KING’S Lynn enjoyed their first pre-season training camp under the guidance of Team GB coaches.

The first of three planned sessions confirmed that the riders are fit athletes by all have work to do to be ready for racing in April.

But with phase one of the culture change programme set to take the riders from seven individuals to a well-functioning group of riders, the session proved a crucial starting point.

The first 90 minutes of the day was allocated to health assessments including understanding any past injuries before a group presentation based around hydration, nutrition and general well-being that was tailored to ensure personal maximum performance during a racing event.

The riders then transferred to Heros Fitness in King’s Lynn for the start of the physical fitness assessment. Training commenced with heart rates being raised to near racing pace before the individual performance readings began.

Agility and balance also play a significant role in the training programmes.

Meanwhile, the first part of the King’s Lynn Stars 2018 Sports Science strategy is now up and running. The previously announced link with the UEA Master’s Degree course in Physiotherapy will see the UEA working closely with the Stars Coaching team, the riders and the Stars Management Team. The desired outcome is to develop the scientific underpinning of management of elite UK speedway riders.

Keith Chapman – Promoter of King’s Lynn Speedway and Chairman of the BSPA - “I am delighted that these new and very professionally delivered initiatives are already influencing our pre-season training and I can see how they should give our team improved on-track performance. I would like to thank Heros Fitness in Kings Lynn for their support with our training camps.”

Dale Allitt – Co-Promoter of King’s Lynn Speedway – “I am delighted with where the rider’s personal performance is sitting at this time of the winter. The riders have a gruelling racing season and a colossal travel schedule and so the awareness around general well-being that has already been achieved will, I am sure, pay dividends when the season gets started in April.”

Robin Brundle – Co-Promoter of King’s Lynn Speedway – “Speedway riders are generally incentivised as individuals so every Club has the challenge of melding their riders into a team. Training Camp 1 has seen the start of that journey for us and I do believe that Training Camp 2 at the beginning of March will really accelerate that process. As a management team, we are looking forward to seeing which riders have worked the hardest to close their personal performance gaps between training camps.”