With winter well and truly upon us, what better way to get the blood flowing than to get some racing in on a Sunday morning.
Bike Manawatu Schools Cycling runs racing events most Sundays during school terms and this year there’s been a positive response to the invitation for all BM members to race with the up and coming youth of our area.
The first Criterium for the year was held at Linton camp on Sunday 27th May. The day started of damp but with no rain during the morning some great racing was seen by all in attendance..of which there was 79 riders and dozens of spectators.
Huge thanks must go to Linton Camp, the patient Golfers and the Café staff. It truly is a great venue and many parents enjoyed a coffee in the café while the races were passing metres away.
Madi Hartley-Brown took out the A grade 30 minute race from Thomas Stannard and Ethan Craine. The B grade 25 minute race saw a great mix of youth over experience with Senior (took a while to decide on that title) riders Lincoln Jones and Dean Wade pushing the predominately BHS field hard. There was no shortage of attacks of the front and in the end Ben Orr took it out from Ben Irvine and Ewan Cousins won the sprint over Lincoln Jones…bit soft Lincoln. Phil Devlin , Paul Cooper and other BM members were all in the mix during the race where tactics and endurance all played their part. The red faces at the end showed the level of competition, nothing else.
C grade race was the biggest field taken out by PNINS Josh Mulcahy with a great sprint to the line. Dima Luitenko was second with Bella Ives from PNGHS third. With 35 riders and a great mix of genders you never knew which way to look. 7 different schools represented and more BM seniors in the mix made a great spectacle. D grade was taken out by Harrison Craw with his brother Ta following closely, nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry. Tom McInnes chased them home in third in what was once again a large mix in size and speed and grace.
An awesome event and a venue that was are very lucky to have access to.
Last Sunday June 3rd was the first ITT for the winter. Heading away from our normal Rongotea or Kairanga flat tracks this event started at Colyton Hall and was an Out and Back on the so called “road to nowhere”
You don’t get a lot tougher than this. 16 kms with hills, false flats and head wind on the way home.
88 riders took the start with once again a great mix of size and experience. The school riders were required to run restricted gearing (Roll out) that they use in competition.(see below)
PNBHS teacher and cycling coach Winston Briggs won the day with a 23.47 from Boys High Students Adam Martin 24.16 and Jack Pronk 24.42 and Jamie Dennis 25.04.
Nigel Doyle was the next best of the BM senior riders with a very respectable 9th 26.10 with our very own BM board member blowing off the cobwebs with 16th overall and 27.49.
Great to see Paul Cole, Bruce Powell, Megan Blatchford-Peck, Jessica Hamilton, Paul Cooper, Deb Cuff and other BM members taking on the challenge
For those who don’t know Juniors ( Under 16 )is restricted for Team Time trials to 6.61 and Senior (over 16) are 7.0 metres.
In road racing under 15 is 6.61, under 17 is 7.0 and under 19 is 7.93 metres… welcome to schools cycling!!!!
The reason these roll out exist is to encourage the youths to run and be able to race a high cadence, which in their growing years looks after their joints and muscles as well as fostering good technique…anyway enough of the detail but give it some thought when you see the results and speeds the youth ride at.
Next up is Akers Road , registration at Linton Country School, this Sunday..Check the facebook page for details. Four grades, flat track but that’s all we can guarantee……could be windy..bring it on.
Thanks all of our Traffic Management , timing, marshalls and other helpers. Thanks also to Austin Smith from Colyton School and Katy Marsh from Linton country school for having bathroom facilities available to us to use