The Biker Place

We flew out on Wednesday so that Row would have a day to chill before Friday’s first foray on track. Thursday was spent in Estoril town having a look around.

Friday

Signing on started at 08:00 so it was up early and out to the track. Signing on and briefing was completed, the group lists were put up, some 32 riders were there from all over Europe plus Australia and Malaysia. Row had been put into Group F which contained the four brits Ewan Gray, Taylor Makenzie, Fraser Rogers and Row, plus two Swedish guys, group F would be last out on track so we had a fair bit of time to kill, obviously we teamed up a little as we had all met over the course of the season and of course the first selection event at Adria.

Finally the time came around for Row to go to the riders box and technical area (no parents allowed), it had rained the previous night so during the morning the track had dried slowly, some 5 riders had already been off during the morning so the track was obviously tricky even with all of the bikes fitted with wet tyres, but now the track was virtually dry, bike still on wets though. Row went out and did his thing gradually getting quicker as the 15 mins ticked down. The session ended and I made my way back to the pits. 10 mins later Row comes out of the technical area “no probs Dad, awesome track well fast, I didn’t push that hard a bit more to come yet” so then we go and get some lunch and settle down to wait for Row’s second session of the day.

Rowan Miller in action

It gets to 17:00 before Row manages to get out again the track is cold so fast lap time’s probably aren’t on, but no one told Row that!, Row leaves the pits, last one out, he then proceeds to ride past everyone else including Fraser Rogers and Taylor Makenzie! (although Fraser said that the front end was all over the shop on his bike) easily the fastest out there and despite a few slides looks nice and smooth. The time runs down and they bring the boys back in “that’s a bit better Dad,” I just slap him on the back top kid! we then make our way to the meeting room where they said they would announce those who they wanted back on the Saturday, I am a little surprised when they say that due to the difficult conditions they would like to invite them all back for the next day…..

Saturday

So over to the track again, they have switched the groups around and have put Row in group B so he will be second out today. First session comes around quickly and Row goes out and does his stuff, there was not much in any of the boys during this session lap times must have been quite close. They seem to take a long time coming out of the briefing area; then Row appears “had to tell them what nickname I wanted on the bike and stuff if I get through Dad, I wasn’t really on it then just wanted to warm up a bit and try some different lines and stuff”. Once again we chill out for a bit and get some lunch, then he’s back out again.

I am watching him and happen to say “there’s something wrong with that bike” Row is sliding all over the place, then he comes out of the left hander onto the back straight and the bike spits him into the air! Row hangs onto it (How I don’t know!) and brings the bike into the pits, a few minute’s go by then he comes back out of the pits. Two laps later he goes back into the pits, then he comes back out and gets an out lap then an in lap. I run down to the pits but no Row, Fraser comes out and says that because Row had two problem bikes they are letting him out for a few mins at the end of the next session, I wait around whilst the next session goes out, then true to their word they let Row out again with 10mins to go, Row takes a couple of laps and is in a big gap no one catching him and too larger gap for him to catch anyone else.

The session ends and Row comes back in, once again it takes an age for him to appear out of the garage “had to get measured up for the leathers Dad, The first bike had fuel or water coming out the bottom of the fairing, the second one was cold, it wouldn’t get above 50deg so I though I’d better bring it in I didn’t want it to cold seize, I couldn’t really get into a good groove for that last bit”
We hang around for a bit and are a bit worried about making it to the airport in time to catch our flight back, they tell us that the announcement will be made at 16:30, our last check in is at 18:20 so as long as we leave by 17:00 we should be O.K, we wait in the room, 16:45 and no announcement, they are still in a locked room, we hang on until 16:55 then we have to make a dash for it. We rush to the airport and are queuing for check in when Niall Makenzie says to me that he has just had a txt from Peter; Taylor is in, I phone Michaela she says that unfortunately Rowan has not made it…….

Row was disappointed he thought he had done enough then he says to me “can I have another go next year dad”

Of course he can…………

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