Sport Manawatu and Massey University launch new Athlete Development Academy

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.

Sport Manawatu and Massey University’s School of Sport and Exercise have developed a new sporting academy to foster and develop the next generation of Manawatu Olympians.

The Manawatu Athlete Development Academy caters for athletes between the ages of 15 and 20 who have begun to break through to international competition, but are not yet eligible for High Performance Sport New Zealand assistance.

The academy is open to athletes from all sporting disciplines living within the Manawatu, Horowhenua, and Tararua regions. It offers athletes access to mentoring, workshops, sport science testing, and other services.

The programme will be led by local high performance coach Andrew Nicholls, who has recently returned from coaching duties with the New Zealand Youth Olympics team, and is personal coach to Olympic triathletes Ryan Sissons and Kris Gemmell. “I am excited to get to work with some of the region’s most talented athletes. By supporting their drive and enthusiasm with the combined resources of Sport Manawatu and Massey University I will be able to help them on their way to becoming high performance athletes” says Mr Nicholls.

Programme organisers Hamish Meacheam from Sport Manawatu, and Ian O’Boyle from Massey University are hoping the academy will cater for up to a dozen athletes this year beginning in March.

“We are hoping to attract the very best young athletes in the region, and to support them on their own journey to become high performance athletes, we are thrilled to be working with Massey University to bring this academy to our region” says Hamish Meacheam, the Sport and Recreation Manager for Sport Manawatu.

Applications for the Manawatu Athlete Development Academy are open now. Apply via the Sport Manawatu website www.sportmanawatu.org.nz. Applications close February 8^th 2013.

ENDS.

For further information:

Ian O’Boyle,

Lecturer in Sport Management,

School of Sport and Exercise,

Massey University

Phone 06 356 9099 extn 7906

Hamish Meacheam

Sport and Recreation Manager

Sport Manawatu

Phone 06 357 5349