Big Air Jam Weds June 6th Parc Y Scarlets

This summer Parc y Scarlets will stage MT3's Big Air JamFreestyle Motor-X Championship.

Big Air Jam is a radical competition where you will be thrilled within an inch of your life. The combined experience of sight, sound and smells in a confined space makes for a truly multi-dimensional spectacle.

The Big Air Jam riders, or "Gladiators of the Ring", will perform breathtaking stunts enough to mesmerise even the biggest adrenaline junkie!

On Wednesday 6th June the Big Air Jam will roll into Parcy Scarlets!

Parc y Scarlets will present the UK's hottest FMX athletes in an action packed airborne battle to decide who can pull the best trick, the biggest air, the sickest whip or even the nastiest crash! Some of the finest freestyle motocross riders in Europe will be showing off their gravity defying skills featuring the UK's best freestyle riders including Chris Birch - X-fighters pilot and current British Champion; Jamie Squibb - former Big Air Jam Champion; John Pearson - first rider in the UK to pull the back flip on a motocross bike; Danny Veale, Stuart Macey, Ben Robinson and Jon Ritchie.

Not content with offering you the very best of freestyle action we'll also see the retun of the Big Stunt Wars competition at half time featuring some of the best stunt action to be had on mini bikes, trails bikes, and super bikes. Participating in the Stunt Wars will be Kye Forte - former BMX World Champion, Gary Jenkins - Welsh Trials Champion and Mark Thomas - mini-bike stunt rider, all of which will be hoping to set / break World Records on the evening.

The event, previously held at Margam Park and Silverstone, will make its debut at Parc y Scarlets this June and will see the top riders go head-to-head as we search for the best freestyle rider in the UK.

Tickets for the Big Air Jam go on sale this Saturday, 14th April, from Parc y Scarlets ticket office www.scarlets.co.uk.  Ticket Hotline 0871 871 8088

Advance ticket price: £10 adults, £5 children, U5s go free

Event day ticket price: £12 adults, £7 children, U5s go free

We also have a fantastic value for money hospitality package available at £36 per person, £12 per child and U5s free. Your package will include:

Complimentary use of the fairground rides pre hospitality doors open

Private entry for hospitality guests to the pit party to meet the riders and bikes

Exclusive goodie bag per person

2 course hot fork buffet served before the show begins

Premium ticket to view the show located in the South Stand

Pay bar facility within the lounge

Onsite parking per booking

If you'd like to get closer to the action make sure you're at the Pit Party in the Big Air Jam Village (within Parc y Scarlets' West Stand) where you can get live and breathe the sights, smells and adrenaline aswell as having special backstage access to meet some of the riders! Pit Party wristbands priced at £1 per person. Event Sponsored by Freestylextreme DC Shoes Pirelli

Youngsters get all reved up over motocross project

SINCE the Bwlch motocross project was set up, there has been a dramatic fall in the number of complaints to police about young people riding around the area, damaging land and putting themselves and others at risk.

It is 12 months of progress which was recognised by the selection of the scheme as a shortlisted finalist for the Youth Work Wales Excellence Awards 2011.The awards recognise examples of outstanding work with young people across the country.

The Bwlch scheme, devised by bike enthusiast Huw Thomas, has captured the imagination of scores of youngsters.

It provides them with a safe environment in which to learn how to ride motorbikes properly, while also gaining qualifications in motor mechanics.

Mr Thomas, a senior youth worker, said: "It's going really strong. We are delivering accreditation on a weekly basis for different groups.

"We have school-based youth workers in every secondary school in Llanelli who are bringing kids to Bwlch, and they are learning mechanics and off-road riding, as well as maintenance issues, like ensuring their bike is safe, how to change the oil and adjust the chains.

"It's such a popular activity. We are looking to see if we can secure funding to get some more motorbikes, that's my goal."

The project deals with a group of up to 14-16 young people at a time.

"Currently we are having to take them to Cardiff as there's not a track locally," said Mr Thomas.

"We do start-stop sessions outside our field here and we take them off-road riding to approved sites in Cardiff and Mountain Ash.

The youngsters who benefit from the project often have their own problems and need a positive outlet to progress as people.

Huw said: "We have a mixture of young people — some are lacking confidence, some of them are over-confident — and this brings everyone to an excellent level. Those who need to have their confidence boosted, it brings them up and everyone achieves. And those who are cocky, it brings them down and they have more respect.

"Anyone can twist a throttle and go hell for leather — it's not all about that.

"It's a skill, you have to get the approach right and the speed comes afterwards.

"Everything is done solidly. It's all about technique, not about racing."

Mr Thomas said of the youths using the scheme: "A lot of them haven't got the opportunities. Many of the young people we work with are disadvantaged and don't have the parental support they should have. They don't have the chances other youngsters have."

Champion rider Dan Evans, 20, works there when not out on the track. He spends around four days a week teaching youngsters how to ride and maintain their bikes properly.

Dan, who rides a Husqvarna 250 in competition, said: "I wish I had something like this growing up.

"Motocross is a great sport, and to be able to offer young people an alternative sport is fantastic.

"Motocross can be potentially dangerous, so it is important we can offer safe, supervised surroundings with experienced instructors.

"It's brilliant working with youngsters and teaching them. They are all interested.

"A lot of them are Neets (not in education, education or training) and on the verge of being kicked out of school.

"If they can't learn in the classroom, they learn here.

"We just see if their behaviour improves.

"Some we don't see again, and it works."

Youth worker Julian Lemon added: "Motocross is hugely popular, but we recognised there was a problem with young people riding illegally and we wanted to do something to change this.

"Riding a motocross bike is relatively easy, but riding one properly takes a lot of skill. We wanted to provide a safe environment in which young people could learn how to use their equipment effectively."