2014 Hawkes Bay School Cycling Championships - Havelock North High School Team Report

The school cycling team consisting of Tom Hosford, Todd Burnard, Lewis Sheeran, Jenna Tidswell, Mitchell Couchman and Nicholas Kelly competed in the Hawkes Bay School Cycling Championships over the weekend of Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June 2014.

The Saturday afternoon saw the running of the Team Time Trial (TTT) event. As the team was mixed age and gender, they rode in the under 20 age group which allows five riders to complete the event. In this race, all team members work together as they race against the clock to record the fastest time with the team time taken from the fourth rider across the line. Conditions were fine and sunny with a strong blustery south westerly. The 18km course runs out and back along Ohiti Road which meant riders had to battle into the wind on the way out before turning and racing back to the finish line with a tail wind. From the start line, the team was led off by Tom Hosford and quickly set about riding into the challenging wind. Time trial reserve Jenna Tidswell was only allowed to ride the first 200m in case of mechanical failure of any of the other team members but was not required to carry on. Using their team time trial skills practiced under guidance of coach Jason Kelly, the riders worked well as a team to stay together until the finish line and record a credible time of 33m 17s and earn a bronze medal for third place. The gold medal was won by CHB College with a team containing world class rider Regan Gough.

Team pre-race - Jenna, Mitchell, Lewis, Nicholas, Todd, Tom

On the start line

With Bronze medals for the TTT (Team Time Trial)

 The road race championships were held on Sunday morning in crisp, sunny and light wind conditions. The first race to start for the team was the combined under 16 and under 17 boys grade which Nicholas Kelly and Mitchell Couchman raced in. They raced 29km around the Ohiti Road block which contains a number of hills. A fast pace saw them fall behind the leading riders but the pair stayed together to the finish line with Nicholas finishing fifth in the under 16 grade while Mitchell won a silver medal in the under 17 grade.  Next off were the under 15 grade which Lewis Sheeran and Jenna Tidswell competed in. They raced over an out about and back course along Matapiro Road for a total distance of 17km. In a small bunch sprint finish, Lewis took out the silver medal in second place while Jenna finished close on his wheel to take the girls gold medal.

Mitchell and Nicholas pre-race

Gold medal - Jenna

Silver medal - Lewis

Silver medal - Mitchell

Over the weekend, the team won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal. This was a great effort for a small team and a well deserved reward for the training they had put into the event.

Thanks must go to Peak Fitness for allowing the team to train on the spin bikes when the weather was unsuitable.

Some of the team members are keen to try and improve on their efforts for next year's event so get cycling.