Track Chit Chat – December

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.

WHAT A HISTORIC RIDE !!!!!!!!
On Tuesday evening (9th Dec 2015), at 7pm at the Feilding Velodrome a light zephyr had begun to fade away, but the temperature was a little brisk when the third round of the 1 Lap (standing start) timetrials commenced.
After the U15’s and U17’s had completed their rides, the U19’s, senior riders and masters were given a few laps warmup. James Cuff, after his fast unofficial time the 2 weeks ago was given the first ride as an official record attempt, and a fast time was expected. However the small crowd and officials did not anticipate that they were to witness one of the greatest timetrial times to be ridden on the Feilding track.
James got off to a amazingly good start so smooth and powerful, that he rode the first 100 meters in 10.2secs and by the 150 mark he was up to top speed which looked ever so fast. Past the 200m mark and into the finishing straight he looked magnificent and he was over the finishing line in a flash.
When the three timekeepers had their times recorded, the official time of 28.70 secs was James ridden time. He smashed Liam Browns record time of 29.26sec recorded 2 weeks earlier by an amazing 0.56 seconds!
James becomes the first person to ride under 29secs on the Feilding track, riding the last 300 meters at 12.3secs 200m equivalents, which is quick considering the record for a flying 200m time trial is 11.90 on Feilding.
James record certainly ranks among the top 5 time trial records for Feilding.
Two other new records were also set on Tuesday night:
Gabrielle Wildbore broke the masters 1 womens record recording 37.69 (old time 38.08) held by Nicola Wallace since 2004, who was one of the timekeepers helping on Tuesday.
Grant Haggett shaved 0.32secs off Arron Kibblewhites 2013 masters 2 record, of 32.89 to record a smart 32.57secs.
Congrats to all record breakers on the night.
The last 2 races of the night were the U15s 7 Lap handicap and due to the low numbers the remaining twelve riders rode a 10 Lap handicap.
Logan McKinnon had his handicap slashed by 100 meters after his win at the carnival yet showed improvement and held on comfortably to win by over 100 meters from scratch rider Michael Richmond, Dras Caldwell and Ben Irvine.
In the final race Libby Arbuckle rode intelligently and strongly to win from Grant Haggett, Angus Classen and Joe Caldwell.
The next scheduled meeting is the last for the year, the Xmas meeting on Sunday Dec 20th.
The track programme for the New Year will be out before Xmas so watch this Facebook page.

Track Chit Chat- Ian Gray – 16th December

Xmas comes once a year and is always full of excitment and good cheer where most families all get together for fellowship and Xmas 2015 should be no exception!

There should be some real excitment at our final track meet on Sunday 20th at 3:00pm when a big Xmas prize is to be won by a “Rookie” U15 rider. All U15 riders who have ridden track meets at Feilding since the beginning the track season will go in a draw to have a chance of winning a Brand New Australian Built “Hillbrick Track Bike”. It is a very nice well designed blue bike, looks splendid and I am sure will ride well on the track-

Make sure you are there at Sunday racing at 3:00pm!