Quick Guide To Track Sprint Training and Racing at Herne hill velodrome 2023
We’ve got an exciting season of sprint racing and training planned for 2023. So whether you’re an experienced track sprinter, have ridden the track a lot and want to try something different or are newer to track cycling, there are lots of opportunities. If you think you might enjoy shorter, faster and more intense races and training, or be better suited to that than a long endurance slog come and give it a go. Read on to find out more, or click the links to skip to the most relevant sections for you
Introduction to Track Sprint Course
For the last 3 Saturdays in April we are running a series of sessions to introduce newer riders to track sprinting. We’ll cover the 3 main races included in the track sprinting discipline: Match Sprints, Keirins, Team Sprints. We’ll also introduce riders to how to train for sprint races, explore some of the fundamental skills and qualities to enjoy sprint racing and training and get inspiration and insight from experienced track sprinters and coaches about why the discipline is so exciting and different. You’ll also learn how to apply different tactics and techniques to help you win more races.
Track Sprinting might be the one for you if:
You attend our regular track skills, intermediate training or other races and find you can finish strongly at the end of exercises and can accelerate well, but sometimes struggle to get through the entire block
You have some background in other sports where speed, strength, power are important. Even if you haven’t done them for many years (since you were at school) most team sports such as rugby, football or basketball are likely to have given you some of the physicality to be a good sprinter. Or sports such as marshal arts or gymnastics can give you the reflexes, body control, co-ordination and explosive power to do well in the discipline
You enjoy being able to measure and track your improvement. Lots of the factors that make riders successful at sprinting are easy to measure and track, it’s rewarding to see improvements in your flying 200m time or your standing starts
The sessions are open to anyone who’s completed their training accreditation at Herne Hill Velodrome, or has accreditation from any other UK velodrome.
Use the buttons below enter all 3 sessions at once or if you can’t make all 3 you can book individual sessions. The sessions would normally cost £10 each but, thanks to support from track sprinter and cycling coach Matt Jackson, any rider who’s never taken part in a sprint competition before and attends all 3 sessions will get £20 refunded back to them!
If you can’t make it to these sessions but want to have a go at sprinting then you can come along to any of our regular sprint training sessions - new riders are always welcome.
HHV Sprint Training
Back for 2023 we’ll be running our regular sprint training sessions most Saturday afternoons from 3-5pm. These are open to any riders with a Herne Hill Velodrome Training Accreditation or any previous sprint racing experience.
The sessions have been planned around the local and national racing calendar, to help riders develop and train for their goals. The coaches will suggest different training activities and drills each week, though if riders have their own specific training efforts planned we can facilitate those within the sessions. Some weeks we will have access to the start gate and focus on start technique and timing. We will also occasionally use a derny or pacing motorbike to help with your speed and acceleration. There are notes on the RiderHQ pages for each week with information on the planned content.
Sprint Racing Opportunities
HHV Sprint League
6th May, Track Nation Open
3rd June, Twickenham CC Open
1st July, Open Season
5th August, Kingston Wheelers Open
2nd September, Dulwich Paragon Open
Other Sprint Events
25th June, Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome Senior Team Champs
9th July, Brixton CC Super Madison
20-21st July, South London GP UCI Cl.2
Our monthly Sprint League offers riders newer to sprinting a low pressure, supportive environment to try out match sprint racing for the first time - racing will take place either as part of the Open events or shortly after. For more experienced riders its a chance to hone your skills and form ahead of bigger goals. Each round will include a match sprint competition where every riders gets a qualifying flying 200m time trial, followed by at least 2 sprint matches against riders of a similar speed.
The Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome Team Champs sees teams of 4 riders compete across a range of different events to compete for the overall prize. For the sprint focused riders in the team there is a Match Sprint (Qualifying plus 2 rounds) and a Keirin (qualifying heats and a final or minor final). Team up with some more endurance focussed friends and give it a try. Club teams will be given preference, but composite teams will be accepted if the event isn’t full.
Brixton Cycles Club’s long running Supermadison event offers a match sprint competition and keirin for both men and women. The sprint racing at the event is part of British Cycling’s National Sprinters’ League and is one of the countries most prestigious sprint events.
New for 2023 we are promoting the South London GP as a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the 1948 Olympic Games being held at the velodrome. As part of the build up to the World Track Championships in Glasgow in August we’re hoping to attract some of the world’s best sprinters. This will be a UCI class 2 registered event, with qualifying points available towards the Paris 2024 Olympics. There are match sprints and keirins for junior and elite men and women. A great chance for some of London’s best amateurs to test themselves against international riders on home turf.
For more information on the events mentioned above and links to enter please check out our race calendar page.
