TIMBER chairman and British Cycling Eastern Region Board MTB Representative Graham Elliott has been busy training the next generation of "Mountain" bikers from the eastern region. Here's his report shamelessly borrowed from the MSG forum...

For more info see here: http://www.ukschoolgames.com/home.php

So what’s this got to do with MSG? Well from the outset the objective with MSG has been multifaceted, but giving youth talent an opportunity was very definitely part of the deal. Ambitious riders might also like to consider that selection for regional and national teams are based on British Cycling membership and participation in BC sanctioned events - like MSG for instance!

All of the boys team have come into the sport via MSG. Imogen Buick captain of the girls has also graced the series. Hopefully we will also soon be seeing one Ellie Bushell appearing in the challenger category as a potential star of the future. So that’s ¾’s of the Eastern team benefiting from MSG. How cool is that???.

Anyway the team are now back from the games tired, battered, but definitely not beaten.

The story is very much split into differing male and female experiences. With that in mind in real terms our girls were 5th overall, and were just shaded out of two podium places individually. Not bad for somewhere so vertically challenged. And the boys? Well they weren’t last, and they certainly didn’t disgrace themselves. Given that not one of them has more than 2 years racing experience, and most of them no more than a year, that fact is extremely creditable. Overall we came 9th out of 14 regions.

However, that is not the full story. From the outset the overall purpose of the games is to give talented athletes a learning experience. So over this weekend I am proud to report that I have overseen a group of youngsters which have developed exponentially not just as athletes, but as people. If for that reason alone it has been a major success.