What is Cycle Speedway?
Cycle Speedway is racing 4 laps around an oval, outdoor track on a bike with no brakes – that’s what!
It’s a sport of passion, speed and sheer guts as well as one that has roots steeped in British cycling history.
Cycle speedway is a form of bicycle racing on short, oval, outdoor dirt tracks, typically 70–90 metres long. Riders use bicycles without brakes or gears and a match involves riding four laps of the track (three laps for riders aged under 10), over several rounds, in order to win points for themselves and their teams. The Hethersett Hawks track is at the far end of Hethersett Memorial Playing Fields. The other cycle speedway tracks in Norfolk are at Eaton Park, Harford Park and Spixworth.
Hethersett Hawks was established in 1966 by Mel Perkins MBE who is still heavily involved in the club today. A video speaks a thousand words – so watch this for a taster of what belonging to our club is all about!
The sport has a very inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere. Hethersett Hawks riders enter competitions at local, regional, national and international levels. We also have teams in Division 1, 2 and Youth of the South-East & Eastern Region.
The best cycle speedway riders are explosive sprinters with great bike-handling skills, nerve and tactical awareness. Although races are short, meetings are run over successive heats, so good endurance and recovery is essential too.
Cycle speedway is raced by individuals, pairs or teams. Each race is contested by up to four riders, and a match normally consists of eight to twenty-four races. Points are awarded for placings in each race. A race day fixture might take in up to two, three or more matches. In a team event, the winning team is the one with most points at the end of the day.
The sport is managed and administered by British Cycling, the governing body for all cycle sport in the UK. All cycle speedway riders and referees are required to be members of British Cycling, and in return are covered by their comprehensive insurance policies. Hethersett Hawks Cycle Speedway Club is Clubmark accredited.
The cycle speedway season extends from spring through to autumn. Championships for various team and individual categories take place throughout the season, including indoor racing in the winter. There is racing for all age groups and a range of abilities. Our Club Nights are every Tuesday at 6.30pm, March to October and our riders age from 5-60+. New riders are welcome to come along and watch or join in. We have bikes, helmets and gloves to borrow and your first session is free. £1 a session after that!
See more information on our website and our Facebook page. If you fancy having a go at this exciting sport, come along on a Tuesday!