Shimanos Xmas largesse goes to Scottish plan to get more kids cycling

The Shimano Cycling Concept Award was judged by Jack Oortwijn of Bike Europe, Carlton Reid of BicycleBusiness, Michael Bollschweiler of the German trade paper, Radmarkt, and Frank Peiffer of Shimano Europe.

44 applications were received from all over Europe, including UK applications from Sustrans, Jim McGurns the Company of Cyclists, and Spokesfest.

However, in the opinion of the judges, the best application was received from the Scottish Cycling Development Project, an Edinburgh-based grassroots training initiative to get more children on bikes.

"The aim is to increase cycling levels and we consider children and schools as key targets. Cycling is an activity that many children are enthusiastic about, particularly at primary school age. Yet at this lower grassroots level there are very few opportunities to receive any training or coaching" said Cathy Scott, Development Officer in the Scottish Cycling Development Project team, in her application.

Shimanos Frank Peiffer said: "We expect that this award will reinforce the acceptance of bicycles as means of transport and leisure through the coming generation

There were lots of good ideas and it was hard to select a single one out of them, therefore Shimano expect that the projects that were not awarded wont reduce the enthusiasm and encouragement to further promote cycling.

Theres likely to be another Shimano Cycling Concept Award at the end of 2001.

www.scottishcycling.co.uk