West Coast North Island Team Time Trial Championships
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.
A small number of teams showed up to the West Coast North Island Team Time Trial Championships on Saturday the 23rd of February.
Bike Manawatu fielded three teams, under 17 boys, senior women and senior men. All teams were made up of four riders and the teams completed 16, 25 and 40km respectively.
Because of the small numbers, our under 17 boys team made up of Jaycob Sievwright, Robert Stannard, Alex West and Hayden Washington-Smith, were the only team in their category and so as long as they finished were guaranteed the title. They still put all their effort in to finish the course in 25 minutes and 23 seconds.
The senior women team consisted of Sue McMaster, Jocelyn Goodwin, Katherine Stannard and Kim Andersen. They rode very well as a team to finish in second place in a time of 37 minutes and 25 seconds.
Our senior men, Steve Stannard, George Roberts, Barry Gilliland and Luuk Van Wagtendonk, were part of a field of six teams including strong turnouts from Stratford and Wanganui. They finished with a quick time of 53 minutes and 33 seconds but fell 47 seconds short of the Wanganui team to end in second place, a very respectable ride nonetheless.
