Getting into Marshalling

[keith_d]

One of my mates does some marshalling. Every year they run a couple of training sessions just before the beginning of the season for all the new marshals. Once you've done that it's usually a matter of signing up for the weekends you're going to marshal and being reliable.

Marshalling bikes it means a lot of time standing around, and occasional outbreaks of hard work dragging bikes through the gravel. The marshalls I've met are a very down to earth bunch, and not bad company when you're going to be out in all weathers.

After a bit of digging I found this. May be a good place to start.
http://www.racesafe.org/
HTH

[andrewsmith]

Cheers Chris thats the one I'm after mate

The meets I did last season (as a pit bitch) a good few of the marshall were wearing George Whites sponsored Hi vises

No worries mate.
Am considering the idea myself, but might do it in 2012, and spend next year goin to meetings and get a better feel for a track, hmm.

[andrewsmith]

I would put a shout in to the mini twins section to see if anyone needs help for next season around your area. Its a good laugh an you'll learn a bit of the craft (per se).

I helped out Berlin at East Fortune (Meliville MC) and spoke to a group of marshalls which put the idea into my head

I did it for the first time this year. Through Hottrax but I did training with the ACU, which I believe runs at least once a year but you only need the training every two years.

Absolutely loved it. Only time I got bored was at Silverstone and it was torrential rain and no crashes. You get to know riders if you follow one particular event and you get the pleasure of wearing an orange (guantanamo bay) jump suit.

[DaveW_42]

I know the North Gloucester guys are always after volunteers. I had a mate who had to give up racing and decided to get into scrutineering and marshalling. From what I remember he had to do a test and turn up!
A few of the marshalls there do some of the BSB rounds too so even giving them a bell and talking to them might be useful. Try ringing Nino on 07803 933130 or this website:
http://www.ngroadracing.org/marshals.htm

Dave

Hi!
As has been previously mentioned - I am a marshal!
I have been a marshal for Racesafe for the last 7 seasons.
I am now an Incident Officer, so am in charge of a section of track & the marshals on it.
I have marshalled at BSB, World Superbike, MotoGP and Club meetings for North Gloucester (NG) and Bemsee.
The training offered by NG and the ACU is now the same as Racesafe's after the adopted our methods over the last couple of seasons.
The chief marshals at both NG and the ACU are Incident Officers for Racesafe.
Consequently, if you do your training with Racesafe, you are definitely welcome at NG & the ACU!
The training is aone day course, run generally on 2 or 3 dates before the season starts (February usually). Once you have done your training, you need to undertake 12 days of marshalling, getting your card signed each time. You can do a maximum of 6 of these at club meetings.
The training covers flagging, first aid/patient handling, track care, bike pick up and basic incident handling and more!
It's quite extensive but not that challenging - particularly if you've been into racing and have paid attention to what's been done at all!
It can be hard work and they can be very long days but I wouldn't give it up for anything... I enjoy doing it as much as riding my bike!
I have made some very close friends over the years, all over the country - a group of us get together every year for a Xmas party and we even went on holiday together to the final round of WSB in 2009 at Portimao...

If you're interested, give it a go...

There's no commitment and you don't even have to do a particular amount of meetings each year!

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me!

[andrewsmith]

Thanks Tim

I think it'll be 2012 before i consider it can't really commit to much as the funds are lacking atm

I've just trained for Racesafe & booked myself into four BSB events for 2011!!

If anyone on here is going in for it (or thinking about it) I can definitely recommend it - the training is good, everyone is friendly and you get to put out fires - nuff said!

I'll be going billy-no-mates style to some events next year (apart from when my mate tags along - you get a free pass for every event you marshal at - or so I hear!) armed only with a crate of carling and a smile so if anyone else on here is going then give me a shout. At the moment I reckon I'll do Donington, Oulton and Thurxton........