Three Southlanders - Hamish Keast, Corbin Strong and Nicole Shields - have just been named in the BikeNZ U17 first year Academy and second year road cycling development programme. The programme gives riders learning opportunities to improve their likelihood of future success in road cycling.
The programme consists of two squads, a first year U17 academy programme, and a second year U17 junior road cycling team.
The following riders have been selected to be a part of the junior U17 academy programme, which will run from December 2014 to July 2015.
U17 year 1 girls:
Rebecca Gumbley, Amy Horn, Jenna Merrick, Grace Kelly, Nia Dixon, Jessica Banks, Jessica Clarke, Britney Kerr, Erica Dysart.
U17 year 1 boys:
Liam Taylor, Jack McGlaughlin, Samuel Wilkinson, Timothy Ng, Jamie Leitch, George Jackson, Hamish Keast, Burnie McGrath, Dylan Simpson, Daniel Reid, Bailey Ford, Corbin Strong, Jared Pidcock.
Dr Stephen Stannard and Gillian Krzanich will lead the learning opportunities which include specific training camps and some events. They will also work with the riders's personal coaches to help further develop the riders in the programme.
The following riders have been selected to be a part of the junior U17 road cycling team which will run from December 2014 to July 2015.
U17 year 2 girls:
Libby Arbuckle, Nicole Shields, Christine Lamley, Emily Shearman, Kate Smith.
U17 year 2 boys:
Harry Waine, Aaron Wyllie, Joshua Scott, Jacob Kench, Oscar Elworthy.
Marc Prutton and Tracey Herbert will lead the team’s learning opportunities, including events and extensive training camps, along with working with the riders' personal coaches to help further develop the riders.
The year 2 team still has spots available. This means that riders who perform at age category events over the coming 6-9 months may have the opportunity to be included in the team, should they meet the selection criteria and express their interest in being a part of the team.