Track Cycling Results – 07 Dec 2010

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.

BikeManawatu Track Cycling

Considering the less than stellar weather conditions with a fragrant easterly wind and a cool overcast sky the 23 riders entertained the chilled crowd with some close racing and some even closer finishes. The first race up was to set the scene with 12 green and enthusiastic riders staying in a tight bunch until the last 150 meters of their 6 lap warm up race with all riders making a charge from all parts of the track for the finish line. The eventual winner, Jordan Castle started the final 150 meters at the rear of the bunch with the only daylight available on the outside of the bunch and close to the fence, he rose from the seat and assumed the sprinters position and proceeded to take the longest way home around the entire field to pip Kelsi Eccles on the line with a blanket able to cover all starters. The rest of the programme had equally entertaining miss n’ out and handicap races. The night also had 5 riders attempt track records with two new records set over the flying 200m distance. Megan Blatchford smashed the senior woman’s mark by 1.58 seconds with a time of 13.86 seconds and Brent Zimmerman equally dominant in knocking 1.36 seconds from the masters 2 time.

The A and B grade miss n’ out race began with a field of 11 riders and on the completion of each lap the rider caught at the rear of the field is eliminated from the race until the field is reduced to four riders then it becomes a one lap race to the line. This race captivates the crowd as they can see riders making surges for the line when the riders can’t, as for safety reasons they must only look ahead and not behind, this results in riders thinking they are safe when only the chasing rider and the crowd can see how vulnerable they are to elimination. This goes on for each lap and only to be stopped by an all out four rider one lap dash for the line.

It is pleasing to see the riders improve in ability and fitness over this early stage of the season thanks in no small way to being able to compete every Tuesday night. The night was also marked by the recognition and farewell of Lachie Ferguson, acknowledging his rider of the night award for last week and wishing him well for his future in Rockhampton Australia. Lachie received the latest Kennet brothers cycling book ‘Louise Sutherland- Spinning the Globe”.

These are the results:

Rider of the night as selected by Denise Brown was Jordan Castle because of his gutsy efforts in all of his racing on the night including missing the track record in the 200m by only .09 seconds.

Under 15’s and Under 17 girls 6 laps

1^st Jordan Castle

2^nd Kelsi Eccles

3^rd Campbell Stewart

4^th Joshua Kendall

A and B Grade 7 laps

1^st Megan Blatchford

2^nd Steve Stannard

3^rd Brent Zimmerman

4^th Ross Castle

Under 15’s and Under 17 girls 2 lap handicap

Heat 1

1^st Robert Stannard

2^nd Micaela Drummond

3^rd Ruby Perry

4^th Brittany Ingram

Heat 2

1^st Jordan Castle

2^nd Liam Barber

3^rd Elizabeth Stannard

4^th Catherine Young

A and B grade Miss and Out

1^st Jaycob Humphreys

2^nd George Roberts

3^rd Sean Whitehouse

4^th Jonty Hapeta

200 metre flying time trials

Megan Blatchford 13.86 seconds (new record)

15.44 seconds (old record)

Brent Zimmerman 13.62 seconds (new record)

14.98 seconds (old record)

Kate Stewart 15.87 seconds

14.45 seconds (existing record)

Campbell Stewart 15.33 seconds

13.90 seconds (existing record)

Jordan Castle 13.99 seconds

13.09 seconds (existing record)

Under 15 and under 17 girls 3 lap scratch race

1^st Kate Stewart

2^nd Ruby Perry

3^rd Kelsi Eccles

4^th Michaela Drummond

Under 15 boys

1^st Jordan Castle

2^nd Campbell Stewart

3^rd Joshua Kendall

4^th Robert Stannard

A and B Grade 3 lap scratch race

1^st Sean Whitehouse

2^nd Megan Blatchford

3^rd Mike McMinn

Under 15’s and under 17 girls 9 lap handicap race

1^st Jordan Castle

2^nd Campbell Stewart

3^rd Kelsi Eccles

4^th Kate Stewart

A & B Grade 18 lap Handicap

1^st Steve Stannard

2^nd Sean Whitehouse

3^rd Megan Blatchford

4^th Jaycob Humphreys