THE Mountain Biking community has worked tirelessly to create the Newhaven College MTB Academy and build a pump track on campus while supporting their children with events around Victoria. The College was thrilled to welcome back Newhaven alum Drew Ginn OAM to open the Mountain Bike Pump Track last Saturday at the MTB Academy’s official opening of the track and fundraising event.
Drew remains one of Australia’s most decorated Olympic athletes. Famously a formidable rower and a member of the ‘Oarsome Foursome’, Drew won three gold medals and a silver at four Olympic Games, plus five golds, a silver and two bronze from eight world championships.
Drew was born in Leongatha and raised in Inverloch. As a child he had a love of BMX, surfing and running. Drew’s first serious competitive experiences started in BMX with the opportunity to race at an international level.
The pump track opening proceedings were started by David Jobe, College Board Chair, who reflected on the huge effort in establishing the MTB Academy and building the pump track harks back to the College’s foundation roots where Newhaven College families completed working bees to establish the school.
Principal, Tony Corr, explained the virtues of Newhaven College’s independence allowing the school to respond to the College Community with projects like this, and spoke to the mental and physical benefits of keeping students active and outdoors which is what this project is achieving.
Drew was excited to be back at Newhaven College. He reflected on his time at the College and how this project reminded him of his childhood being involved in the establishment of the Inverloch BMX Track. Drew entertained the crowd with stories of his first lap on the track and the positive effects it had on creating a community that went on to have many successful competitors on the international circuit. When he is asked about the impetus behind his career, his reply is always “BMX and surfing, and the local community I started with!”
The fundraising event included pump Track Racing and other bike related side challenges, with students, parents, and friends all participating. In a field of 75 competitors the fastest student was Year 9 Ethan Tilley with the fastest junior student Austin Mitchell getting bragging rights over his friends. Other notable achievements were fastest dad, Bruce Hamley, and fastest mum Ruth Mitchell. Year 8 Hamish Dakers-Hock won longest jump, Year 7 Max Mills the longest wheelie and parents Tom Basterfield and Dayne Lewis won highest bunny hop and highest ‘stoppie’ respectively.
All funds raised will go toward the purchase of a 20-bike vertical rack MTB trailer to help take the program offsite to excursions and camps. With $3000 raised through event entry and sausage sizzle, a generous donation of $1000 from the Newhaven College Parents and Friends Association and a very generous ‘College grandparent donation’ by Peter Wright of $2000, the total funds raised for the day was $6000.
Newhaven College thanks Drew Ginn and all the parents, friends and supporters who helped make this such a special and successful event.
