Pedal Prix
Integrated Learning - Pedal Prix
The Modbury High School Pedal Prix team is a combination of parents, teachers, school personnel and students from the Modbury High community who build, test and race pedal powered 3 wheeled recumbent bikes. It is closely aligned and well supported by Fast Cats Racing. There are six races we can compete in with the best three results counting towards the series result. The funds we receive to run our Pedal Prix program are from school grants and fundraisers.
The program has many benefits for those involved. These include fitness, learning to work as part of a team, development of realistic confidence and independence, resilience, consideration of others and the development of positive social interaction.
The Pedal Prix program at Modbury High has been improving in its success over the last few years. 2018 was an eventful year for Modbury Pedal Prix. Our goal was to have high top ten overall result for Cheetah and a top five for Pink Panther, in the AIPP Super Series.
This year:
- We competed in all 5 SA races including Mt Gambier.
- Modbury HS & Fast Cats ran 8 bikes at 4 races this year – Puma, Lynx, Pink Panther and Cheetah from the school and Hellcat, Wildcat, Cheshire and Tom Cat from Fast Cats and Bush Cat from Duncraig WA - the biggest group involved at Pedal Prix
We are one of the few top teams that still mostly build their own trikes, so these are a credit to our endeavour. We compete quite well with the factory-made trikes of other teams. The main factor in how well a trike goes is rider fitness so we emphasize this to our riders and our fitness coordinator, Alex Aungles, does a fantastic job in putting this into action.
The program has many benefits for those involved. These include fitness, learning to work as part of a team, development of realistic confidence, positive social interaction, independence, resilience, consideration of others and the development of leadership roles.
All students have the ability to complete a SACE unit as part of the program, within the Community Studies Framework. This can be in the area of health and fitness, or another area such as the catering, event management, fundraising, bike maintenance, designing & building or lap time keeping. This is not compulsory.
The series consists of an eight-hour race at Mt Gambier, 1 six-hour race at Loxton and 2 six-hour events at Victoria Park and culminates in the highlight of the year with a 24-hour race at Murray Bridge. Cheetah and our all girls bike, Pink Panther are our main bikes with excellent support provided by Lynx and Puma. Our results were positive in the early races with Cheetah and Pink Panther both finishing well within the top 10.
In 2018 Modbury High and Fast Cats Racing sent a team of five to the 6-hour race at Busselton, WA. The team included two students. They performed very well and further developed our links with Duncraig Senior High School. Duncraig supported our team well and made them feel very welcome. Then Duncraig SHS consisting of four adults and their team of nine Bush Ranger Cadets flew to Adelaide on the Thursday before Murray Bridge, picked up their trike, Phoenix and travelled to the race track. Modbury High School and Fast Cats Racing provided the tents, marquees and trailer. We also shared our kitchen facilities, food and support so they were able to compete in the 24-hour race without having to worry about all these issues.
In the week before Murray Bridge, Duncraig flew into Adelaide and went to Murray Bridge and set up. They were racing Bush Cat – a trike from Fast Cats Racing but re-named for them. Modbury High School and Fast Cats Racing again shared our facilities, food and support so they were able to compete in the 24-hour race without having to worry about all these issues.
The 24-hour race at Murray Bridge is the highlight of the year with over 220 entries and 38,000 people involved - it's an enormous event. We and Duncraig did well. We had a few flat tyres some minor roll-overs and plenty of hard racing. The riders all performed to the best of their ability.
Our results in the series is decided by our 2 best results in the shorter races and the result from Murray Bridge. In this Pink Panther finished equal 3rd in Senior girls which is an excellent result for us. Cheetah finished 13th, Lynx 21st and Duncraig 35th from only 2 races. All very creditable results.
If your child wishes to be involved they need to see Mr. Ferguson in the Design & Technology building at lunchtimes. All students involved must have parental support and there are a variety roles and considerations that need to be worked within. There have also been strategies developed to work around other commitments, like sport and work, for both parents and students. We have the added benefit of the new Pedal Prix/NEHPVSAI Workshop that has been constructed on the school grounds. This gives us possibly the best Pedal Prix facilities of any school in Australia.
We could not do this without our supporters. We need to thank Adelaide Coachlines, Northern Districts Canoe Club, Police Credit Union, Frances Bedford, Bunnings, Roy Zerna VIP Franchisee, International Cycles and Ridhard Harvey.
We also need to thank the team managers Richard Hill, Wendy Erkelenz, Roy Zerna, and Kym Erkelenz, our trainer Alex Aungles, our bike mechanics Kevin Clarke and Ron Gibbins, our first aid person Paul Stafford, our catering manager Lyn Gibbins, our timing coordinator Rodney Ling, the extra supporting teachers, Matthew Jarrad, our many other supporting parents and the whole Fast Cats Racing group. All students were exemplary ambassadors for Modbury High and are commended for their efforts and commitment.
The North East Human Powered Vehicle Supporters Association Incorporated (NEHPVSAI), also called Fast Cats Racing, has supported Pedal Prix at Modbury for some time. This group of past and present parents, old scholars and interested community members provides time, expertise and funding to help the Pedal Prix Program.
The Pedal Prix shed / NEHPVSAI Workshop at Modbury High has been funded and built by them. It was negotiated with the Minister of Education’s office and is covered by a Joint Use Agreement signed and sealed by the Ministers office, Modbury High School and NEHPVSAI executive members.
Some of the fundraising activities they undertake include:
- BBQs and Donut stalls at Bunnings on some weekends
- Participating in the SA Credit Union Community Raffle each year
- Undertaking chocolate fundraising sales
- Quiz nights and Bingo Nights
The group members regularly go cycling together, usually on Sunday mornings as part of their drive to improve or maintain the health and fitness of the group. They do all this work without any personal gain for themselves. I wish to publicly acknowledge and thank them for their work.
Wayne Ferguson, Technology Coordinator
Bent Spoke Award Winner – Sam Mountford.