2 minute read
Balancing act
THERE was a lot of energy and wheely good fun on Friday at Hastings Primary School, which hosted the Hubert Opperman Bicycle Education competition.
The event, which involved students from four schools from the surrounding area, was coordinated by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Road Safe South East.
A bicycle skills competition, the event is aimed at grades five and six students and encourages them to show their bicycle skills and compete against other schools in a friendly environment.
The council’s bike ed coordinator Claire Davey said she was working on rebuilding the bike education programs after the pandemic.
“It’s such a fun program, but COVID put a dent in it so we are talking to schools and building it up again,” she said.
On Friday at Hastings, students completed a range of challenges, with the education focus on safe riding behaviours, road rules and riding in a shared environment.
The Sir Hubert Opperman Bicycle Education Competition has been run on the peninsula for more than 20 years. Events are held in Rosebud, Mornington and Hastings and are open to primary schools from across the peninsula.
Opperman is recognised as being one of Australia’s greatest sports stars.
Davey said the event was supported by volunteer organisations, including sailors from HMAS Cerberus who judged the events, Hastings Rotary Club which ran the sausage sizzle and Westernport Bicycle Centre, which provided a maintenance workshop activity.
