Track Chit Chat- Sept 2015

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.

An amazing effort – the greatest ever success by junior riders from the Manawatu from the Junior Worlds in Astana.

Campbell Stewart, 2 gold medals in Scratch race and Omnium!!

Michaela Drummond, gold in teams pursuit and a world record, congratulations plus!!

Thanks for the great effort and the turn out for the track clean- over 20 people. The wetness of the day didn’t damper the enthusiasms.

There has been a big effort by myself, helped by Liam Brown and Kane Welch in cleaning out the clubrooms and getting rid of a lot of junk. Floors have been painted and a extra rack for bikes has have been installed – you will be supplied how much better it looks now!

All the hire bikes have been rechecked and Nicola Wallace and Liam Brown have helped also – over 20 hours of work is in bike maintenance.

As you already have probably seen on this Facebook the Track Committee met in July and Kate Stewart has put the programme up to Xmas 2015. We are really encouraging new riders along to our have a go day this year and also want to increase the number of Masters track riders. Therefore if there are 6 masters riders we will run a separate masters grade.

Also, all track numbers and track bikes from last season need to be returned to Ian Gray ASAP.

We will soon have confirmed track bike hire costs for the season, then we will ask for you to book a time to pick up your bike and to get it fitted at the club rooms in Feilding.

I have already done a lot of work researching historic records of performance of Manawatu riders in National events and other notable events.

A draft of the results was put up on the website and Facebook page last year.

Is anybody available to word process some more sections of this research, please let me know.

Did you know that Harold Henderson (PN) was the first Manawatu rider to win a NZ 100 mile (160km) road title in 1913.

Recently Johnie Jenkins a PN rider who raced from 1941-1955 recently identified a photo of Harold Henderson (picture included).

Johnie who just turned 90 years has a amazing memory of racing in his era, abd has told me that in 1947 there were 9 cycle shops in Palmerston North and he can name them all and their location!!

IAN GRAY cell phone: 02711205751.

Good luck to all the Manawatu riders racing in the NZ National Schools racing at the end of the month.

Above picture of Harold Henderson from Joe Allen Collection.

Above picture: Memorial park track 1958 (opened in early 1954), under 16 riders starting a 1/4 mile race. From Bill Love Collection.

Holder 4th left is 18 yr old Alf Ganderton. A year later Alf won the NZ 100mile road title in 1959.