mark_podium[1]  I am just writing to thank you for the donation you made  to help me get to Canberra in Australia and perform at the best I possibly could.  Firstly we flew to Auckland to meet the rest of the NZ team, then we flew to Sydney and drove to Canberra that day. Finally we reached our destination at 12pm. We stayed at the Australian Institute of Sport. We each got our own rooms.

Thursday and Friday were my days to relax and do a couple of training rides. We had a look around the city and the routes that the races were to be on.

The build up to the tour of Canberra for me was very intense, exciting, fun and nearer to departing a bit nerve racking. The tour of Taranaki really showed me my strengths and weaknesses that had to be worked on before crossing the ditch to the Junior and Women’s tour of Canberra.

I was very excited about the concept of ‘team racing’ and after racing and living with the rest of the under 17 girls New Zealand team I witnessed the huge advantages of this type of racing.

Just under a week before we left my New Zealand uniform arrived. That week flew by and before I knew it I was in the Auckland airport departing for Sydney. From Sydney we all piled in mini buses for the 3hr drive to Canberra. We arrived at the Australian Institute of Sport at midnight in the freezing cold, found our rooms and went straight to bed.

 
Despite having the advantage of an expanded rider base following the amalgamation of three clubs, Bike Manawatu is well behind Wanganui Cycling Club after the first two rounds of the Inter Club Winter Series.  The annual race series between the two clubs dates back to the 1930s however the competition had been in abeyance until 2009 when it was re-instated.  Last year Palmerstone north Marist came within a point or two of taking the cup in what was an enjoyable well fought series.  The first two races this year have seen Wanganui take a strong lead which is simply down to number.  Bike Manawatu have a chance to even the score by having a large turnout to the last two races which will be run on the 6th (Ashurst Saddle) and 20th (Halcombe Cemetery Circuit) of August.  All races are graded with points going towards cash prizes in each grade plus the overall Inter Club Cup. Please come out and support the club as we aim to win the series.  For Race 3 we will have a home advantage up the saddle, with A and B grades racing out to Highland Home then back up the the Saddle and C and D going out to Waterford Pub then back through Ashurst to the top of the Saddle.

LuukWhat was a first for PNBHS cycling, the team captain Luuk van Wagtendonk walked away with the Schools Cycling Trophy at the end of the two day event. “I would have to classify this as our most successful champs thus far”, said Howard Pinder. Out of 15 possible medals on offer PNBHS collected five of them. To have medallist in most of the grades is a significant achievement and testament to the hard work put in by all the Manawatu based riders he added. Some might see this as a sign that the balance of power has shifted south from the strangle hold that Auckland schools have traditionally had on the event over recent years but those in the know suggest this is only just the precursor of better things to come from Manawatu riders.