BIKE MANAWATU QUIZ NIGHT AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS!

Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.

We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.

If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety.

Although funding external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.

Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race.

Quiz Night 2011

Team Bald Eagles surfaced as the eventual winners at the Bike Manawatu Quiz Night held in the Marist Clubrooms on 11 June. Team spokesperson, Andrew Ward, during his after match address, had indicated that the key to their success was superior understanding of general knowledge but he refuted claims they had accessed the internet through hi-tech mobile phones in order to find the answers to some of the more random and bizarre questions. “Such allegations are unfounded” he said. The team just had some very clever people in it that combined well on the night to deliver an outstanding and well deserved result.

While the results were actually much closer than many expected, the night was not about the competition, rather it developing and fostering an esprit de corps within the club said Bike Manawatu Chairperson, Paul van Velthooven. The night was highly successful and the level of attendance excellent. We are all very grateful to Glenys Taylor and her committee for putting the event together.

The highlight of the evening will be seen by many as the auction run by John van Lienen in which seven bottles of mystery wine were bid upon. The best price paid for a bottle of wine was $110 to a mystery bidder. In total $610 was raised through the auction process.

The funds raised were to support a number of riders from the club heading off to represent NZ in Hawaii (Sue McMaster and Chris Sanson) at the Ironman Age Group Championships in September and NZ junior riders (Miguel Dib, Kate Stewart, Rachel Southee, Angus and Mark Findlay) who will compete in Canberra next month.

John van Lienen auctioneering skills were just outstanding in working the crowd, said John and Joanne Stewart.

With stars in his eyes, Michael McMinn entertained the crowd with an ensemble of classics from the Eagles to Stan Walker during a break in proceedings. He has some real talent and we could be seeing more of him in the future.

Based upon the success of this year’s event, the Quiz Night could become a regular feature in the club’s entertainment calendar.

Pictures – Kirsty Kaihau

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