and a half or so
inna-sideways-stylee, but fortunately there was no major damage, either
to him or to his Wooden Fish on Wheels (which is of course, neither
Wooden, nor a Fish) and they were reunited for the one-hour race the
next day. The name of a certain Mr Fleming (another BHPC-type person)
was called for this race, but unless he has perfected the entirely
invisible bike, he wasn't there.
The results aren't up yet, but no doubt will arrive soon.
I spent much of the time manning the Greenspeed stand in the trade tent.
Unfortunately, owing to a last minute change of plans by the site
owners, this was located about a ten minute walk away from the startline
for the track events, which must have been frustrating for the
organisers. When not racing, Rob spent his time helping me on the stand
and drooling over the Flevobike Versatile on the stand opposite.
(http://www.flevobike.nl/indexmodellen.html).
Also unfortunately the GT3 folding trike that was supposed to be the
centrepiece of the stand only made it as far as the Fedex warehouse in
Amsterdam. We were Not Pleased, but at least German Eslava from Cab-Bike
had one on his demo stand, so all was not utterly lost.
The campsite at 't Oppertje was pretty much taken over by International
Darksiders - by Saturday night they were using a shoehorn to fit more
tents in - and the atmosphere was very nice and friendly, although I got
bitten by mosquitoes a Several of times (boo! hiss!). Going *upstairs*
to the lake was a somewhat surreal experience too....
Rumour has it that there may not be a Cycle Vision next year, or at
least not in Lelystad - the organisers are understandably desirous of a
rest and are thining of dropping it back to every two years, possibly
with other countries hosting it in the alternate years.
--
Carol
Westcountry Recumbents
http://www.wrhpv.com
Feet first on three wheels.