The Board has become aware that a number of riders are “ bending “ the rules in terms of Bike Manawatu membership and licences around Club organised and club sanctioned events.
Many are not signed up club members. That is not fair.
We as a Board have perhaps not been diligent enough in ensuring that for riders attending certain club events ,their membership is current.
We are attempting to encourage and to be inclusive and to that end have found sponsors to help pay for organising and running these events.eg Feilding Track Nights.
That has proved to be a popular move. But it does not dissolve the need to join the Club.
The events where membership and race licences are mandatory are those with a “race” component namely the Feilding track and the Saturday road races ….and any other events you might want to race eg. WCNI, National Champs, another sister club’s races.
At Bike Manawatu we have a policy where the first three BM race events for intending or existing members are effectively ‘free trials’………but after that a “race licence” is needed if you want to race. Otherwise a club membership.
As an affiliate of BikeNZ anyone who wants to ride or race competitively at ours or another club’s events must have a race licence. That is the rule.
Please note that the licence does not apply to riders who just want to ride or who want to enter our “ other “ events such as the Sunday rides, the Wednesday time trial series , the Manfeild 6 hour, the Feilding Festival of Cycling, the La Femme or other special events including the “yet to be announced secret ride” for our more social members.
If you are not a member of the club then now is the time to register your membership through the BikeNZ portal or through our secretary Glenys.
There are numerous benefits to being a club member.
And members are vital to keeping Bike Manawatu viable and valuable so please make the effort to join….with the appropriate membership category.
Paul H van Velthooven