Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year break and managed to get some kms in on the bike. Please find attached the calendar of events up until July 2018.

If you haven’t already updated your licence, you will need to do this to race the Summer Series.  The Cycling New Zealand Membership portal is up and running for 2018 memberships  (1 January – 31 December 2018).  You will need to go their website to sort your membership:   https://www.cyclingnewzealand.nz/join

The Spoken Cycles 2018  Summer Series begins on Tuesday 23 January and runs weekly until Tuesday 27 March.  

We envisage that Week 1 will be particularly busy at registration so we ask  riders to pre register for the series by clicking on the link below and filling in your details (name, grade, club…) to ensure we can start racing at 6.25pm: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/53842
 
Weeks 1-9 will be Graded Road Races (A – E Grades) using the Kakepuku Mountain circuit. Please select the grade most appropriate for your ability - after Week 3 of the Series, riders cannot switch grades without first discussing this with us at registration.  Please see us if you are unsure which grade is best for you.
 

Registration opens at the velodrome on Armstrong Ave, Te Awamutu at 5.30pm with Under 15's (12km) starting at 6 pm and Grades (26km) starting at 6.25pm.   Week 10 will be an individual time trial based near the cemetery on Te Rahu Rd, Te Awamutu.
 
Please note the following points regarding the use of the timing system:
 

1. Riders will be issued with a transponder and a number when they register each night – both will need to be returned to the cycling shed at the end of the race.
2. If you don’t have a transponder holder on your bike, we’ll issue you with one at registration – please keep it on your bike as we’ll only have sufficient holders for new riders from  Week 2 onwards.
3. If you lose your transponder, the fee is $20 payable to Dynamo Events.

      
The cost of each race is $10, however, TA Sports Cycling members / associate members can take advantage of a substantial saving by prepaying for the entire 10 week series for  $80.  We are also offering a family ‘rate’ of $160 for 3 or more TA Sports Cycling members (from the same household) who will ride in the grades. U15 entry fees will remain at $2 per race or $15 for the series. 

If you wish to pay for the entire ten week series, you can deposit your series payment into our account via internet banking, pay using your Visa when completing the form or bring your payment to registration in Week 1.  If paying by internet banking,  please clearly reference this deposit with your name and 
S. Series  - the account number is 12 3134 0062913 00  

SAFETY FIRST
The committee were pleased with the improved riding behaviour after employing our group marshalls each week during the 2017 Series.  We really don't want our series to be shut down should an incident occur.  Therefore, ‘marshalls’ will once again be appointed in each grade and they will report back to the finish line at the conclusion of the race.   The committee have decided that for deliberate, reckless and intentional crossing of the white line, riders will be disqualified and stood down for one week’s racing.  If you are disqualified more than once, you are not welcome back for the remainder of the series. 

Further Points  to Note:

• Points will be awarded to the first 15 riders across the finish line with each rider from No. 16 onwards receiving a point for finishing the race. 
• Club members who complete 9 or 10 races will go into a prize draw at the conclusion of the series - this will be awarded at the Prize giving on 27th of March.
• Women’s Points:  Female riders will receive points along with the males (Top 15 across the line).  The top 3 female riders in each grade (provided they’ve competed in at least 5 races and are TA Sports Club Members) will be awarded prizes at the end of series prize giving.  
• Cambridge riders are to meet at the Cycleway by 5.10 pm if they wish to bike over together. Club captain, Mike Gascoigne will organise to split the group if there are too many riders.   
• Riders must have adequate lighting on their bikes to participate in the Summer Series – it is vital you have lights on your bike for those biking home to Cambridge and Hamilton. 

Please email me at tasportscycling@gmail.com if you have any queries.         

Regards
Melinda