To share some delicious Italian fare in a bid to support the Australian Footbike Team on their trip to compete in the World Championships this year in Italy.

And their support wasn’t the only thing they ‘bid’ on…

Close to $5000 was raised with raffles and a frenzy of bidding during an auction on a range of items that included a helicopter flight for 3 people, training sessions with the Absolutely Flabless Team, Tuskc Jewellery and a laptop computer.

Special thanks to Justin Nickerson the Auctioneer, whose good humour and endless energy kept diners entertained. Justin took everything in his stride with hilarious moments that included a gentleman who kept ‘out bidding’ himself on a number of occassions and a baby who diners swear called a bid during the last moments on a high ticket item. It should be noted that this notorious bidding baby was quickly pacified by Dad offering a dummy (‘pacifier’ for our international readers).

There was much laughter, clinking of wine glasses, murmurs of food appreciation, and of course cheering over the highlight of the evening…

The Australian Footbike Team showcased the uniforms they will wear in the 2010 World Scooter Championships in Italy in August.

Team members, Alan Stewart, Sharon Simmons and Ali Hassan were resplendant in their uniforms featuring the traditional colours of Australia – green and gold and sporting the Australian flags on their sleeves. Present also were the logos of the team sponsors, Budgie 1 – Helicopters for Kidz, Ride Oz, Kickbike Australia and Dante’s Pizzaria.

Diners chuckled and many glasses were raised as Alan, Sharon and Ali did the model walk and wiggled their backsides.

The Australian Footbike Team 2010 - Deb Stewart, Kerrie Lathopolous, Sharon Simmons, Alan Stewart, Ali Hassan, Lyn Armstrong and Bruce Cook enjoying the night at Sonomas

A fantastic evening was had by all and the night was wound up with Sonomas famous Gelato.

Thanks to all who attended and the organisers, Sharon Simmons, Kerrie Lathopolous, Bruce Cook and Jo Hassan. Thank you to the sponsors and local businesses who donated products for the auction – without your support the auction who not have been such a success. Also special thanks to Sonomas of Sandgate for their support, great service and delicious food!

“What’s a 60’s evening?”

The best fun, music and dance experience the members of the Australian Footbike Team have experienced in ages!

The night was filled with people from all walks of life and ages who came along to help raise funds to send the Australian Footbike Team to the World Champs in Italy. They also came along to sing and dance to 60’s songs fantastically presented by Robbie McGowan, or as he’s better known ‘That 60’s Guy’. Robbie played his guitar and sang, song after song, classic tunes from the 60’s including ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ through to ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head’ and ‘House of the Rising Sun’.

The floor vibrated with feet extolling their enjoyment with the entertainment. Robbie’s great voice and welcoming warmth was perfectly balanced with his wicked sense of humour that had us grinning and shouting encouragement throughout the night.

And what impressed many of us was that we knew the songs even though we were never around in the 60’s (as one woman well in her 70’s tried to convince me during the evening). Her reasoning for knowing the lyrics was that a classic survives well through the ages!

Huge thanks to Jo, Hass and Ali for organising the night, and The Pet Resort for gift vouchers, Red Day Coaching for the wine and chocolate package, That 60’s Guy for tickets to future shows, Kickbike Australia for the Wine, Jem Glass for their generous donations, and Kerrie Lathopolous for her amazing Kickbike Cake (check out the photo). And special thanks to all of the people who attended the night!

Not only did the evening present people with wonderful entertainment, delicious food, and fine comany, it gave the Australian Footbike Team the opportunity to interact together in a non-sporting environment, building an even stronger team for Italy.

Meet the Australian Footbike Team - Ready for Italy 2010

Deago duo, Kerrie Lathopolous and Sharon Simmons are set to tackle a sport little known in Australia, but widely known in Europe, at the 2010 Footbike World Championships in Italy.

Footbikes (’scooters’) have been a mode of transport and recreation for years, but the style ‘Kickbike’ which Kerrie and Sharon are riding was created in Finland in 1994. Footbiking is now contested as a sport worldwide under the International Kicksled and Scooter Association (IKSA).

Ms Simmons – who holds the Australian record for the 200m sprint, 1km sprint, 2km, 5km and 10km time trials – first started riding two years ago.

Fellow personal trainer, Kerrie Lathopolous followed six months later.

Ms Lathopolous said the footbike was not taxing on the body, but admitted it could be hard work.

“You can burn more calories on a footbike than cycling,” she said. “It’s a lot easier on the body than running though, and great for people with knee problems.”

The Brighton Absolutely Flabless trainers will be among seven Queenslanders to contest the Footbike World Championships from August 5 – 7.

The duo will contest a range of categories at the championships including the 400m sprint, 15km, 36km and relay.

To help with travel expenses and purchase of race bikes through sponsorship please phone 07 3269 3428.

Alan Stewart, Kickbike in hand and dressed in Skins – the brand of the specialists in compression garments – wore long sleeves in the hope of saving his arms from the punishing Australian sun that would soon rise.

Adam Connelly – not only a great bloke, good cyclist and an exceptionally talented musician, with torch in hand did a once over of the track to check for glass and discarded bottles from any party-goers the night before.

After some fiddling with Alan’s front carbon wheel, brake adjusting and slapping of blood-thirsty mosquitos, Alan set off on his 12 hour adventure – looping over 168 turns of the 1.44km track.

Due to heavy rain and flooding the day before, the cycle track featured large puddles of water and mud which eventually gave Alan’s white Skins top the ‘camoflage’ look.

As day broke the mozzie population retired – much to the relief of the Australian Footbike Association Officials who were present to regulate and witness the event.

Food intake for Alan during the morning hours consisted of figs and water. Then moved on to more substantial nutrition in the way of Cadel Evan’s Long Distance Bars, bananas, Powerade, a tomato sandwich on multigrain bread, and lots and lots of water.

Just after lunch the wind picked up cruelly, dropping Alan’s average and throwing Jacaranda leaves all over the place – mostly into the areas where you don’t need them – the eyes and mouth!

Alan was encouraged throughout the day by cyclists from the Balmoral Cycle Club, including Adam Connelly, Mark Van Horssen of Redlands Kitchens, Tamara Harrison of the Balmoral Women’s Cycling Team, Kevin Menz from Park Bikes, Peter Dick from the much sought-after Dolan Bikes, Bruce Cook from Kickbike Australia, Brad Cassidy and Michael Keogh from Queensland Rail, old-time footbiker Graham Jenner (who took much delight in splashing water over everyone when they came near him on his Hybrid Bicycle), Pam Jenner, Deb Stewart, Lyn Armstrong (official glasses cleaner!), Bob and Rosslyn Nipperess (Rosslyn, thank you for massaging Alan’s calves during his short break), Barry and Christine Walden from BinCare Australia, James Thompson, and all of the members of the public who stopped to watch and cheer. Your support and encouragement were much appreciated – and helped to stop Alan going stir-crazy after over 168 loops of the cycle track.

Alan set the following new Australian records:

Century (100km) – 4hrs 9mins (previous record 4hrs 15mins)
Imperial Century (160.9km) – 7hrs 15mins 19secs (previous record 7hrs 58mins 4secs)
Double Century (200km) – 9hrs 28mins
10 hour Record – 210km
12 hour Record – 241.33km (previous record 210km)
Longest distance of an Australian Footbiker in a day – 241.33km (previous record 210km)

Alan says he took his inspiration to try the 12 hour odyssey from Kickbike legends Alpo Kuusisto and Mario Reijne’s 24hour rides. Alan has a new-found respect for their mental and physical stamina, and is awe-struck that they were able to maintain such fast paces over a full 24 hours.

A shower of rain greeted the start, leaving puddles on the track, and a stiff breeze kept the day cool for riders. Despite these conditions records still fell.

Due to course restraints and in anticipation of the World Championships in August this year, a 400m sprint was chosen over the regular 1km time trial. Records for the 10km race were broken by reigning champions in the men and women’s divisions – Alan Stewart bettered his time by 37 seconds and Sharon Simmons improved her performance by 24. And young Ali Hassan blasted his previous 5km record by almost 2 minutes.

The day’s results:

Female 400m sprint – Open
Sharon Simmons – 53.48secs
Karen Toll – 1min 09.43secs

Female 400m Sprint – Vet
Lyn Armstrong – 1min 03.72secs

Male 400m Sprint – Cadet
Ali Hassan – 1min 02.97secs

Male 400m Sprint – Open
Alan Stewart – 47.07secs (also 1st place in Vet Division)
Bruce Cook – 52.66secs

Male 5km – Cadet
Ali Hassan – 14min 0.63secs

Female 10km – Open
Sharon Simmons – 25min 35.36secs
Karen Toll – 33min 56.14secs

Male 10km – Open
Alan Stewart – 22min 54.14secs (also 1st place in Vet Division)
Bruce Cook – 24min 51.97secs

Thanks to family and friends for their support on the day.

Where:
Criterion Bike track
Murarrie Recreational Reserve
Wynnum Road
Murarrie
(500 metres up from Cannon Hill Shopping plaza on opposite side of road towards Gateway Motorway)

When:
Sunday 21st February 2010

Cost:
Early Bird Entry Fee:
$20 per non-members
Australian Footbike Association members $10 (not a member? Please visit the Members Page).
Late Entry: $5 extra if registering on the Day

Registration:
On the day from 6am till 6.30am (No registrations accepted after 6.30am)
Pre-register with bruce@kickbike.com.au by Friday 19th February 2010. Download your AFA Registration Form.

Racing:
Commences at 7am

Competitors Briefing:
6.30am – all entrants must attend.

Warm-up:
The Bike track is available for warm-up after briefing.

* Actual race times will be dependant on registration numbers, so pre-registration will help to determine these. Download your AFA Registration Form.

* Prize giving commences 20 minutes after the last race – planned to finish 11am latest.

* Some rules have changed, please refresh yourself by checking them out.

* Kickbikes and Helmets available for hire at $10 each.

* Bring your own food and refreshments (sorry no Alcohol), and enjoy the day.

* Open Category racing is available for all ages, and the fastest male and female will be deemed the winner of the open category as well as the category they first entered.