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- Written by Iona McCarthy
My involvement with Bike Manawatu started when our sons took up competitive cycling during their secondary school years. I have spent many hours anxiously waiting on roadsides in New Zealand and overseas, clutching bottles and spare clothes, chasing around the course to a good vantage point to watch the peloton flash past in a blur. When my husband, Peter, was Club Chairman we took responsibility for organisation of the local events and I have done my time with a stop watch and road signage!
By 2004 I was no longer needed for support person duty and Peter bought me a bike; but it took three years before I started riding it. He then had to suffer through very slow rides, pushing me up hills, helping me “click in and out” while I built up confidence. Now I am an enthusiastic social rider, heading out with the Velo Girls each Tuesday and Bike Manawatu on Sundays.
I do understand the differing needs of the competitive and social rider and our club caters well to both groups. We have an excellent group of talented competitive cyclists in the club and we have a very supportive group of experienced social riders.
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- Written by Mark Waterland
I’ve been riding bikes since high school, mountain biking in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington but only started road riding shortly after I started at Massey in 2003. My training in those days consisted of taking my youngest daughter, Grace, on the back of the commuter bike up to Massey everyday (these days the daily commute is a gentle spin on the single-speed up to Massey). Pat Edwards encouraged me to try road racing shortly after my first Round the Lake ride (in 2005) to improve my time, and I joined the club committee the following year. I ride competitively to push myself and I really enjoy the social aspects of cycling and have made some good friends through cycling in the Manawatu. We have the people, the roads and the resources to make BikeManawatu the best cycling club in New Zealand and I bring to the Board enthusiasm, and by taking a lead in the Events Working Group, a willingness to get the job done.
Photo credit – Kirsty Kaihau © 2011, Burma Rd, Hawkes Bay.
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- Written by Paul van Velthooven
I am a relative late comer to cycling and still struggle to change my rear wheel inside two minutes, let alone a puncture! I hate punctures and always ride with a 3 ply tyre. In my youth rowing was my summer sport, a way to get fitter and stronger for rugby, my then sport of choice. Eventually rowing took over and on the back of some reasonable results I was invited to a number of national trials across various age groups making a developmental Colt’s squad in 1977 as a pre-curser to the 1978 World Rowing Champs at Karapiro.
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- Written by Janneke van Wagtendonk
Being born and raised in Holland means we pretty much do everything on the bike: grocery shopping, going to school, and usually even to work.
So strong biking fitness for whatever you choose to do later in life! My earliest road cycling experience is from alternative training for rowing at university with many hours on a trainer in the hall of our student flat! In rowing, I made it to the world champs for under23 in double skulls and still benefit from the fitness and life skills such as planning and discipline I developed during these years.
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- Written by Steve Stannard
![Wellington_Tour_2007[2] (2)](/images/BikeManawatu/Wellington_Tour_20072-2.jpg "Wellington_Tour_2007[2] (2)")
My name is Steve Stannard and I am the Deputy Chair of Bike Manawatu. I am an avid commuter cyclist, riding most days to my job as Head of the School of Sport and Exercise at Massey University. I regularly follow my three children around to cycling, triathlon, and mountain bike events, often participating myself. When I was younger I represented Australia as a road racing cyclist, but was also involved in other sports such as canoeing and football. I am passionate about cycling in the Manawatu and keen to see cyclists of all persuasions enjoy the fantastic environment our region and NZ has to offer.