Quiz night, inaugural school champs and Brass Monkeys.

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.

Last Saturday evening we had over 100 participants at the first Club quiz night. Well done to Glenys and her band of merry organisers who put together a very good programme with some testing questions.We all learnt a lot and also what we didn’t know or should have known about a range of subjects. Kate the MC for the evening was ‘ masterful’. The winning team led by Andrew Ward, sneaked through on the “ 3 eyed’ tuatara answer.

It would be great to make this night a regular event on the social calendar for the club, not only as a way to engender club spirit, but also as a fundraiser. Thanks again to John van Lienen for the way he was able to extract the appropriate amount by auction from the audience for the various donated bottles of wine to assist with our riders travel costs as they represent our club and country overseas in the near future.

This weekend, the inaugural Manawatu Schools Champs are being held at Ashhurst all day Sunday. There are almost 100 entries. It is going to be a great day and I am sure we will be seeing future national champions in action. A great initiative by the schools and Events Group and in particular Matt van Wagtendonk.

For the recreational riders, pencil in the ‘Brass Monkey Ride’ on June 26th. This will be a fun event followed up with soup and socialization .

Enjoy the ride.

Paul van Velthooven