Hi everyone out there in SBS Bank Tour of Southland Land!
Well the weather has certainly been delivering in true Tour style for the first couple of stages of this year’s edition and today’s infamous journey out to Central Southland and back to climb Bluff Hill is looking to deliver again on wind chill factor, good gusts and squally showers.
With snow down to 500ms it is definitely not going to get tropical out there! There’s been some fantastic racing already from this strong field of fine athletes and well done on the soggy Prologue on Sunday where Tom Scully secured the Sprint ace jersey and then on Stage One to our Luke Macpherson who stuck his legs on the line for some fantastic hill climbing to bag the Most Combative Jersey yesterday!
Don’t forget to check out the live commentary being so ably delivered by the masterful fingers of Tim Maynard click here there is also some stunning camera work from our favourite Tour snapper James Jubb view the galleries here as well as all the daily wraps and news from around the country’s media. It will be an exciting and interesting week to see how results pan out. Good luck to everyone involved – the riders, the support crews, the volunteers and officials, the sponsors and everyone that puts something towards this massive and fantastic event to ensure it runs each year – you all rock!
U19 Track Squad
There will be no U19 track squad training this Thursday. All squad members are to assemble next Thursday 13 November at 4:30pm. Thanks Julian Ineson and Sier Vermunt, U19 squad coaches
Baxter & Neilson this Friday
A reminder that it’s Baxter & Neilson round 7 this Friday night from 6pm. Please bring a plate and jersey winners please bring your jerseys for photos, which need to be taken this week. The final night will be held at the earlier date of 21 November now due to the Beach Volleyball in the Velodrome the following week.
Elite & U23 National Road Champs
Entries are now open for the Elite and U23 Road National Championships being held from 9-11 January 2015, in Christchurch. To find out more or enter click here
Avanti signing for Cam
We’re missing our World Cup rep Cam Kawowski during the Tour this week but with the World Cup on the go and an awesome announcement this week with an Avanti team signing, we can definitely understand and forgive his absence – great work Cam! Good luck to you, Eddie, Matt, Piet and Steph on your World Cup campaign! Read all about it here
Riverton to Zookeepers Race
The Southland Tri Club’s annual Riverton to Zookeepers event is being held again next weekend - Saturday 8 November. Online entries* are available now at www.southlandtriclub.co.nz *online entries close at 6:00pm on Wednesday 5 November, but entries will be taken on the day (cash only)!
There are three options to choose from:
·Triathlon (23km MTB, 6km Kayak, 7km Run/Walk)
·MTB (35km)
·Duathlon (28km MTB, 7km Run/Walk)
Remove bikes in tunnel
Again a reminder please to remove the private bikes from being padlocked to the handrail in the tunnel. There is another craft show this weekend in the Velodrome and you risk damage being caused to your bikes, it also means elderly coming in the tunnel cannot use the handrail to help get themselves in.
Righto it’s back to the Tour for me the team, so enjoy the rest of the week as it unfolds.
Take care