Greetings everyone!
Welcome to another week and it has been an epic start to our busy road season at the National Schools Road Champs in Christchurch over the weekend. Our Southland juniors have absolutely excelled themselves during this event with plenty of podium placings and some very close results indeed. Congrats to everyone and well done Brendon McLeod on keeping us up to date and co-ordinating so many wee nippers up there. Congrats to all our competitors Check out all the results and the overall schools results were very pleasing including a third for the James Hargest intermediate boys and a fourth equal for the Verdon intermediate girls. Nice work!
The schools champs were the perfect start to our busy month of road tours and events ahead with the 35th Yunca Junior Tour kicking off this Friday with a fantastic field of 130 competitors across all the grades. Check out the stage details, entrants and times here
The Tour will be followed by the South Island Schools Track Champs next Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 October, along with a wee Carnival on the Tuesday night from 6.30pm. Make sure you head along to these and support all the riders. If you can lend a hand at any of the sessions please let me know.
A reminder there will be no regular track sessions next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wednesday Worlds
Tomorrow night sees the relaunch of our Summer season of the ever-popular Zookeepers Café Wednesday Worlds. Sign on 6pm at Tisbury Hall, for a 6.30pm start. Volunteers to marshal are always welcome and tomorrow night we need someone to head around the course and stand the signage up prior and put it down again once finished. Lindsay will set it up as usual and collect it just needs put up and down. If you can help out for opening week please let me know thank you.
Entry is $10 or just $5 if you are licenced for racing. All levels welcome.
2019 Licensing
If you are not yet licenced for Wednesday Worlds now is the perfect timing as the 2019 season launched yesterday. Jump online here or contact me at the office to help you get sorted. Those already licenced will still remain covered for this race season until 31 December when you will have to renew again.
Road Racing
Thank you to Gabby and the team at Mend Physio for supporting last weekend’s Myross Bush Points Race. Read the report and results This Saturday is the Yunca Junior Tour so no road race. Head out and support a great field of kids from all over the country!
Club Meeting
Thanks to those who attended the club meeting last week. Minutes can be found on this link. The next meeting is scheduled for November 14.
Baxter & Neilson Wheels
We’re delighted to announce the incredible gift of 11 high-quality racing wheels and bags from Ray & Trish Galt of Baxter & Neilson. A policy for their use has been drawn up and approved by the executive committee to ensure they remain an invaluable asset for young riders looking to achieve their cycling goals. The policy can be found here. We’re extremely grateful for the support that Ray and Trish have shown over the years and we know they’ll continue to watch as our young riders achieve nationally and internationally.
Adult Skill Development Session
Due to popular demand, an Adult Skill Development Session is to be run by Lance Spencer on Monday at 6pm with a focus on developing different racing skills each night. You don’t need to register for this - it’s a case of just turning up and paying $8 cash or using a concession card - all are welcome. This is a great opportunity for new riders or Corporate Pursuit riders to develop some racing skills and get into the sport.
You must have gone through the Track Start session with Fergus Canny on the Wednesday night and be comfortable on the track. Talk to the coaches if you're unsure. You will also need to be a member.
Open Enduro Session
A coached enduro session will return to the track tonight (Tuesday, 7-9pm) run by Lance Spencer. The sessions will cover various aspects of endurance racing and focus on tactical race craft. All U17, U19 and senior riders are welcome to attend. It will start this Tuesday (Oct 2), but can’t run the following week because of the carnival. It will resume on Oct 16 and run until the end of the year, providing great preparation for Southland Track Champs.
Motor-paced Session
We’re looking to run a motor-paced hour-long track session on Thursday nights from 8pm. It will be taken by Olympian Glen Thomson and start Oct 18, running for the six weeks prior to Southland Track Champs. Spaces are limited to 10 riders to ensure maximum benefit. Cost is $20. If you’re interested contact the office to secure your spot.
Tour of Southland Rider Host
We are on the lookout for a host family to look after a German rider coming to ride the Tour. Justus Erler is the rider’s name and he will be arriving in New Zealand on the 18th October which is 10 days before the Tour starts but he plans to travel around the region before and after the Tour. If anyone is interested in hosting this young man, please contact Milly at the office.
Ride Leader workshop
Cycling NZ are delivering a Ride Leader workshop on Sunday November 25 in Invercargill. This is a national programme, sponsored by NZTA, with the goal to get more people riding bikes. It gives people the knowledge and training to take groups of people out and share their love of cycling. If you're keen to get involved or to find out more email [email protected].
Two groups are operating in Invercargill now: https://www.facebook.com/otatarafreewheelers/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/472492786557941/
Check out this link which gives you an idea of the programme: https://www.cyclingnewzealand.nz/everyday-cycling/ride-leader-workshops
Trading Post
Don’ forget members can buy, sell and exchange cycling-related goods online here
Just send pictures, details etc to me and let me know when it is sold.
Finally huge congratulations to our Elite roadie Matt Zenovich who had an outstanding Tour de Siak in Indonesia last week claiming the winner’s title. He and his St George Continental Cycling Team then kicked off the Tour de Banyuwangi ljen with another clean sweep of the podium with Zeno taking second place, before defending their overall positions in stage two. Check out the results on the team page Go nuts Zeno!
Then there was Hayden Strong going absolutely next level during a Madison at the Lexus Velodrome in the USA recently Too good Bob!!
That’s more than enough for another week. Take care out there and good luck to all our juniors – both local and visiting who will be competing over the coming week in our trifecta of events