Nelson riders win ‘colourful’ race

0
1924

Nelson’s Jake Stow and Ingrid Richter took out the solo riding honours but it was the witches, brides and flying fishes that added colour to the Port Nelson Kaiteriteri Six-Hour Mountainbike Relay Race on Saturday.

Robyn Dumore, left, CJ McClay, centre, and Megan Carter showed their true colours at the race.  PHOTO: Simon Bloomberg.
Robyn Dumore, left, CJ McClay, centre, and Megan Carter showed their true colours at the race.
PHOTO: Simon Bloomberg.

Jake completed an leg-burning 15 laps of the 7.5km circuit around the Kaiteriteri Mountainbike Park in the six-hours while Ingrid recorded 13 which, incredibly, was more than many of the teams. Craig Tolson and Cameron Jones both recorded 14 laps to finish second and third respectively in the men’s solo race while Bridget McMillan completed 11 laps and super-veteran Liz Eskrick rode eight in the women’s.

The father and son pairing of Mark and Henry Jaine was the fastest team, completing 16 laps with Henry, 18, also recording the fastest lap of the day at 19min 8sec.  The Wild Waka Women rode 13 laps to win the women’s team’s race with the Brook Badasses, Brent Edwards and Ash and Naomi Whitehead riding 15 laps to win the mixed section.

The race for the best fancy dress prize was just as competitive with Emma Bawtree’s Wheel Woman Witches team, who rode the course wearing witch’s hats and black cloaks on bikes fitted with broom sticks, taking the honours.  A group of marine biologists from Cawthron and NIWA, Anna Berthelsen, Megan Carter, Robyn Dunmore and CJ McClay, showed their true colours by wearing fishy-looking bike helmets while the Bridal Gear’s Jenny Ferrier, Fay McKenzie and Deb Morris rode in wedding dresses.

There was also a big contingent of young riders giving the race a real family feel and organiser Guy Trainor says they will aim to cater for the youngsters next year. Guy says they designed the course to keep the more advanced riders happy by providing a steeper alternative section but next year they want to do the same for young riders

“Some parts of the course were a bit hard for a few of the young riders so after the race we talked about including an easier course along Cruise Control for them next year,” Guy says. “But we were very pleased with how things went and I think all the riders enjoyed it.”

Guy says 240 riders competed in the race completing a total of 1055 laps. All proceeds from the race will be used to develop the Kaiteriteri Mountainbike Park.

 

.