by Vaughan Hunt | May 22, 2018 | Event Reports
Adam started off the day riding the first 3hours whilst I competed at the manawatu triathlon club champs. The pace was high from the start as it always is, but he managed to gain a lap with Madi and Max and it was still that way when I arrived before 12pm for the second 3hrs that I would be riding. It looked to be one large bunch with all the main contenders riding together with our team and Madi a lap ahead of a couple of teams and a few solo riders.
When I went out I wasn’t sure how I would be feeling as I had raced the tri earlier in the morning so had no intention of going for a lap solo. However, I felt pretty good in the first few laps and somehow I managed to get at gap so I just decided to keep going by myself. I wouldn’t say that I snuck a lap, I just knew the solo riders would be struggling as they had already ridden 3hrs. Took the lap within the first hour and also managed to get the fastest lap too so that was nice bonus.
Big thanks to Bike Manawatu, the sponsors and all the volunteers that helped put on such an awesome event, it wouldn’t be possible without you. It’s great to see such a unique event in the manawatu that brings together cyclists of all ages and abilities.
Adam and I are currently training towards the Triathlon World Championships held on the Gold Coast in September.
by Vaughan Hunt | May 18, 2018 | Board Chair's Blog
You’ve seen it advertised and now it’s just around the corner…Sunday 20th of May.
The 6 Hour has eclipsed 10 years of running and is one of the highlights of the Bike Manawatu calendar. Riders from as far a field as Auckland are travelling to Feilding to take part in to what is for many people their first opportunity to ride a long distance as a bunch ride.At the WCNI road race series last Sunday it was humbling to hear all the riders that had registered and excited about competing in this classic event.
One of the great aspects of the 6 hour is the numerous different facets that is undertaken on the day. From the Male and Female solo divisions to the workplace and “social” team divisions. Some in each category very competitive, others just the achievement of completing the 6 hour challenge.
Without doubt the largest group would be from PNINS. 8 teams of kids and 4 teams of parents…what an outstanding turnout. Many of the year 7 and 8 kids are very green to cycling but in the last few month under the guidance of Tane Humphrey, Steph Harris and their team of parents all the riders are improving out of sight. It will be a tough day for some so when you see them slugging it out, please give them all the encouragement they deserve.
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by Vaughan Hunt | May 11, 2018 | Event Reports
From the Taranaki Daily News:
Colin Anderson fought back the tears as he crossed the finish line in the Taranaki Round the Mountain Classic cycling race. The 70-year-old veteran cyclist made a death bed promise last year to win the 120km Cycling New Plymouth event for his mate Mick Mobberley, who claimed victory in 1957.
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by Vaughan Hunt | May 11, 2018 | Board Chair's Blog
Get those entries in for the annual Bike Manawatu 6 hour to be held at Manfeild next Sunday 20th May.
For many year Mike and Christine Christie have run this event and they have left us with a great foundation to carry on with. We owe them a great amount of gratitude for all they have done for Bike Manawatu.
This is a truly great event that can be approached on many different levels. There are trophies for Solo Men and a new Trophy for Solo Woman with entries at this stage numbering 20 and 7 respectively.
The Jocelyn Goodwin Memorial Trophy is one that is close to a lot of Bike Manawatu members hearts that is awarded to first female team across the line. Other trophies for fastest lap and First team across the line are always fiercely competed for.
One of the high lights though is the amount of families that join in as a family unit just to give it a go, also the dozens of school teams from Year 7 upwards that have come together through the Bike Manawatu School Cycling programme and give road cycling a crack under the very safe and controlled conditions that Manfeild provides. The team work and encouragement that this event nurtures rapidly improves the youths confidence in Road Cycling and they leave the event a better rider than when they arrived that morning.
The organising group need some volunteers to help out during the day and any one with a spare hour or so would be welcome. Our big shout out is for timing.. Bike Manawatu has it’s own timing system that we aim to have up and running at most road events from now on. The problem is personal to run the system. This year Gavin from Trident Wheeltime in the Hawkes bay is running the timing for us on the day, Gavin is available to run through the timing system with anyone who sees themselves as having the passion for cycling, maybe not to race though, who would like to become part of a network of members to run our Timing System. We have a Van that is set up for a base at events, all we need is a group of people to have a Roster to do events. I’ve been told it’s straight forward.
We also require people to pass the Timing tags from Rider to Rider at change over and we have a BBQ that we will be having a sausage sizzle on.. Anyone that can help please contact Tim Lloyd on 0274 964411 or octaneautomotive@xtra.co.nz.
Cycling NP Mountain Classic
Cycling New Plymouth held the famous Round the Mountain Classic last weekend which is one of the longest standing races held in the country dating back to 1911.
Held as a Handicap event with riders starting at different start times it comes down to who crosses the line first 120kms later. Bike Manawatu was well represented in the 57 who started the event with our own Local Legend Colin Anderson coming home 2ndwith an average speed of 32.4 kph.
I talked about the word Passion last week and how it gets thrown around a lot, but no other word but “legend” describes Colin, at 70 years young he’s unreal . Toshi Yamauchi was 4th and Phil Devlin 5th. The handicapper were a bit mean on Glen Kirk who started over half and hour after his club mates and fell short even with an average of just under 40kph..great effort Glen.
Let Us Know…
With so many great cycling events going round all over the countryside and beyond it’s difficult to keep tabs on all your achievements.
If you do a solo expedition or meet up with other BM members at a race out of town please email secretary@bikemanawatu.co.nz with your results so we can let others know.
We aren’t mind readers, and want to give accurate results, good and not so, so our other members can celebrate, commiserate and “pump your tyres up” if needed.
Bike Manawatu Schools Cycling.
Last Sunday May 6th was the first race of the year for BM Schools held on the Akers Road loop. A-D grades turned up on a dry but increasingly windy morning based at Linton Country School. With the A grades averaging 39.7 kph we should be in for some great racing with our Youth Development side of Bike Manawatu. Thanks to the adult riders that rode with the lower grades offering advice and support. It truly is inspiring to see the fast and vast improvement in all of our school cyclists.
Once the 6 hour is out of the way BM Schools Racing will be open to BM Members to race as well, Dates and events will be out in a few weeks.
WCNI.
A couple of events coming up. This Sunday is the latest round of the WCNI Road champs. After our awesome turn out at Halcombe , Bike Manawatu is leading the championship..How good is that.!!!!
Details are on a link further down the page.
Next Month June 10th Levin Cycling is hosting the Individual Time Trial Champs at Ohau Hall, Muhunoa West Road. More details to come but any info email nickspark@xtra.co.nz or lisaandrichard@slingshot.co.nz
That Old Chestnut.Riding Etiquette
We love getting mail at Bike Manawatu, even the ones that “may” have nothing to do with us.
We do field a few emails commenting on groups of riders riding 3 abreast or even more. Some supply photos, which is even more alarming when you can see that the photo was taken by the person driving the car.
Not wanting to open a Hornets nest on this but our plea is always the same. Never forget that we the cyclist will come off worse when we come into contact with a car, everyone look around in the group that you are in and if the formation is too wide say something.
Take it on yourself if the margin is too narrow to say and signal “single file”. We don’t get a lot of mail with how great the Hundreds of Cyclists ride daily around our areas roads, we only hear about the few that are maybe a bit careless.
Please ride safe and consider everyone around you.
Done for another week
Ride Safe
Tim
