Cycling teams from Palmerston North Intermeditate Normal and Ashhurst Schools competed last week against 23 other Intermediate Schools at the North Island Intermediate Schools Cycling Champs. This is held each year on the Taupo Motor racing circuit.
There were two events held on the day for each year group (Yr 7 & 8)…a Team Time Trial and a Road Race.
In the TTT event the Ashhurst team (Katelyn Bird, Janah Rowden, Peita Ransom and Maddison Allardice) placed a very respectable 4th in the Year 7 girls race. The PNINS Girls Year 8 team (Libby Arbuckle, Gorgi Van Lienen, Megan Gardner and Anna Robson) took Silver and our Year 7 boys from PNINS (Adam Martin, Flyn Yates, Dineth Rajapakse and Harry Kinghorn) took the Gold. The Year 8 boys TTT from Ashhurst started out well until a flat tyre bought their race to grinding halt.
In the Year 7 girls road race Anna Robson (PNINS) rode a really good race and placed 10th, Katelyn Bird (Ashhurst) 14th, Janah Rowden (Ashhurst) 17th, Peita Ransom (Ashhurst) 18th, Maddison Allardice (Ashhurst) 21st and Briar McKay (Ashhurst) 22nd.
The Year 7 boys road race started out well with Flyn Yates (PNINS) and Dylan Simpson (Ashhurst) working together and taking an early lead on the rest of the bunch. Unfortunately though their plans of riding together to the finish were dashed when they clipped wheels and Flyn came down. Flyn though showed a great competitive spirit and after having some help to get his chain back on he was straight back on the bike and trying hard to make up lost ground.
The results at the end of the race were:
Adam Martin 6th
Dineth Rajapakse 11th
Harrison Kinghorn 16th
Flyn Yates 17th
Daniel Kendall 18th
Mitchael Rickards 27th
Due to a muck up with timing Dylan Simpsons time was not registered…he placed in the top 12 riders.
Harison Rickards from Ashhurst finished 22nd in the Year 8 boys road race.
Libby Arbuckle (PNINS) had a fantastic ride in the year 8 girls road race and took the Gold Medal. Megan Gardner rode well to finish 10th and Gorgi Van Lienen was not far behind on 13th.
Our “Baby Rhinos” took a few of the other schools who generally perform well at these events by surprise and they now know weʼll mean business at the Secondary School Nationals in a months time.
