AUSTRALIA 2009

EARLY DETAILS ANNOUNCED - posted 8 January 2009

Australia 2009 tour director Ian Brown has sent spokesman-online the following preliminary details about teh 2009 Tour to Australia:-

The first day of racing is planned for Wednesday 11 February 2009 with the last day of racing planned for Sunday 1 March.  The trip is a little earlier than before but this is to ensure that the half term school holidays - planned for 13 to 23 February - fall within the trip to reduce the absence from school for some of the junior riders who are to be invited. We are also looking at possibly linking up with a local Australian school to provide revision lessons or structured learning via the internet etc if demand is there from the riders or their parents.

Flights are being arranged to fly out from Heathrow or Manchester on Saturday 7 or Sunday 8 February with return flights from Adelaide on either Monday 2 or Tuesday 3 March. Various packages are being put together and details will be released shortly although as guidance only expect costs to be nearer £1,000 per flight but will include the additional baggage allowance necessary to take the bike. Worldspan Travel are working hard to reduce this figure but price is not necessarily an advantage of group tickets. Similar deals on price can be obtained direct on an individual basis but they will need paying in full straight away as opposed to only a deposit with the balance 12 weeks beforehand and free additional baggage allowance may not be available either.

Car hire is also being arranged through the same hire company as last time and a medium size car is roughly A$70 a day “all in” or £30 a day.  

The holiday park will be the same although it has changed owners and is now part of a major organisation - Beston Parks whose website address is http://www.bestonparks.com.au/sa/abtp/default.aspx - they do not have the price for 2009 yet but prices can be obtained for next year from the link to give some idea of cost. 

The racing schedule is still being put together but will involve the team event over one weekend and the individuals another.  The three match GB test series is also to be fitted in but the main emphasis this time is the club championship both at junior and senior level.  The Club Championship is a real breakthrough as it opens the door for every rider to take part as the advantages of a club putting together a team for either event are:-

·         It is not just the elite who will enjoy the tour but anybody in the club is eligible and able to take part.

·         The cost of accommodation and vehicle hire is kept to a minimum as the cost is spread between the 4 or 5 riders.

·         There is far more racing for everyone than just individual qualifiers as the competition will be a league format

·         Ever club will compete on a level playing field as foreign and secondary claim riders are not eligible – so it is not just a competition for Premier League clubs. For example based on the enquiries so far Sandwell are one rider short of a senior side going and Hethersett almost have a junior side going.