Event Reports

Details: Written by Glenys Taylor; Created: 21 March 2012

The final night finished early as rain began to fall. A good season has ended with some good racing and some new faces have put “the cat amongst the pigeons” and really mixed things up for the points. New riders will be warmly welcomed at the end of the year when the summer season starts again.

In the meantime remember that the prizegiving will be held on Thursday 26th April at Marist clubrooms, next to the Pascal St Stadium in Palmerston North. Please bring a plate for supper.

1000m time trial

A grade

1. Jacob Sievwright 1:35.10

2. Cameron Huston 1:36.41

B Grade

Details: Written by Glenys Taylor; Created: 18 March 2012

Why can’t every Saturday be like this. Perfect conditions for a race- sun out but not too hot, just a breath of wind but not noticeable if you were standing still.

But unfortunately it is not the weather that is keeping people away from racing, it can’t be the hills cause there was none on this course, so perhaps it is the fear that the large bunches will be overwhelming. And that also was not the case for this day.

The majority of the junior riders were away at the CHB tour and so the A & B grades set off together to ride for 30 minutes plus 2 laps and because there was only a small C & D grade they set off at the same time to do a combined first lap before racing proper started. Sprint laps were to be every 5 laps.

After the first lap A & B grade took off leaving the C & D in their wake. A close call was had by one of the riders in the C & D grade race when coming around the top corner going wide to keep just off the back wheel of another rider and a car was coming along the road. Both the rider and the driver of the car got a fright along with Rory Blatchford who was marshalling the corner. He reported afterwards that he thought that he was going to have to scrap someone off the ground.

Thanks to Tom and Catriona Pirie who set the course up and were race managers. Thanks also to Rory Blatchford for marshalling along with Brent Ellery and Kirsty Kaihau who helped with recording and results. Thanks also to the spectators who cam and cheered the riders on. This was one event where the spectators could actually see what was happening, break aways, bunchs splitting etc as the race progressed.

An enjoyable afternoon tea (where future events along including Nationals and online registration were discussed) was enjoyed in the clubrooms at the conclusion.

Click here for results

Details: Written by Glenys Taylor; Created: 13 March 2012

It is great to see that the club champs have been well patronised and there has been some good competitive riding happening out on the track. End of season prizegiving is looming but apart from club champs there is the point series to complete. There is one more week available to earn valuable points. And then the final night will be a fun night with lolly scrambles and perhaps a novelty race like riding around the track the wrong way – and I have heard that lollies occasionally get thrown in the wrong direction and end up in the grandstand so be sure to bring the family and friends along to see what you have been doing on the track. They may just get a lolly or two also.

Club Champs Event 5

Flying 400m

A Grade

1. Chris Denholm 31.59

2. James Denholm 32.38

3. Cameron Huston 32.95

4. Jacob Sievwright 33.06

Also, Campbell Stewart 31.48 (not competing)

Details: Written by Glenys Taylor; Created: 15 March 2012

It is getting closer to the end of the series, just one more week of points and then prizegiving. To give you some facts and figures for this series, we have had 93 people particpate over the series. Some of those were only new last night, but we have had anything from 26 to 57 participants on any one night.

Of the 41 people that took part last night only 11 were able to better their previous best time. David Martin and Jessica Hamilton have both been able to improve on their times from the beginning of the series by nearly 3 minutes.

Mark Waterland who normally calculates the results for us is away on school camp this week so if you have any problems with the results this week I will be the one that will have to sort it out.

Thanks to the helpers this week – Marcel Hollenstein on the turn, Kirsty Kaihau, Michelle Mikkelsen, for recording starts and finish times, Paul Roberts for holding on the start line.

Click here for results.