by Glenys Taylor | Mar 6, 2014 | Archive(News)
I will be visiting NZ in a week’s time and have registered to ride the Manawatu Cycle Classic on 22nd March. I contacted the organisers quite some time ago to enquire whether they would be able to source a bike for me. So far no luck. I have been in touch with several of the bike shops to enquire about a hire, but all to no avail.
Do any of your members have a bike that they would be willing to lend or hire to me for the day? I am a member of Bicycle NSW and ride a mid-size framed bike (Avanti Monza), and the crossbar to ground measurement is approx. 750mm. I am about 166 cms tall. I can bring my own pedals.
by Glenys Taylor | Mar 6, 2014 | Archive(News)
Following the earlier posting on our website Masters Age cyclists are now invited to enter the 4 event programme for Masters Age Groups over March and April 2014. These events are open to all Club members, female and male compete separately, the results of those 35 years of age and over will count towards the Masters Grade and Overall Championships, results outside Masters ages will not count toward any awards. No upper age limit applies and no experience in racing is necessary.
The programme for the 4 x events over 3 separate days follows (this info is also in the Club website calendar):
- Sunday 23rd March 2014, 9.00 AM, venue Feilding Velodrome, Track Events – Sprint, 200 metres and Individual Pursuit, 2000 metres (5 x laps).
- Sunday 6th April 2014, 9.00 AM, venue start in Salisbury Street, Ashhurst and finish at top of the Saddle Road – Hill Climb, 6 km..
- Saturday 29th March 2014,9.00am venue Rongotea – Individual Time Trial, 20 km to be held as part of Saturday club racing.
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by Glenys Taylor | Mar 5, 2014 | Archive(News)
The final event was held on Sunday 2nd March and consisted of a treasure hunt with a difference. It just happened to be International Childrens Day so what better way to celebrate the final of 33 days than to create an event that enabled kids to be out with their families.
Registration for the event was at the Childrens playground at the Esplanade. Participants were given a treasure map (until the maps ran out) and instructed to go to each of the “X”’s marked on the map to complete a task before returning to see if they could collect some treasure. The first X was where they had to ride in a straight line along a fire hose and then over a seesaw. This showed control and balance. Then they were off to the next of the X’s – tasks. Greg Baker was in charge of the X just next to the Fitzherbert Bridge. Here participants needed to ride to a point collect a drink bottle, then ride to another point and fill the drink bottle, then ride to the point where they could empty the contents of the drink bottle in to a cup and have a drink and then ride to the finish point to return the drink bottle. On such a warm day I am sure that they all appreciated their drink.
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by Glenys Taylor | Mar 5, 2014 | Archive(News)
The instructions for renewing your membership have been updated.
All memberships need to be renewed according to the Constitution by 31st March.
Click here to be taken to the page about renewing your membership.
Or post a cheque with a note detailing any changes, eg address, email, phone no.
to
Secretary,
Bike Manawatu
P O Box 797
Palmerston North
or pay direct to the Bank Account 01 0745 0284925 00 and state in the description your name and “SUB”
by Glenys Taylor | Mar 4, 2014 | Archive(News)
Three Bike Manawatu riders were selected by BikeNZ to compete at the Oceania Cycling Championships; George Roberts, Alex West, and me, Lizzie Stannard.
We flew out of Palmerston North Airport on the 19th February with two bike boxes and a suitcase each bound for Toowoomba in South East Queensland.
Both the individual time-trial and the road race were centered around Toowoomba, a large city situated on top of the Great Dividing Range about 2 hours drive west of Brisbane.
The time-trial was held in an Australian version of Ashhurst called Nobby, only much smaller and dirtier. The course was made up of a series of rolling hills and false flats, of which the U19 women completed 13 km and the U19 men 25 km.
The day of the time trial dawned with a slight breeze, and a classic Australian summers day (ie: hot), which did not bode well for our team issue long-sleeved skin suits. The girls started off first, and after minor stresses that included getting our helmets checked for the Australian Standards sticker, everyone was off. Only 10 girls started, of which three were New Zealanders. The race was won by Alexandra Manly (South Australia) (also won bronze at the World TT Champs last year) and the two New Zealand girls were 2nd (Madison Farrant) and 3rd (Amanda Jamieson), and I rolled home in 7th. The boys performed well, but were not up to the high standard the girls had set earlier in the day. Alex and George were both slightly sick to begin with, and Alex managed to top that off by riding into a ditch in the first 5 km (don’t ask). He ended up 34th and George 31st out of 37 starters.
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by Vaughan Hunt | Feb 28, 2014 | Archive(News)
Australia, New Zealand and Guam’s best cyclists battled for Oceania honours in Toowoomba last weekend at the 2014 Zarraffa’s Oceania Road Championships.
The three-day Championships began with individual time trials on Friday February 21 before the road races on Saturday and Sunday February 22 and 23.
Leading the charge for the Kiwis was New Zealander Joe Cooper (Avanti Racing), who was crowned the Zarraffa’s Coffee Oceania time trial men’s champion. Queensland’s Shara Gillow (Orica-AIS) took out the women’s title.
Cooper, who was New Zealand’s 2013 national time trial champion, covered the 39 kilometre course in a time of just 49 minutes 43.82 seconds to claim gold.
Cooper finished 14 seconds ahead of Drapac Pro Cycling’s William Clarke (49:58.21) and Lachlan Norris (50:01.22) who stopped the clock a further 17 seconds in arrears.
The title comes after Cooper was unable to defend his New Zealand Time Trial National Championship in January due to injury, having developed a hamstring strain a few weeks before the event.
In the women’s event, Shara Gillow continued to show her strength against the clock, winning her fourth Oceania time trial title.
Gillow posted a blistering time of 35 minutes 01.92 seconds over 25 kilometres, 26 seconds ahead of Australian National Champion Felicity Wardlaw (Bicycle Superstore, 35:28.29) and a further 34 seconds in front of New Zealand’s Reta Trotman (35:36.31).
In the junior women’s event, UCI Road World Championship medalist Alexandria Manly (SA) took out the 13 kilometre course in a time of 18 minutes 59.96 seconds. Manly took out the race ahead of New Zealand duo Madison Farrant (19:26.57) and Amanda Jamieson (19:34.82).
In the Under-19 women’s race the following day, New Zealand’s Elizabeth Stannard broke free from a small group inside the final kilometre to claim the junior Oceania title solo.
Stannard took out the 71 kilometre race from Queensland’s Jessica Pratt and Anna Hull (NSW) who finished 5 seconds behind the kiwi.
The official New Zealand U19 team was made up of U19 Men Corbin Mason-Smith, Jake Marryatt, George Roberts and Alex West, and U19 Women Madison Farrant, Lizzie Stannard, Georgia Vessey, Amanda Jamieson and Ione Johnson.
They were accompanied by Junior Development Coach Wayne Girdlestone (U19 Men’s South Island Coach) and Team Manager Tracey Herbert, who Wayne commended as a ‘lifesaver’ when it came to logistics for the team.
“The event served as a steep learning curve for both men’s and women’s teams.” said Wayne Girdlestone. “The women have certainly stepped up following high attendance at the Junior Development Camps, and this intensive training is now paying dividends.”
“They [the women’s team] went to Australia with very little expectation and rode very well – especially Lizzie. The course suited them.”
Girdlestone was impressed by the technical challenges the course presented, admitting it was considerably harder than it appeared on the map. Jake Marryatt placed 8th and Corbin Mason-Smith 10th, taking away valuable knowledge of what it takes to race at a higher level than what is available domestically.
“The Aussies made us feel very welcome,” said Girdlestone, “The level of U19 racing is much higher across the ditch, and it’d be great to return with a larger team next year and build on 2014’s achievements.”
