It was only last weekend that Bermuda Bicycle Association recognised their riders' achievements for the 2001 season at the Annual Awards Dinner. And with hardly time to catch their breath, the Island's cyclist will be back in the saddle this Sunday when the 2002 mountain bike season gets underway at Admiralty House Park in Pembroke.

The season kicks off with a clinic for all ages and abilities of riders, to be run by some of the Association's top off-road specialists. And that signals the start of a busy winter season with nine events scheduled, culminating with the National Championships in February.

This marks the third year that the Bicycle Association have staged a mountain bike series, and it has seen a substantial growth in popularity, according to one of the driving forces behind the sport, Peter Matcham.

"Mountain biking has become more and more popular, and we want to try to encourage that continued growth," he said.

"This Sunday we are holding a clinic for anyone who's interested in finding out what's involved. As well as it being a technical clinic, we will provide everyone with a booklet outlining the season's events and the courses."

Organisers have put together four courses using Admiralty House Park, Hog Bay Park, Ferry Point Park and Great Head Park.

Two of the events will also feature downhill racing in which riders race individually against the clock over a short steep downhill course that in the past has provided plenty of thrills and spills.

Sunday's clinic gets underway at 9.00 a.m.

This season's schedule:

December 2: Clinic, Admiralty House

December 9: Admiralty House Park, race one, XC.

December 16: Hog Bay, races two and three, DH and XC.

December 30: Ferry Point Park, race four, XC

January 6: Great Head Park, race five, XC

January 13: Hog Bay Park, races six and seven, DH and XC

January 27: Ferry Point Park, race eight, XC

February 3: Surprise Course, race nine, XC

February 10: Ferry Point Park, race 10, XC

National Championships, TBA.