Prize giving School Cycling Manawatu

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.

50 kids from 5 different Manawatu Schools took part in the Prize giving carnival at the Feilding Velodrome. Where some of the kids are very familiar with the track for some it was the first time ever at Johnston Park. The carnival started at 9.00 am with a one lap standing start followed by team pursuits, missing out races and scratch races. Good entertainment for the big crowd that came along to support the kids and to celebrate their achievements.

The actual prize giving kicked of at 10.30 am. Run for and by the riders. Master of ceremony Kathryn Young did a superb job. It started with presentations per school. Cups and thank you’s were presented to coaches, helpers and school leavers. One of the leavers Rachel Southee (PNGHS) said in her address that school cycling is much more than just riding your bike.

Lachie Ferguson was presented the Sutton Cup. Lachie won this PNMCC Cup in a graded Handicap race held at Halcomb in October. Since Lachie is going to Australia before the PNMCC prize giving 17 December the cup was presented here. This intermezzo was followed by the presentation of School Cycling Manawatu Awards. The rider of the year trophies are awarded for contribution to Manawatu School Cycling. Josh Kendall from PNINS got the boys trophy. School rider of the year girls was awarded to Ashhurst schools Brittany Baker. A new introduced cup for best result by an individual or team was won by the girls team from Ashhurst school Britteny Baker, Jessica Bird, Grace Castle and Michaela Drummond.

The official ceremony was concluded with prizes for the carnival. The prizes were kindly donated by Alex Denholm. He was at this years Tour de France were he got a stack of yellow and polka dot caps. Those went to the winners of the carnival events.

All in all a very positive conclusion of school cycling in the Manawatu in the year 2010. The prize giving showed that School Cycling Manawatu is in very good health with good numbers of enthusiastic riders and plenty of parental support.