Page 14
Selwyn view
Thursday february 14 2013
Sport
Coast to Coast via Selwyn
‘
The cycling scene
paul@christchurchcyclecoaching.co.nz
with Paul Odlin
Le Race time IT’S that time of year when cyclists are gearing up for one of Canterbury’s more iconic cycle races - Le Race. This is best illustrated by the mob of Lycra-clad, shaven-legged species grinding their way up Dyers Pass Road through Cashmere, the very first hill in the trek from Christchurch to Akaroa. I start getting excited about this race when my regular Sunday group rides venture out onto the peninsula and reconnoitre the twisty, twirling and somewhat steep (both in ascent and descent) parcours of the Summit Road. If you’ve entered this event before, even if you have every year since its inception (from 1999 it has been run every year despite an unfortunate accident which was the catalyst for a major shake-up to stringent safety traffic management systems in sporting events, and recently the February 2011 earthquake), it still pays to familiarise yourself with the testing part of the course. Every year without fail I am surprised at how hard the journey between Hilltop (the saddle taking you from Little River to Akaroa
On course: Coast to Coast athletes, including eventual winners Baden Currie and Sophie Hart, passed through the Selwyn District last weekend on their way to the finishing line at Sumner Beach. Hart is pictured on the Waimakariri River kayak stage while Currie is seen getting on his bike en route to the city. Currie completed the race in 11 hours, 21 minutes and 32 seconds, while Hart recorded a time of 12 hours, 36 minutes and 19 seconds. The pair upset last year’s winners, husband and wife, Richard and Elina Ussher. Photos: Michael Jacques
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IT’S official - Ellesmere and Rolleston Football Clubs, along with the Football hub at West Melton, have joined forces to create the Selwyn United Football Club (SUFC). For the last five years, the Rolleston and Ellesmere football clubs have been working together under its umbrella organisation, Selwyn Football, with consolidation having been one of the goals. This management identity was formed in 2008 with assistance from Sport Canterbury and support of Mainland Football. The organisation was instrumental in providing juniors residing in Selwyn a pathway to represent their district at annual Junior South Island tournaments and festivals. What used to be impossible but for a select few has now grown to Selwyn Representative fielding more than 10 teams, with three titles to its name in the last three years. A media statement issued by the new club said the district’s explosive population growth was likely to drive a large increase in player numbers. The club would continue to actively support the governing body and New Zealand Football in its implementation of the Whole of Football Plan, with fully compliant programmes and pathways available for players of all ages at West Melton, Rolleston and Ellesmere Football Centres, the statement said.
The First Kicks and Fun Football programme piloted and run by stalwart Jym Findlay would continue for all players registered with SUFC and expand out to the outlying football hubs within the district. The club would also have a new blue and black playing strip. In another new local development, English professional club Burnley announced last week that it was setting up an academy programme in Canterbury in a bid to find players to follow in All White Cameron Howieson’s sprig marks. SUFC is one of four South Island clubs to host the new initiative, which sprang from a meeting between SUFC head of coaching and ex-Burnley coach Graham McMann and Burnley’s Youth Australasia programme chief Paul Wozny, a UEFA A-licence coach. McMann and technical manager Martin Allen will co-ordinate the Canterbury programme, which will be linked to the BFCAA academy run by Wozny in Perth, attended by more than 800 young players aged between six and 16 over the last two years. In a statement, Wozny said the Burnley scheme would be a “comprehensive coach education programme” allowing local players to “remain on home soil while receiving topclass coaching and a total football education from full-time, experienced coaches”.
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Harbour) and the top of Long Bay Road (the final descent) actually is. Have a look at the course profile and you’ll see why - from under 500m at Hilltop you climb up to just under 700m with a lot of up and down along the way. A saunter out on this part of the course will also help your appreciation for the alpine climate, which can and has beset racegoers. Not wanting to scare the punter but it’s best to be prepared. I only recommend very strong cyclists ride from the start to finish and back again as this is a very long day. However, what is more achievable is if you can arrange to car pool to Little River then ride the climb to Hilltop, the Summit Road (this is only 25k), the downhill back to Akaroa and then return back via the main road. This is by no means easy but great preparation for what is a challenging race.