Tales from the Peloton

AIS and Team Grace SATS go back to school

Curious kids
Photo: © Gennie Sheer

As part of the Geelong Women's Tour and Geelong Women's World Cup Rnd #1, riders from the AIS and Team Grace SATS visited Belmont Primary School to talk to the children.

The riders who headed to the school were:

AIS

• Olivia Gollan
• Amy Safe
• Jennifer Manefield
• Oenone Wood
• Emma James
• Natalie Bates

Team Grace SATS

• Meredith Miller
• Trine Hansen
• Karina Sorensen
• Christina Peick-Andersen
• Hiroko Shimada

Could I buy one with my pocket money?
Photo: © Gennie Sheer

Olivia Gollan, a former Newcastle High School teacher, introduced the riders to the children who ranged in age from five to nine years. After that, the children split into smaller groups so the riders could show them their bikes up close and answer questions.

Meredith Miller was asked if she flew first class to Geelong. One of her teammates was asked what happens if someone steals her helmet just before the race. Do you ever crash was a popular question from most of the groups and one boy even decided to compare scars with the visitors.

Do you crash much?
Photo: © James Victor

In one class, as the children were poking and prodding the bike, the teacher innocently asked how much the bike was worth. The reply was AU$10,000 which prompted her to move the children a fair bit further away from the bike.

Hiroko Shimada¹s group were very keen to try out all the levers and pedals... So much so that her chain came off the chain ring but she managed to get it on again without too much trouble.

Also pretty much every child owned a bike and about 80 percent were heading to the Geelong World Cup on Sunday... Now they have a special rider each to cheer for.

Photos

Images by Gennie Sheer/Cycling Australia

• Meredith Miller begins the show and tell at the Belmont School
• A captivated audience
• "Can I kick the tires?"
• Jennifer Manefield explains the levers
• Hiroko Shimada gave her students a hands-on demonstration
• Natalie Bates holds court
• Olivia Gollan returned to her teaching roots
• "Careful, the teeth might be sharp."
• The AIS and Team Grace women line up for the cycling fans of tomorrow

Images by James Victor

• Oenone Wood shows the Belmont School kids her Dura Ace components
• Natalie Bates impresses the kids with her Trek 5500
• Olivia Gollan and Natalie Bates answer questions from groups
• Olivia Gollan can still keep the kids interested
• The AIS and Team Grace women taught the Belmont School kids about the world of cycling

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