The Colwood Crawl will have a whole new meaning when the Provincial Track Championships hit the velodrome at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre later this month.

The Aug. 18 to 20 championships will feature team sprints, team pursuits, individual sprint tournaments and points races, but one of the fan favourites is likely to be the aptly named Colwood Crawl.

Participants will be tasked with cycling as slow as possible over an undetermined amount of time. Touching the ground or the railing is cause for disqualification, as is crossing the start line. But once the time elapses, itB次元官网网址檚 a free-for-all sprint around the track.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 fun for the spectators and the riders,B次元官网网址� said Tony Winter, Greater Victoria Velodrome Association president.

Other races will take place at considerably higher speeds B次元官网网址� up to 70 km/h for some of the top sprinters B次元官网网址� and will feature some of the best track cycling talent in B.C. across a wide swath of age groups. Events begin on Aug. 18 at 5:30 p.m. and continue throughout the day on Aug. 19 and 20.

While most athletes come from the Island or the Lower Mainland, with Colwood and Burnaby having the only two velodromes in the province, Winter notes that there is usually a strong number of riders from the Okanagan as well.

While he says growth in the sport has stagnated somewhat over the past few years, Winter hopes that the opportunity to check out the provincial championships will lead to more local interest in a sport that enjoys a considerable following in his native Australia.

Track cycling is safe and offers unique challenges compared to other sports on two wheels, Winter explained.

B次元官网网址淲e ride fixed-wheeled bikes,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f you pedal forward, then the back wheel turns forward, and if you pedal backwards, the rear wheel turns backwards. So thereB次元官网网址檚 no coasting.

B次元官网网址淲hat that does is it really improves your pedalling technique.B次元官网网址�

Track bikes donB次元官网网址檛 have any brakes, and the nature of the sport helps participants get comfortable riding in tight groups at high speeds, he added.

Those interested in giving track cycling a try are encouraged to participate in regular B次元官网网址淟earn to RideB次元官网网址� sessions on Sundays throughout the month, with Aug. 20 being an exception. Bike rentals are included in the $50 fee and no previous experience is necessary.

For more information on the velodrome association and the provincial track championships, visit

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com