Tuesday 29 June 2010

Team For Ride update...


Fabien competing in the French championship in Darnetal earlier this month, he also sent us this photo of him unpacking the new toys we sent... skate bearings & t-shirts for the team!



Quentin corners at Darnetal...

We're delighted to bring you the latest news from Team For Ride, our slightly madcap French Gravity Sports champions - see our original post http://smbbearings.blogspot.com/2010/04/street-luge-team-for-ride.html for full details of their combined lunacy!

Fabien writes that the team will have at least one member competing in World Championship events in France, Italy, Austria, Germany & the Czech Republic all over the summer.. "So, just to keep you informed of what we are going to do this summer the competition calendar has been set.  Almost all of us struggle to find money (me included) to participate to all the events, so we had to make some choices...

For Thibaut it's his carreer, he's back in school, and it's impossible for him to have more vacations..."


 Thibaut competing at Darnetal...

"For Quentin it's his work as much as the money...

For Marie and Philippe, they are just separated (but everything's doing good thay are still really good friends, no trouble in the team "pfiouuu") so they had to move and that create many non scheduled expenses... and also Philippe is still on trial period at his work...

And me, I'm the lucky guy! plenty of vacation, except I'll miss Almabtrieb in Austria, cause of my sister's wedding, and I'll miss Chuyer Gold Trophy cause of my best friend's wedding. Which certainly cost me the French podium... (can't they get married in winter? lol)". 

I am sure that your sister will do her best to be more considerate in future Fabien & try to schedule any other big occasions around your competitions :0)



Marie takes a podium place at Darnetal...

Thanks for the news Team For Ride, we'll look forward to hearing all about your events as the summer progresses.

Friday 11 June 2010

Schaeffer Mclean, sponsored skater update...


Not the best of news for our pint-size skate hero Schaeffer, as you can see from the picture he has broken his arm...  still managing to look uber-cool in his cast though! 

He manages to produce some of the coolest moves without injury

 & then Murphy's law dictates that he'll break his arm on a playground slide :0).

Get well soon buddy!

*****

Wednesday 9 June 2010

F1 in Schools World Championships update...

We have just received an update on our F1 in Schools National finalists, Mach 1, based at Lutterworth College in Leicester.  F1 in Schools is a multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students aged 9 to 19 use design & engineering skills & software to collaborate, design, analyse, manufacture, test, and then race miniature gas powered balsa wood F1 cars.  As they have qualified for the World Championships in Singapore later this year there is much excitement at Mach1...


Elliot tells us more:
"As I’m sure you are very much aware, Mach1 are going to the World Championships in Singapore in September to compete in the F1 in Schools World Championships against the best young engineers in the world, after finishing 2nd place in the National Final and winning the award for the best engineered car thanks to the fantastic input we received from sponsors such as yourselves.


Recently, we have been holding meetings with our school teachers to prepare financially for the finals as we have to pay for flights, accommodation and entry fees for the competition which cover trips around Singapore whilst we are there".

The rules of the competition mean that Mach1 (like all other competitors) now have to join forces with winning teams from other nations... "We have had two Skype call meetings with our Malaysian team mates. They were team Annihilation from the Army Apprentice school in Port Jackson, Malaysia but now we have combined to make TEAM Fusion, TEAM being an anagram of The England And Malaysia Fusion.


We have discussed team jobs as well. It’s a maximum of six members per team so Alex is still going to be coming to Singapore but just not in the official team, he will still wear team uniform etc. The Malaysian team are also doing this with one of their team mates. Jonny is the new team manage, Ricky is the new Business Manager and I am the new design manager. They have the Manufacturing manager, resources manager and the other job that they have slips my mind at this time! Me and their manufacturing manager will work closely during design and manufacture because that way I will always be working productively during every production process of the car. So he will help with the design, we will manufacture some parts on our 3D printer and ship them to Malaysia and so on.


Fundraising is going reasonably well. We had a non school uniform day and raised £1200 at that and we have raised about £1500 so far which is quite good considering we are currently undertaking our GCSEs but it is still well short of our target. The team predict the target to be at £7000 and that includes £2000 of car development and manufacture money but we aren’t manufacturing the majority of the car so we aim to have the money to do something very impressive with the parts of the car we will manufacture like carbon fibre parts and things along them lines. However our teachers are predicting £13000 which we disagree with but we will try and raise as much money as possible in hope of being able to afford the Singapore trip. Team Exceleration’s school have disallowed the team from travelling to Singapore due to cost so we don’t want this to happen to us. We have quiz nights at schools and other fundraising activities at companies planned and if we meet our targets for each event we will have enough money to travel.

With regards to bearings we will have to discuss with our Malaysian team mates who will supply the bearings and I would love for you to be our main suppliers again, so I will try and get that at the next meeting on the 19th of June . "

Good luck in your forthcoming exams to all at Mach1, sorry, TEAM Fusion!  We'll have everything crossed for you.  We look forward to helping in whatever way we can to your future success in Singapore this autumn. 

Our best wishes go out to all TEAM Fusion members, can't wait for your next update!
*****

Friday 4 June 2010

Sir Steve Redgrave takes on the "World's toughest bike race"

Training to take on world's toughest bike race - Sir Steve Redgrave & his "Crew"...

It’s 10 years since Steve Redgrave became the most successful ever British Olympian, winning his 5th Gold Medal. In that decade he has continued to inspire millions while raising over £5 million for charity.
Sir Steve's latest challenge is regarded as the toughest endurance race in the world.   Starting on 9th June, Race Across America is a 3,000 mile cycle race crossing from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland.


Joined by a team of former rowers & friends, the crew of 8 will be riding across 14 States, climb 100,000ft and encounter every extreme of weather.  The Race Across America is one of the most respected and longest running annual endurance events holding legendary stature the world over. It is one of the pinnacles of sporting accomplishment, globally seen as the highest rung of the endurance sports ladder.  

Unlike other famous bike races, RAAM is not a stage race, just one long stage live to the very end. Teams typically cross the country in 6 to 9 days, averaging 350 to over 500 miles per day. Solo racers finish in 9 to 12 days, averaging 250 to 350 miles per day. Teams have a relay format and race 24 hours a day.  The Sir Steve Redgrave Crew aim to finish in under 9 days and to win their age category.  Just to prove how tought they are, RAAM competitiors face a race 30% longer than the Tour de France and solo racers usually finish in half the time with no rest days.

The Redgrave Crew aim to raise £100,000 - £1 for every foot climbed - for the Steve Redgrave Fund and Sport Relief. The Steve Redgrave Fund uses the power of sport and sporting activity to bring about positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children.


You can follow the "Redgrave Crew" & Sir Steve's progress (& also make a donation) at http://www.redgravecrew.com/




Good luck to all in the Redgrave Crew!